Visualization of an Object Using a Visual Query System

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for visualizing an object. Instructions identifying a hierarchy of image blocks and an action scheme are received. An image block in the hierarchy of image blocks is loaded to display an image corresponding to the image block to a user through a graphical user interface displayed on a display system. A number of image areas on the image are selectable. User input that selects an image area in the number of image areas is detected. Visualization information to be sent to a visualization system for use in visually presenting a portion of the data about the object of interest to the user through the graphical user interface is generated based on the image area selected.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for visualizing data about an object, the method comprising:
 receiving instructions identifying a hierarchy of image blocks and an action scheme;   load an image block in the hierarchy of image blocks to display an image corresponding to the image block to a user through a graphical user interface displayed on a display system, wherein a number of image areas on the image are selectable; and   perform a set of actions in response to a selection of an image area in the number of image areas based on the action scheme identified in the instructions.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 monitoring for user input selecting the image area in the number of image areas. 
 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein performing the set of actions in response to the selection of the image area in the number of image areas based on the action scheme identified in the instructions comprises:
 loading a new image block at a next level in the hierarchy of image blocks to display a new image corresponding to the new image block to the user through the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein performing the set of actions in response to the selection of the image area in the number of image areas based on the action scheme identified in the instructions comprises:
 generating visualization information to be sent to a visualization system for use in visually presenting data of interest to the user.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein generating the visualization information comprises:
 running a query to filter the data about the object based on the selection of the image area in the number of image areas.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein running the query to filter the data about the object comprises:
 running the query to filter the data about the object based on the selection of the image area in the number of image areas, wherein the data about the object comprises a number of models for the object and object data.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein generating the visualization information comprises:
 generating the visualization information in which the visualization information includes spatial information identifying a spatial region with respect to which the data of interest is to be visually presented to the user.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein generating the visualization information comprises:
 generating the visualization information in which the visualization information includes a number of visualization effects to be used by the visualization system when visually presenting the data of interest to the user.   
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented method for visually querying data about an object, the method comprising:
 receiving instructions identifying a hierarchy of image blocks and an action scheme;   load an image block in the hierarchy of image blocks to display an image corresponding to the image block to a user through a graphical user interface displayed on a display system, wherein a number of image areas on the image are selectable;   detecting user input that selects an image area in the number of image areas; and   generating visualization information to be sent to a visualization system for use in visually presenting a portion of the data about an object of interest to the user through the graphical user interface based on the image area selected.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein generating the visualization information comprises:
 querying the data about the object to identify the portion of the data about the object of interest to the user with respect to a spatial region of the object based on the image area selected.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 a visual query system configured to receive instructions identifying a hierarchy of image blocks and an action scheme; load an image block in the hierarchy of image blocks to display an image corresponding to the image block to a user through a graphical user interface displayed on a display system, wherein a number of image areas on the image are selectable; and perform a set of actions in response to a selection of an image area in the number of image areas based on the action scheme identified in the instructions.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the visual query system comprises:
 a controller configured to receive the instructions and configured to receive user input selecting the image area in the number of image areas through the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the visual query system comprises:
 a display manager configured to display the image corresponding to the user through the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the set of actions includes loading a new image block at a next level in the hierarchy of image blocks and displaying a new image corresponding to the new image block to the user through the graphical user interface. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the set of actions includes generating visualization information and sending the visualization information to a visualization system for use in visually presenting data of interest to the user. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the visual query system comprises:
 a query generator configured to run a query to filter data about an object with respect to a spatial region of the object based on the selection of the image area, wherein running the query is one of the set of actions.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the visualization information includes spatial information identifying a spatial region with respect to which the data of interest is to be visually presented to the user. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the visualization information includes a number of visualization effects for use by the visualization system in visually presenting the data of interest to the user. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising:
 the visualization system, wherein the visualization system and the visual query system form an integrated visualizer. 
 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the integrated visualizer is configured to allow the user to visualize object data for each of a plurality of objects and visually query for a portion of the object data corresponding to one of the plurality of objects based on a number of search criteria in which the object data includes at least one of design data, engineering data, geometry data, attribute data, part data, manufacturing data, production data, maintenance data, or work order data.