Index display system, method thereof, and program

Abstract

[Problem] To enable expression that does not impair a relationship between a certain element and another element around the certain element while reflecting index proportionality of a plurality of elements. [Solution] This index display system 1 comprises: a specific area setting means 60 for setting a specific area which includes a plurality of areas arranged in a setting range that is a range sandwiched between adjacent first boundaries and / or adjacent second boundaries; an index estimation means 70 for estimating, on the basis of an index of an element in the specific area, an index in each of the areas included in the specific area; an enlargement / reduction ratio calculation means 80 for calculating a basic enlargement / reduction ratio on the basis of the indexes of the areas in the specific area and the areas included in the specific area; and a display control means 90 for enlarging / reducing the setting range on the basis of the basic enlargement / reduction ratio and displaying the enlarged / reduced setting range on the display means.

Description

Indicator display system, method and program

[0001] The present invention relates to an index display system, a method and a program therefor.

[0002] Conventionally, in maps in which multiple elements such as countries, cities, towns, and villages are arranged (for example, maps using the equal-area projection method (hereinafter simply referred to as "equal-area maps")), these multiple elements are arranged in sizes corresponding to the actual area of ​​each element and in positions corresponding to their relative positions to other elements.

[0003] For example, when data showing the status of municipalities (e.g., average household income, college graduation rate, etc.), which are examples of elements, is represented using an equal-area map, it is known to represent each municipality by coloring it according to its indicators.

[0004] However, when differences in data showing a situation are expressed using color, the color of the larger area creates an overall impression, which can be significantly different from the impression given by the average value of the data for all elements. In addition, while the color significantly reflects minor changes in areas with large areas but small population ratios, it is difficult to understand the situation in urban areas, where the majority of the population is located, many people are interested in regional differences, and the majority of comments are concentrated. To improve this situation, maps are sometimes intuitively enlarged or supplemented with enlarged views (for example, of large urban areas), but these are indistinguishable from arbitrarily manipulated displays of data to draw specific conclusions.

[0005] Cartograms are also known as maps in which the area of ​​a country is proportional to a quantitative indicator (hereafter simply referred to as "indicator") that indicates the country's situation, such as gross domestic product (GDP), population, or number of billionaires. However, while cartograms are suitable for showing a country's presence relative to other countries in terms of indicators, they are not often used as world maps showing various activities. This is because the shapes of each country are significantly distorted, making it difficult to see the neighboring relationships between countries, reducing their usability as a map.

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention aims to enable an expression that reflects the index proportionality of multiple elements while not impairing the relationship between a certain element and other elements around that element.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the index display system of the present invention provides the following means for solving the problems.

[0008] (1) An index display system that, in an overall display showing an area in which a plurality of first boundaries, a plurality of second boundaries intersecting the first boundaries, and an area surrounded by the first boundaries and the second boundaries are set, and that expands or reduces a width between adjacent first boundaries or adjacent second boundaries based on an index related to the elements, comprises: an overall display acquisition means that acquires the overall display; an index acquisition means that acquires the index for each of the plurality of elements; a specific area setting means that sets specific areas, which are the plurality of areas arranged in a set range that is a range sandwiched between adjacent first boundaries and / or adjacent second boundaries in the overall display; an index estimation means that estimates the index for each area included in the specific area based on the index of the elements in the specific area; a scaling ratio calculation means that calculates a basic scaling ratio based on the index of the area in the specific area and the area included in the specific area; and a display control means that expands or reduces the set range based on the basic scaling ratio and displays it on a display means.

[0009] In the configuration (1), the indicator display system includes an overall display acquisition means, an indicator acquisition means, a specific area setting means, an indicator estimation means, a scaling factor calculation means, and a display control means. A plurality of first boundaries, a plurality of second boundaries intersecting the first boundaries, and an area surrounded by the first boundaries and the second boundaries are set. In the overall display showing an area in which a plurality of elements are arranged, a width between adjacent first boundaries or adjacent second boundaries is expanded or reduced based on indicators related to the elements. The overall display acquisition means acquires the overall display. The indicator acquisition means acquires indicators for each of the plurality of elements. The specific area setting means sets a specific area, which is a plurality of the areas arranged in a set range that is a range sandwiched between adjacent first boundaries and / or adjacent second boundaries. The indicator estimation means estimates an indicator for each area included in the specific area based on indicators of the elements in the specific area. The scaling factor calculation means calculates a basic scaling factor based on the indicators of the areas in the specific area and the areas included in the specific area. The display control means enlarges or reduces the set range based on the basic enlargement or reduction ratio and displays it on the display means.

