Systems and methods for displaying and querying heterogeneous sets of data

Abstract

A visualization system for heterogeneous data sets comprises: a unique visualization interface created by a visualization engine. The visualization interface comprises a window or canvas having a first area defining a center of attention, second area defining a parameter space and a plurality of correlation elements. The first area is a two-dimensional space for the display of items of interest. The second area provides a space in which parameters associated with the items of interest can be displayed. The correlation elements indicate relationships and their strength between items of interest and parameters in the second area. The visualization engine creates the unique visualization interface and is coupled to a data source, such as a database. The visualization engine preferably comprises an input module, a control module, a retrieving module, a rendering module, and an analysis module. These components are coupled together to receive input from the user, present the unique visualization interface to the user, and retrieve data from the data source. The present invention also includes a number of novel methods including: a method for creating visualization interface, a method for updating the visualization interface, and a method for modifying the visualization interface responsive to an alert.

1 . A method for presenting and interacting with heterogeneous sets of data, the method comprising:
 generating an object;   generating a parameter;   generating a correlation element between the object and the parameter;   displaying a visualization interface having a first area including the generated object, a second area including the parameter, and including the correlation element.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving input from a user;   retrieving data from a data source based on the input from the user; and   wherein the object, the parameter and the correlation element are generated using the retrieved data.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the data source is a database table, a database, database server or any numbered collection of data. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the object includes analyzing input data to determine items that are of interest to the user. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generating the parameter includes determining attributed, characteristics, or variable related to the objects. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the generating the correlation element includes:
 projecting the object on parameter space; and   determining a subset of projections that have correlation values.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining the subset of projections that have correlation values includes:
 selecting the projections based on strength of correlation where correlation is persistent in time; and   setting a correlation value for at least one projection to zero if it is a non-interesting case.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the correlation values are based on input received from a user and includes a weight representing one from the group of uncertainty, relevance, availability, interest and other assessment. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the visualization interface includes:
 rendering the object, the parameter and the correlation element to generated an interface; and   displaying the interface to the user.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the visualization interface includes a canvas upon which the object, the parameter and the correlation element are placed. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first area of the visualization interface is a center of attention that shows a relationship of the object to other objects. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first area of the visualization interface is a center of attention that defines a two-dimensional or three-dimensional space to show relationships between the object and other objects. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the object is displayed in the first area of the visualization interface in a visually distinct manner depending on one from the group of its correlation to parameters, the value of the correlation to parameters, its relationship to other objects, its attributes, external events, alerts, intensity, growth and time. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the visually distinct manner includes one from the group of different icons, different colors, different sizes, different positions, different shapes, text annotations and other display attributes. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first area of the visualization interface is displayed as one from the group of a square, a circle, an arc, a sector, a rectangle, a polygon, a triangle, a cube, a sphere and a fish-eye display. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a second object, and wherein displaying the visualization interface includes displaying the second object in the first area in relationship to the first object. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving input from a user;   retrieving data from a data source based on the input from the user;   updating the object, parameter and correlation element are generated using the retrieved data;   updating the visualization interface; and   displaying the updated interface.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving an alert   retrieving data from a data source based on the alert;   updating the object, parameter and correlation element are generated using the retrieved data;   updating the visualization interface; and   displaying the updated interface.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising monitoring for an alert signal. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second area of the visualization interface is a parameter space that shows a relationship of the parameter to other parameters. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second area of the visualization interface defines a three-dimensional space to show relationships between the parameter and other parameters. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the parameter is displayed in the first area of the visualization interface in a visually distinct manner depending on one from the group of its correlation to objects, the value of the correlation to parameters, its relationship to other parameters, its attributes, external events, alerts, intensity, growth, and time. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the visually distinct manner includes one from the group of different icons, different colors, different sizes, different positions, different shapes, text annotations and other display attributes. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second area of the visualization interface is displayed as one from the group of a square, a circle, an arc, a sector, a rectangle, a polygon, a triangle, a cube, and a sphere. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second area of the visualization interface is positioned about the periphery of the first area of the visualization interface. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein parameters are shown in second area of the visualization interface extend in a radial direction outward from the center depending on a attribute of the parameters. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein parameters are shown in second area of the visualization interface and extend in a direction away from the first area depending on an attribute of the parameters. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the position of the parameters extending in direction away from the first area is based on a value that is scaled on a one from the group of a linear, logarithmic, and exponential scale. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein parameters are shown in second area of the visualization interface grouped in a plurality of sets, wherein each set has a display format. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating a second parameter, and wherein displaying the visualization interface includes displaying the second parameter in the second area in relationship to the parameter. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the correlation element is shown in the visualization interface with display attributes that define a relationship between the object and the parameter. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the correlation element is shown in the visualization interface in a visually distinct matter according to the attributes of the correlation element. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the visually distinct matter includes one from the group of different icons, different colors, different sizes, different positions, different shapes, text annotations, different line formats, and other display attributes. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the value of a correlation element is determined by a weighted function such as strength, intensity of correlation or persistence. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the correlation element is shown as a connector between the parameter and the object with a format of the connector indicating correlation value. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising:
 receiving input from a user to focus on the object,   retrieving data from a data source based a modified level of detail;   updating the object, parameter and correlation element are generated using the retrieved data;   updating the visualization interface; and   displaying the updated interface.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 identifying a position of a cursor on the visualization interface;   determining an element associated with the position on the visualization interface;   retrieving additional information about the element;   displaying the information proximate the display of the element in the visualization interface.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the additional information is the object, the parameter and the correlation element at a different level of detail and wherein displaying including regeneration of the visualization interface for the different level of detail. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising displaying a second interface proximate the visualization interface. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the second interface is one from the group of a waterfall interface, a scatter map interface, a time plot and a text window. 
     
     
         41 . A system for generating a visualization interface comprises:
 a retrieving module having inputs and outputs for retrieving data used to generate the visualization interface, the input of the retrieving module coupled to receive data from a data source,   an analysis module having an input and an output for generating an object, a parameter and a correlation from received data, the input of the analysis module coupled to the output of the receiving module; and   a rendering module having an input and an output for generating the visualization interface including a first area, a second area, the object, the parameter and the correlation, the input of the rendering module coupled to the output of the analysis module.   
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40  further comprising a control module having inputs and outputs for controls the operation the visualization system, the control module coupled to and controlling the retrieving module, the analysis module and the rendering module.