Creating an intuitive visual plan for achieving financial goals

Abstract

Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for creating an intuitive visual plan for achieving financial goals. An apparatus includes a processor and a memory that stores code executable by the processor to receive financial goal information for a plurality of financial goals, generate a plurality of graphical representations for the plurality of financial goals, and present, on a digital display, a converging distance graphic and the plurality of graphical representations.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores code executable by the processor to:
 receive financial goal information for a plurality of financial goals, the financial goal information comprising at least one attribute describing the financial goal; 
 generate a plurality of graphical representations for the plurality of financial goals; and 
 present, on a digital display, a converging distance graphic and the plurality of graphical representations, the plurality of graphical representations positioned relative to one another on the converging distance graphic in temporal order such that the plurality of graphical representations are spatially ordered according to the relative timing of the plurality of financial goals where graphical representations of goals that occur earlier in time are placed in a foreground and obscure at least a portion of graphical representations of goals that occur later in time. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute for a goal comprises one or more of a description of the goal, a goal amount, a due date, a start date, a priority, an order of importance relative to other goals, and a duration for accomplishing the goal. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute comprises a context for a goal, the context comprising a shape and an area value for use in generating a graphical representation for the goal. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of graphical representations have areas that are proportional to their corresponding amount value. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the financial goal information is received as a data structure comprising the financial goal information for the plurality of financial goals. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the code is executable by the processor to normalize the plurality of graphical representations of the goals based on predefined thresholds. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the predefined thresholds comprise an upper threshold, a lower threshold, and a center threshold, the predefined thresholds corresponding to an asymptotic graph to proportionately normalize the graphical representations relative to one another on the converging distance graphic. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the code is executable by the processor to present an interactive zoom control, when interactive with, graphically zooms in and out of the converging distance graphic so that graphical representations of goals in the background move towards the foreground. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the code is executable by the processor to dynamically resize the graphical representations of the goals as the zoom control is interacted with. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the code is executable by the processor to dynamically display additional attribute information for a goal as its graphical representation is moved from the background and towards the foreground. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the code is executable by the processor to pre-assemble and store the additional attribute information for each goal prior to the additional attribute information being displayed. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the converging distance graphic comprises bounding lines that converge in an upward direction on the digital display. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the code is executable by the processor to provide a drop down menu listing the plurality of financial goals, and wherein, in response to one of the plurality of financial goals being selected from the list, dynamically zooming the converging distance graphic to the graphical representation of the selected financial goal. 
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 receiving financial goal information for a plurality of financial goals, the financial goal information comprising at least one attribute describing the financial goal;   generating a plurality of graphical representations for the plurality of financial goals; and   presenting, on a digital display, a converging distance graphic and the plurality of graphical representations, the plurality of graphical representations positioned relative to one another on the converging distance graphic in temporal order such that the plurality of graphical representations are spatially ordered according to the relative timing of the plurality of financial goals where graphical representations of goals that occur earlier in time are placed in a foreground and obscure at least a portion of graphical representations of goals that occur later in time.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the financial goal information is received as a data structure comprising the financial goal information for the plurality of financial goals. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the code is executable by the processor to present an interactive zoom control, when interactive with, graphically zooms in and out of the converging distance graphic so that graphical representations of goals in the background move towards the foreground. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the code is executable by the processor to dynamically resize the graphical representations of the goals as the zoom control is interacted with. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the code is executable by the processor to dynamically display additional attribute information for a goal as its graphical representation is moved from the background and towards the foreground. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the code is executable by the processor to pre-assemble and store the additional attribute information for each goal prior to the additional attribute information being displayed. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus, comprising:
 means for receiving financial goal information for a plurality of financial goals, the financial goal information comprising at least one attribute describing the financial goal;   means for generating a plurality of graphical representations for the plurality of financial goals; and   means for presenting, on a digital display, a converging distance graphic and the plurality of graphical representations, the plurality of graphical representations positioned relative to one another on the converging distance graphic in temporal order such that the plurality of graphical representations are spatially ordered according to the relative timing of the plurality of financial goals where graphical representations of goals that occur earlier in time are placed in a foreground and obscure at least a portion of graphical representations of goals that occur later in time.