[0010] According to the configuration (1), in a specific region, which is a set range defined by adjacent first boundaries and / or adjacent second boundaries, the set range in which the specific region is located is enlarged or reduced based on a basic scaling factor calculated based on the indices of the regions in the specific region and the regions included in the specific region, and the set range in which the specific region is located is displayed on a display unit. This allows the entire set range including the specific region to be enlarged or reduced based on the indices of the regions present between adjacent first boundaries and / or adjacent second boundaries and the basic scaling factor calculated based on the regions included in the specific region, thereby enabling the representation of an enlarged or reduced image without compromising the relationship between a certain element and other elements surrounding the element. This allows the representation of an element without compromising the relationship between a certain element and other elements surrounding the element, while reflecting the proportionality of the indices of the multiple elements.

[0011] (2) The index display system described in (1) is characterized in that the scaling ratio calculation means calculates a corrected scaling ratio based on the basic scaling ratio, and the display control means expands or reduces the set range based on the corrected scaling ratio and displays it on the display means.

[0012] Here, for example, if the index value is extremely large in any of the multiple regions present between adjacent first boundaries, the overall display may be significantly distorted.

[0013] According to the configuration (2), the multiple areas are enlarged or reduced as a whole based on a corrected enlargement / reduction ratio calculated from a basic enlargement / reduction ratio, which is the average value of the indices of the multiple areas existing between adjacent first boundaries. Therefore, even in the above case, it is possible to express the enlargement / reduction without damaging the relationship between a certain element and other elements around that element.

[0014] (3) The index display system described in (1) or (2), characterized in that the specific area setting means sets an excluded element from among the multiple elements arranged in the set range, and sets the specific area excluding the excluded element.

[0015] For example, if the present invention is applied to a world map, the multiple elements would be oceans and countries, and the overall display would be the entire world map. If the indicator is population, there is no population in the ocean area. Therefore, if the set range includes ocean, the basic scaling factor based on the average population per area will be lower than when the set range does not include ocean, which could result in an underestimation.

[0016] According to the configuration (3), for example, elements whose index value is 0 are excluded to calculate a basic scaling ratio, and the setting range is scaled based on this basic scaling ratio, thereby enabling scaling that allows for more accurate comparison.

[0017] (4) A method executed by an index display system that sets a plurality of first boundaries, a plurality of second boundaries intersecting the first boundaries, and an area surrounded by the first boundaries and the second boundaries, and expands or reduces a width between adjacent first boundaries or adjacent second boundaries based on indexes related to the elements in an overall display showing an area in which a plurality of elements are arranged, the index display method comprising the steps of: acquiring the overall display; acquiring the indexes for each of the plurality of elements; setting specific areas in the overall display, which are the plurality of areas arranged in a set range that is a range sandwiched between adjacent first boundaries and / or adjacent second boundaries; estimating the indexes for each of the areas included in the specific area based on the indexes of the elements in the specific area; calculating a basic expansion / contract ratio based on the indexes of the areas in the specific area and the areas included in the specific area; and expanding or contracting the set range based on the basic expansion / contract ratio and displaying it on a display means.

[0018] (5) A program for causing an index display system to function as: an overall display acquiring means for acquiring the overall display; an index acquiring means for acquiring the index for each of the plurality of elements; a specific area setting means for setting specific areas, which are the plurality of areas arranged in a set range that is a range sandwiched between the adjacent first boundaries and / or the adjacent second boundaries, in the overall display; an index estimating means for estimating the index for each of the areas included in the specific area based on the index of the elements in the specific area; a scaling factor calculating means for calculating a basic scaling factor based on the index of the area in the specific area and the area included in the specific area; and a display control means for scaling the set range based on the basic scaling factor and displaying it on a display means.

[0019] The configurations (4) and (5) provide the same effects as the configuration (1).

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to express an element in a manner that reflects the proportionality of indices of a plurality of elements while not impairing the relationship between the element and other elements around the element.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of an index display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of an index display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram specifically illustrating processing by a scaling ratio calculation means of an index display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating points to note in two-dimensional scaling of an index display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of an overall display two-dimensionally scaled by an index display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an index display processing flow executed by an index display system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Hereinafter, a detailed description of an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as an embodiment) will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following drawings, the same elements are designated by the same numbers or symbols throughout the description of the embodiment. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims.

[0023] 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of an index display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The index display system 1 expands or contracts the width between adjacent first boundaries or adjacent second boundaries based on an index related to the elements (e.g., population, GDP, etc.) in an overall display (e.g., a world map, a map of a country (e.g., a map of Japan, etc.)) showing an area (e.g., the world, a country (e.g., Japan)) in which a plurality of first boundaries (e.g., latitude lines, etc.), a plurality of second boundaries (e.g., meridians, etc.) intersecting the first boundaries, and an area surrounded by the first boundaries and the second boundaries are set, and in which a plurality of elements (e.g., countries, cities, towns, villages, etc.) are arranged.

