Multi-level Graph Visualization for Hierarchical Data Resolution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current graph analytics tools primarily focus on top-down and bottom-up approaches, overlooking the vast middle-ground information and struggling to effectively display and analyze large datasets at different hierarchical levels, leading to limitations in detail resolution and computational efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A multi-level middle-out cross-zooming approach that generates graphical representations of data sets at various hierarchical levels, allowing users to interactively select and modify resolutions, enabling concurrent access to finer and coarser details, and implementing a computing device with processing circuitry to manage and display these representations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If top-down approach is used to display full dataset, then overview is provided, but local detail resolution is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay areaVSAvoiddetail resolution

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The graph is segmented into multiple hierarchical levels, where each level represents a different resolution of the same data structure. Users can navigate between levels to switch between overview and detail views, effectively resolving the contradiction between displaying the full dataset and maintaining local detail resolution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the graph display, allowing data to be viewed at multiple levels of abstraction simultaneously. This additional dimension enables users to access both global overview and local details without sacrificing either, as each hierarchical level preserves the structural relationships while operating at a different scale.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If bottom-up approach is used starting with seed nodes, then local details are explored, but global structure is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocal detail resolutionVSAvoiddisplay area

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hierarchical graph structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it enables both local detail exploration and global structure visualization within a single unified framework. The same data structure adapts to different viewing needs without requiring separate systems or losing information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If high resolution is maintained for entire graph, then detail is preserved, but computational efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetail resolutionVSAvoidcomputational efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of maintaining full high-resolution data for the entire graph, the system provides high resolution only when and where needed by the user. The hierarchical structure allows lazy loading of detailed information, computing and displaying only the necessary level of detail for the current view, thus improving computational efficiency while preserving detail resolution on demand.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Device complexity

If middle-ground information is overlooked, then analysis is simplified, but information completeness is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanalysis complexityVSAvoidinformation completeness

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The hierarchical graph structure maintains continuous access to all levels of information, allowing users to seamlessly transition between different resolutions without losing middle-ground information. The system preserves the analytical journey from overview to detail and back, ensuring no valuable intermediate information is lost while maintaining analysis simplicity through structured navigation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS9519677B2Data graphing methods, articles of manufacture, and computing devices

Publication Date: 2016.12.13 BATTELLE MEMORIAL INST

AI summary

Data graphing methods, articles of manufacture, and computing devices are described. In one aspect, a method includes accessing a data set, displaying a graphical representation including data of the data set which is arranged according to a first of different hierarchical levels, wherein the first hierarchical level represents the data at a first of a plurality of different resolutions which respectively correspond to respective ones of the hierarchical levels, selecting a portion of the graphical representation wherein the data of the portion is arranged according to the first hierarchical level at the first resolution, modifying the graphical representation by arranging the data of the portion according to a second of the hierarchal levels at a second of the resolutions, and after the modifying, displaying the graphical representation wherein the data of the portion is arranged according to the second hierarchal level at the second resolution.