Condensed Hierarchical Data Viewer Glyphs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing visualization techniques fail to efficiently and intuitively portray large hierarchical data sets within limited digital display space, leading to a tradeoff between the number of entities and detail per node, while also requiring significant cognitive effort to perceive and interact with the data.
Innovation Solution
The use of glyphs and pop-up windows to represent hierarchical data entities and relationships, allowing for a condensed initial view with detailed information accessible via mouse-over interactions, optimizing display space by suppressing textual details and using visual cues like color, size, and shape to convey properties, and employing a listener sub-program for dynamic interaction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If traditional visualization techniques are used to portray hierarchical data, then detailed information can be displayed, but the display space efficiency deteriorates and the number of entities that can be portrayed is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments information into two levels: condensed visual glyphs for overview and detailed text information accessible through interaction. Each node is divided into a visual representation (glyph) and an associated text box, allowing users to access details on demand without cluttering the main view. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by separating display space requirements for summaries versus details.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional text-heavy display to a multi-dimensional interaction model where visual glyphs occupy screen space and detailed information is accessed through the third dimension of time/interaction. Users hover or click to reveal text boxes, effectively moving detailed information out of the primary spatial plane and into an interactive temporal dimension.
2Area of stationary object
If more entities are displayed per unit space, then display space efficiency improves, but the cognitive effort required to perceive and interact with the data increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs color-coded glyphs to represent different types of entities or states, allowing users to quickly perceive categories and relationships without reading text. Visual cues such as color, shape, and size enable rapid information processing, reducing cognitive effort while maintaining high entity density on the display.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces visual glyphs as intermediaries between the raw data and the user. These glyphs serve as simplified representations that convey essential information at a glance, mediating between the complex hierarchical data structure and human perception. Users interact with these intuitive visual markers rather than directly parsing text, reducing cognitive load.
3Loss of information
If detailed textual information is displayed for each node, then information completeness improves, but the number of entities that can be portrayed per unit space deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic display system where text boxes appear and disappear based on user interaction. Details are not statically displayed for all nodes simultaneously but are dynamically revealed on demand. This dynamic approach maintains information completeness while allowing the display to adapt to user needs, maximizing the number of entities that can be portrayed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts detailed textual information from the main visual field and places it in separate, interactively-accessible text boxes. This extraction removes the space-consuming text from the primary display area while preserving access to complete information, thereby increasing entity density without sacrificing information completeness.
4Ease of operation
If interactive elements are added to provide detailed information, then information accessibility improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service interactivity where users independently control the revelation of detailed information through hover or click actions. The system responds automatically to user input by displaying or hiding text boxes without requiring complex configuration or intervention. This self-service model improves information accessibility while keeping the interaction model simple and intuitive.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure extends to methods, systems, and devices for visualizing hierarchical data within a computing environment. In order to display and visualize the hierarchical data in a meaningful manner, the disclosed methods condenses or suppresses the space occupied by the detailed textual information that is often part of such hierarchical data charts or graphs. The disclosure uses pop-up windows to output the formerly suppressed textual detail. Thus, in order to efficiently display more entities per unit display space, the disclosure displays less textual detail per node for all entities in the chart or graph, and compensates by using mouse over pop-up events to display the suppressed, hidden, or compressed details.