[0024] The index display system 1 acquires a reference overall display (in the example shown in FIG. 1, a world map shown in equal-area cylindrical projection as shown in the upper part) based on, for example, an external server connected via a network, internal storage means, or input operations by an administrator of the index display system 1. Here, the boundaries located at the upper and lower ends of the equal-area cylindrical projection are actually points (poles), but the index display system 1 treats them as line segments depending on the display. Note that the world map shown in equal-area cylindrical projection as shown in the upper part of FIG. 1 omits the polar regions of the Earth.

[0025] In addition, the index display system 1 acquires indicators for each element displayed in the overall display (for example, numerical values ​​indicating the population of each country) based on, for example, an external server connected via a network, an internal storage means, or input operations by the administrator of the index display system 1.

[0026] Next, the index display system 1 sets a plurality of first boundaries (e.g., latitude lines) and a plurality of second boundaries (e.g., meridians) that intersect with the first boundaries. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the index display system 1 acquires a world map as an overall display, sets latitude lines (e.g., latitude lines every 30°) on the world map as first boundaries arranged at predetermined intervals, and sets meridians (e.g., meridians every 30°) on the world map as second boundaries arranged at predetermined intervals. Note that in the example shown in FIG. 1 , for ease of understanding, an example is described in which the first and second boundaries are latitude lines and meridians arranged at 30° intervals. However, the first and second boundaries can be set arbitrarily. For example, they may be latitude lines and meridians arranged at 1° intervals, or arbitrary lines set by the user.

[0027] Next, the index display system 1 sets an area (one cell) surrounded by adjacent first boundaries (e.g., the 60° north latitude line and the 30° north latitude line) and adjacent second boundaries (e.g., the 120° west longitude line and the 90° west longitude line).

[0028] Furthermore, the index display system 1 sets specific regions (the shaded areas in the example shown in FIG. 1 ) that are multiple regions located within a set range, which is a range between adjacent first boundaries (e.g., the 60° north latitude line and the 30° north latitude line) in the overall display. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the index display system 1 sets the specific region as a portion of the multiple regions located in 3, excluding the regions located at both ends as excluded elements. Note that the index display system 1 may also set the specific region as a portion of the multiple regions, excluding any area of ​​the region where the ocean or Antarctica occupies a certain range or more (e.g., more than half) as an excluded element. Furthermore, the index display system 1 may divide each region into multiple elements and allocate a certain proportion of the region to the excluded element depending on the area ratio of the ocean or Antarctica to the region, and set the specific element proportionally. In this case, for example, if 10% of a certain region is ocean or Antarctica, 90% is set as the specific region.

[0029] Furthermore, the index display system 1 estimates an index for each area (one cell) included in the specific area based on an index (e.g., population, etc.) of an element (e.g., country, etc.) in the specific area.

[0030] The index display system 1 then calculates a basic scaling ratio based on the indexes of the areas in the specific area and the areas included in the specific area. Specifically, the index display system 1 calculates the basic scaling ratio by, for example, dividing the total value of the indexes of the areas in the specific area by the area or number of areas included in the specific area. Note that the basic scaling ratio may be calculated using any formula as long as it can numerically represent the characteristics of the indexes of the specific area in the overall display.

[0031] Furthermore, the indicator display system 1 expands or contracts the set range (between adjacent first boundaries (for example, the 60° north latitude line and the 30° north latitude line)) in the north-south direction (the direction in which the adjacent first boundaries move closer or further apart) based on the calculated basic expansion or contraction ratio. As a result, the world map shown in the upper part of Figure 1 becomes the world map shown in the lower part.

[0032] According to this index display system 1, the average value of the indices of the multiple regions existing between adjacent first boundaries is set as a basic scaling factor, and these multiple regions are overall scaled based on this basic scaling factor, so it is possible to express the scaled representation without damaging the relationship between a certain element (for example, North America included in the set range in the example shown in FIG. 1) and other elements around the element (for example, South America adjacent to North America included in the set range in the example shown in FIG. 1). Therefore, it is possible to express the index proportionality of the multiple elements without damaging the relationship between a certain element and other elements around the element.

[0033] 2 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of an index display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The index display system 1 includes an overall display acquisition means 10, an index acquisition means 20, a boundary setting means 30, an area setting means 40, a setting range designation means 50, a specific area setting means 60, an index estimation means 70, a scaling ratio calculation means 80, a display control means 90, and a display means 91.

[0034] The overall display acquisition means 10 acquires a reference overall display (in the example shown in Figure 1, a world map shown in equal area cylindrical projection in the upper part) based on, for example, an external server connected via a network, an internal storage means, or input operations by an administrator of the index display system 1.

[0035] In this embodiment, the "overall display" refers to image information that can be read by a general computer and displayed on a display device such as a monitor. Furthermore, in the indicator display system 1, the map acquired as the overall display is not limited to a map shown in an equal-area cylindrical projection, but may be a map shown in any projection. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the overall display is a world map, but is not limited to this, and may be image information of any diagram in which multiple elements are arranged.

[0036] The index acquisition means 20 acquires indicators (population, GDP, etc.) for each of multiple elements (e.g., country, city, town, village, etc.) based on, for example, an external server connected via a network, an internal storage means, or input operations by an administrator of the index display system 1.

[0037] The boundary setting means 30 sets, for example, based on input operations by the administrator of the index display system 1, a plurality of first boundaries (e.g., latitude lines every 30°) arranged at predetermined intervals in the overall display acquired by the overall display acquisition means 10, and second boundaries (e.g., meridians every 30°) that intersect with the first boundaries.

[0038] The boundary setting means 30 may set latitude lines at any interval, such as 1°, as the first boundaries and longitude lines at any interval, such as 1°, as the second boundaries, or may set longitude lines as the first boundaries and longitude lines as the second boundaries. The first and second boundaries are not limited to being linear, but may be arc-shaped, for example, when the overall display acquired by the overall display acquisition means 10 is a globe display (non-Euclidean two-dimensional display). The preset intervals are not limited to being equal, and may be different for each boundary interval, or may vary depending on the location, like the meridians of a globe display.

[0039] Furthermore, if the overall display includes lines (latitude and longitude lines) that intersect with each other, such as in a world map, the area setting means 40 may automatically set these as the first boundary and the second boundary.

[0040] The area setting means 40 sets an area (one cell) surrounded by adjacent first boundaries (e.g., the 60° north latitude line and the 30° north latitude line) and adjacent second boundaries (e.g., the 120° west meridian line and the 90° west meridian line), for example, based on input operations by the administrator of the index display system 1.

[0041] The set range designation means 50 designates a range between adjacent first boundaries (for example, the 60° north latitude line and the 30° north latitude line) as the set range. The set range designation means 50 may set the ranges between adjacent first boundaries as the set ranges overall in the overall display, or may designate only the range between specific adjacent first boundaries as the set range based on an input operation by an administrator of the index display system 1, for example.

[0042] The specific area setting means 60 sets specific areas, which are multiple areas arranged within a set range. The specific area setting means 60 also sets excluded elements (e.g., ocean, Antarctica, etc.) from the multiple elements arranged within the set range, and sets a specific area (area including land) that excludes the excluded elements. The specific area setting means 60 may set an entire area as excluded elements, or may set only a portion of an area as excluded elements (a specific area may be set that proportionally excludes excluded elements from each area).

[0043] The index estimation means 70 estimates the index of each region included in the specific region based on the index of the element in the specific region.

[0044] Here, a single region may contain multiple elements. In such cases, the index estimation means 70 estimates the index of the region based on the index of the element with the largest area among the multiple elements contained in the region. Furthermore, if a single region contains multiple elements and among these multiple elements there is an element that exists only in the region (for example, a country, region, etc. smaller than the area of ​​one cell), the index estimation means 70 estimates the index of the region based on the index of the element that exists only in the region. This makes it possible to expand or contract the set range while also reflecting the indexes of elements with an area smaller than a single region.

[0045] In addition, when a single region contains multiple elements, the index estimation means 70 may estimate the index of the region based on indexes allocated in accordance with an appropriate ratio, such as the area of ​​the multiple elements, without being limited to the above example.

[0046] The scaling ratio calculation means 80 calculates a basic scaling ratio based on the area indexes of the specific area set by the specific area setting means 60 and the areas included in the specific area. Specifically, the scaling ratio calculation means 80 calculates the basic scaling ratio by dividing the sum of the area indexes of the specific area by the area or number of areas included in the specific area.

[0047] FIG. 3 is a diagram specifically illustrating the processing performed by the scaling factor calculation means of the index display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3 , elements are omitted from the overall display, and only a plurality of first boundaries and a plurality of second boundaries are shown. The numerical value of the index for each area (one cell) enclosed by adjacent first boundaries and adjacent second boundaries is entered. In the example shown in FIG. 3 , all areas are equal, and the distribution of each index per area can be determined by dividing by the number of areas. In addition, in the overall display of FIG. 3 , areas displayed in gray and with no index entered indicate excluded elements (such as the sea) set by the specific area setting means 60.

[0048] In the example shown in Figure 3, ten regions are arranged horizontally (one row) and nine regions are arranged vertically (one column) in the overall display. For example, if the set range designation means 50 sets the top row as the set range and the specific region setting means 60 sets all (10) of the regions (one cell) in this set range as the specific region, the scaling ratio calculation means 80 calculates the sum (v(y): 28) of the indices of the regions (10 meshes) in this specific region. The scaling ratio calculation means 80 then divides this calculated sum (v(y): 28) by the number (10) of regions included in the specific region to calculate the basic scaling ratio (r(y): 2.8).

[0049] Furthermore, for example, if the set range designation means 50 sets the fourth row from the bottom as the set range, the specific area setting means 60 sets three areas displayed in gray within the area (one cell) of this set range as excluded elements, and the area excluding these excluded elements (10 - 3 = 7) is set as the specific area, the scaling ratio calculation means 80 calculates the sum (v(y): 20) of the indices of the areas (7 meshes) in this specific area.The scaling ratio calculation means 80 then divides this calculated sum (v(y): 20) by the number of areas (7) included in the specific area to calculate the basic scaling ratio (r(y): 2.9).

[0050] Furthermore, if the distribution of indicator v is highly uneven in the overall display, the sum of the indicators v(y) will be 0 in many set ranges, resulting in the basic scaling factor r(y) being 0 (width being almost 0), which may be inappropriate for a wide-area map. In such cases where it is inappropriate to use the basic scaling factor r(y) as is, the scaling factor calculation means 80 calculates a corrected scaling factor R(y) based on the basic scaling factor r(y).

[0051] Specific examples of the corrected enlargement / reduction ratio R(y) include the following: a) R(y)=(r(y)) ｃ However, 0≦c≦1 c=0: No consideration is given to the index at all (equal area map) c=1: r(y) is used as is b) R(y)=(1-c)+c×r(y) However, 0≦c≦1 c=0: No consideration is given to the index at all (equal area map) c=1: r(y) is used as is

[0052] In the above a) case, it becomes difficult to deal with cases where indicator v is extremely unevenly distributed. In such cases, b) makes it easier to consider correction. For this reason, it is thought that correction in a) is often sufficient for indicators with high generality, such as GDP and population, while b) may be more appropriate for indicators that are concentrated in local areas, such as mineral resources.

[0053] c) R(y) = r(y) However, if r(y) < 1, then R(y) = 1 (world average value). The latitude y (longitude x) area where indicator v is concentrated will be enlarged, but other areas will remain displayed with equal area. Note that if r(y) ≥ 1, then a) or b) above can be adopted. In this case, instead of separately preparing enlarged maps of major regions on a world map, it is like selecting a latitude (longitude) and enlarging it.

[0054] d) R(y) = max(y, r(x, y)) r(x, y) is an example of a basic scaling factor that indicates how many times the index value v per area at longitude x and latitude y (1 degree x 1 degree) is compared to the world average. max(y, r(x, y)) is the maximum r(x, y) at a certain latitude y.

[0055] It is also necessary to avoid distortion of the entire map due to local circumstances. A typical example is when there is a narrow area with an extremely high index v (especially at a longitude with a small land area), and r(x) at that longitude x is a high value such as 100, and that longitude occupies one-fourth of the entire map, causing significant distortion.

[0056] In such a case, if a) or b) is used for the correction scaling factor R(y) and c is made small, the reflectivity of the indicator over a wide area will also be reduced as a result, making it an excessive measure for a local area.

[0057] For this reason, in order to prevent the above-mentioned local circumstances from affecting the whole, the scaling factor calculation means 80 may perform the following process. First, a minimum area is set for all elements (countries / regions) to which index v is allocated. For example, 1° longitude x 1° latitude is allocated to each element (country / region) on the overall display (map). Then, for each longitude x and latitude y, a fixed virtual additional area d is added to the land area to estimate the corrected scaling factor R(y). As a result, the corrected scaling factor R(y) is calculated as follows: R(y) = v(y) / (s(y) + d)

[0058] Consider a case where two areas, east and west, have the same area, but the population density is the same in both areas. However, the western area is 99% sea and 1% land, while the eastern area is 100% land. In this case, if a proportional display were simply performed using population as an index, the western area would have a display width that is 1 / 100 of the eastern area. However, since the western area's land area is 1% of that, the display area would be 1 / 10,000 of the eastern area's land area. To correct this, the scaling factor calculation means 80 may set only land as the specific area, and since the specific area ratio for the western area is 1 / 100, multiply it by the reciprocal to make the display widths of the west and east areas the same. This prevents the proportionality of the indicators of multiple elements from being lost in the scaled representation due to differences in the areas of the elements when a single area contains multiple elements (for example, in mesh maps used by government agencies, each mesh contains lakes, seas, rivers, and neighboring municipal areas).

[0059] Furthermore, for example, if the first boundary and the second boundary are latitude lines and longitude lines, the area of ​​an area formed by 1° longitude x 1° latitude varies depending on the latitude. In such a case, the scaling factor calculation means 80 performs a correction that takes into account the difference in the area of ​​each area included in the specific area, and adds up the number of areas included in the specific area.

[0060] The area in the overall display may be arbitrarily scaled. In this case, the scale factor calculation means 80 calculates the scale factor based on a correction value corresponding to the index of the area included in the specific area. In other words, the concepts of equal area maps and area are not essential to the index display system 1.

[0061] In the description of this embodiment, an example has been described in which the boundary setting means 30 sets the first boundary at latitude y, but this is not limited to this, and the boundary setting means 30 may also set the first boundary at longitude x.

[0062] Returning to Figure 2, the display control means 90 enlarges or reduces the setting range set by the setting range designation means 50 for the overall display (for example, a world map, a map of a certain country (such as a map of Japan)), based on the basic enlargement / reduction ratio r(y) or corrected enlargement / reduction ratio R(y) calculated by the enlargement / reduction ratio calculation means 80, and displays it on the display means 91 (for example, a display, a monitor, etc.).

[0063] The above describes an example (one-dimensional scaling) of scaling a set range between adjacent first boundaries (latitude y). This example is preferably applied when the distribution of the numerical values ​​of an index in the overall display has a significantly stronger relationship with the first boundary (latitude y) than with the second boundary (longitude x). Specifically, if the overall display is a world map and the index is an economic index, economic activity is concentrated in temperate and cold regions in the mid- to high-latitude regions, so it is preferable to apply the example of scaling a set range between the first boundaries (latitude y).

[0064] On the other hand, if the distribution of the index values ​​in the overall display is closely related not only to the first boundary (latitude y) but also to the second boundary (longitude x), a more precise index-taking display can be achieved by performing two-dimensional scaling using both the first boundary (latitude y) and the second boundary (longitude x).

[0065] (Two-dimensional scaling) Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating points to note when performing two-dimensional scaling of the index display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the example shown in Fig. 4, it is assumed that there are four regions of the southern / northern hemisphere x eastern / western hemisphere with equal land areas, and the regional population is used as an index v.

[0066] First, if R = r, as shown in the table, the north x east display ratio (2.25 / 4.00) exceeds the actual v distribution (2.00 / 4.00), as shown in Table R(x, y) = r(x) x r(y). This is because the zoom effect to the north and east, which have large v distributions, overlaps. This type of display may not be appropriate if you are aiming for a smooth display that is close to the map you use every day.

[0067] In such a case, R = r ｃ It is also preferable to set 0<c<1 to make the scaling ratio gentle. For example, in the table where c=0.5, R(x,y)=r(x) ０．５ ×r(y) ０．５ By doing so, it is possible to achieve a smooth display that is close to the map used in daily life. Also, as a result of the calculation, the total display area may be reduced from 4.0 without correction to 3.74 as shown in the figure. In this case (Table. R(x, y) = r(x) ０．５ ×r(y) ０．５ The first one) may be corrected overall to approximate 4.0 (Table R(x, y) = r(x) ０．５ ×r(y) ０．５ The second one).

[0068] From the above considerations, it is generally preferable for c<1 in a multidimensional index-considered display. In particular, the more dimensions there are, and the higher the correlation between dimensions, the lower the value of c should be. Also, the value of c may be changed, with the exponent of r(x) being c1 and the exponent of r(y) being c2.

[0069] 5 is a diagram showing an example of a two-dimensionally enlarged or reduced overall display by the index display system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the overall display acquisition means 10 acquires a world map shown in equal-area cylindrical projection as the overall display, the index acquisition means 20 acquires a population count as the index, and the boundary setting means 30 sets first boundaries on latitude lines every 30° and second boundaries on longitude lines every 30°.

[0070] In the example shown in FIG. 5, the enlargement / reduction ratio calculation means 80 calculates the corrected enlargement / reduction ratio R(x, y) using the following formula: R(x, y)=r(x) ｃ ×r(y) ｃ c=0.5

[0071] By scaling using this corrective scaling factor R(x,y), the overall display (world map) is easier to use and more natural than a display that overemphasizes the distribution of an indicator (population), such as a cartogram. Also, compared to a map (equal-area map), economically developed regions are displayed larger, making it useful for dealing with economic topics. Increasing (decreasing) the value of c also makes it possible to increase (decrease) the degree of reflection of the indicator to some extent.

[0072] The functional configuration of the present system described above is merely an example. A single functional block (database and functional processing unit) may be divided, or multiple functional blocks may be combined into a single functional block. Each functional processing unit is implemented by a central processing unit (CPU) built into a device or terminal that reads a computer program (e.g., a core software or an application that causes the CPU to execute the above-mentioned processes) stored in a storage device (storage means) such as a read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD), or hard disk, and then executes the computer program. That is, each functional processing unit is implemented by the computer program reading and writing necessary data, such as tables, from a database (DB) stored in the storage device or a storage area in memory, and, in some cases, controlling related hardware (e.g., an input / output device, a display device, a communication interface device). Furthermore, the database (DB) in the embodiments of the present invention may be a commercial database, but it also refers to a simple collection of tables and files, regardless of the internal structure of the database itself.

[0073] (Processing Flow) FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the flow of an index display process executed by the index display system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] In step S1, the overall display acquisition means 10 acquires a reference overall display (in the example shown in Figure 1, a world map shown in equal area cylindrical projection in the upper part) based on, for example, an external server connected via a network, an internal storage means, or input operations by an administrator of the index display system 1.

[0075] In step S2, the index acquisition means 20 acquires indicators (population, GDP, etc.) for each of multiple elements (e.g., country, city, town, village, etc.) based on, for example, an external server connected via a network, an internal storage means, or input operations by an administrator of the index display system 1.

[0076] In step S3, the boundary setting means 30 sets a plurality of first boundaries arranged at predetermined intervals and a second boundary that intersects with the first boundaries in the overall display acquired by the overall display acquisition means 10 in step S1, for example, based on input operations by the administrator of the index display system 1.

[0077] In step S4, the area setting means 40 sets an area (one cell) surrounded by adjacent first boundaries and adjacent second boundaries out of the multiple first boundaries and second boundaries set by the boundary setting means 30 in step S3, for example, based on input operations by the administrator of the index display system 1.

[0078] In step S5, the set range designation means 50 designates the range between the adjacent first boundaries set by the boundary setting means 30 in step S4 as the set range.

[0079] In step S6, the specific area setting means 60 sets a specific area which is a range enclosed by adjacent first boundaries and / or adjacent second boundaries set by the boundary setting means 30 in step S3, and which is a plurality of areas arranged within the set range specified by the set range designation means 50 in step S5.

[0080] In step S7, the index estimation means 70 refers to the index acquired by the index acquisition means 20 in step S2 and estimates the index for each area included in the specific area based on the index of the elements in the specific area set by the specific area setting means 60 in step S6.

[0081] In step S8, the scaling ratio calculation means 80 refers to the indices for each region estimated by the index estimation means 70 in step S7, and calculates a basic scaling ratio based on the indices for the region in the specific region set by the specific region setting means 60 in step S6 and the region included in the specific region set by the specific region setting means 60 in step S6. Also, in this step, the scaling ratio calculation means 80 may calculate a corrected scaling ratio based on the basic scaling ratio.

[0082] In step S9, the display control means 90 enlarges or reduces the setting range set by the setting range designation means 50 in step S5 for the overall display acquired by the overall display acquisition means 10 in step S1 based on the basic enlargement / reduction ratio or corrected enlargement / reduction ratio calculated by the enlargement / reduction ratio calculation means 80 in step S8, and displays it on the display means 91.

[0083] As described above, according to the index display system 1, in a specific area, which is a plurality of areas arranged in a set range, which is a range sandwiched between adjacent first boundaries and / or adjacent second boundaries, the set range in which the specific area is arranged is enlarged or reduced based on a basic scaling factor calculated based on the indexes of the areas in the specific area and the areas included in the specific area, and displayed on the display means 21. As a result, the set range including the specific area is entirely enlarged or reduced based on the basic scaling factor calculated based on the indexes of the plurality of areas existing between adjacent first boundaries and / or adjacent second boundaries and the areas included in the specific area, so that an enlarged or reduced representation can be achieved without damaging the relationship between a certain element and other elements around the element.

[0084] Furthermore, according to the index display system 1, these multiple areas are enlarged or reduced overall based on a corrected enlargement / reduction ratio calculated from a basic enlargement / reduction ratio, which is the average value of the indices of the multiple areas existing between adjacent first boundaries. Therefore, even in the above case, it is possible to express the enlargement / reduction without damaging the relationship between a certain element and other elements around that element.

[0085] Furthermore, according to the index display system 1, elements whose index value is 0 are excluded to calculate a basic scaling ratio, and the setting range is scaled based on this basic scaling ratio, thereby enabling scaling that allows for more accurate comparison.

[0086] The present invention has been described above using embodiments, but it goes without saying that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope of the above embodiments. While the above mainly describes two-dimensional (flat and curved) indicator display, indicator display in three or more dimensions is also conceivable, such as a portion of outer space or a three-dimensional topographical map that includes elevations in a relatively small area. A three-dimensional historical map, which uses a time x world map to scale periods and regions using population or economic scale as indicators, is also conceivable. In these cases, it is natural to add a boundary, such as a third boundary. It is also conceivable to scale the display time itself in video. Furthermore, in addition to real-world time and space, various high-dimensional data sets may be considered. If their distributions are numerical and expansive, indicator-based display can be considered in that "space." As a result, an efficient display that allocates space to important points is realized based on data evidence. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements such as those described above can be made to the present embodiments. Furthermore, it is clear from the claims that such modifications and improvements are also within the technical scope of the present invention. In the above embodiment, the present invention has been described as an invention of an object, namely, an index display system, but it can also be considered as an invention of a method executed by the index display system in the present invention, or a program that causes the index display system to function as various means.

[0087] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Index display system 10 Overall display acquisition means 20 Index acquisition means 30 Boundary setting means 40 Area setting means 50 Set range designation means 60 Specific area setting means 70 Index estimation means 80 Scaling ratio calculation means 90 Display control means 91 Display means

Claims

1. In an overall display showing an area where a plurality of first boundaries, a plurality of second boundaries intersecting the first boundaries, and an area surrounded by the first boundaries and the second boundaries are set and a plurality of elements are arranged, an index display system that expands or contracts the width between adjacent first boundaries or between adjacent second boundaries based on an index related to the elements, comprising: - an overall display acquisition means for acquiring the overall display; - an index acquisition means for acquiring the index for each of the plurality of elements; - a specific area setting means for setting a specific area which is a plurality of the areas arranged in a set range which is a range sandwiched by the adjacent first boundaries and / or the adjacent second boundaries in the overall display; - an index estimation means for estimating the index in each of the areas included in the specific area based on the index of the elements in the specific area; - a magnification calculation means for calculating a basic magnification based on the index of the area in the specific area and the area included in the specific area; - a display control means for expanding or contracting the set range based on the basic magnification and displaying it on a display means. - The index display system is characterized by comprising the above.

2. The magnification calculation means calculates a correction magnification based on the basic magnification, and the display control means expands or contracts the set range based on the correction magnification and displays it on the display means. - The index display system according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. The specific area setting means sets an exclusion element among the plurality of elements arranged in the set range, and sets the specific area excluding the exclusion element. - The index display system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

4. In an overall display showing an area where a plurality of first boundaries, a plurality of second boundaries intersecting the first boundaries, and regions surrounded by the first boundaries and the second boundaries are set, and a plurality of elements are arranged, a method executed by an index display system for expanding or contracting the width between adjacent first boundaries or between adjacent second boundaries based on an index related to the elements, the method comprising: obtaining the overall display; obtaining the index for each of the plurality of elements; setting a specific region, which is a plurality of the regions arranged in a set range that is a range sandwiched between adjacent first boundaries and / or adjacent second boundaries in the overall display; estimating the index for each of the regions included in the specific region based on the index of the elements in the specific region; calculating a basic expansion / contraction rate based on the index of the regions in the specific region and the regions included in the specific region; and expanding or contracting the set range based on the basic expansion / contraction rate and displaying it on a display means. A method for index display, characterized by including the above steps.

5. In an overall display showing an area where a plurality of first boundaries, a plurality of second boundaries intersecting the first boundaries, and regions surrounded by the first boundaries and the second boundaries are set, and a plurality of elements are arranged, an index display system for expanding or contracting the width between adjacent first boundaries or between adjacent second boundaries based on an index related to the elements, the system comprising: an overall display acquisition means for obtaining the overall display; an index acquisition means for obtaining the index for each of the plurality of elements; a specific region setting means for setting a specific region, which is a plurality of the regions arranged in a set range that is a range sandwiched between adjacent first boundaries and / or adjacent second boundaries in the overall display; an index estimation means for estimating the index for each of the regions included in the specific region based on the index of the elements in the specific region; an expansion / contraction rate calculation means for calculating a basic expansion / contraction rate based on the index of the regions in the specific region and the regions included in the specific region; and a display control means for expanding or contracting the set range based on the basic expansion / contraction rate and displaying it on a display means. A program, characterized by causing the system to function as described above.

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