Sonification of Performance Metrics via Audible Indicators

Solution Overview

Problem

Users face inefficiencies in accessing and analyzing performance data across multiple components of a computing system, particularly for visually impaired individuals, as existing methods rely heavily on visual formats and require manual consolidation across multiple screens.

Innovation Solution

A performance dashboard controller sonifies performance metrics by converting data into audible indicators, allowing users to access and analyze performance information through sound, enabling efficient analysis and identification of performance issues across multiple components in a single interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If performance information is provided in visual format across multiple screens, then visual analysis capability is maintained, but user efficiency deteriorates due to manual consolidation requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser efficiencyVSAvoidnumber of screens

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent consolidates performance information from multiple components into a single unified dashboard interface that displays both visual charts and audible indicators simultaneously. This merging eliminates the need for users to manually navigate and consolidate data across multiple separate screens while maintaining comprehensive visual analysis capabilities through integrated graphical representations of performance metrics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an audible performance indicator as an intermediary representation of performance data that complements the visual display. This intermediary audio layer provides an additional channel for information delivery, enabling users to quickly identify performance issues through sound while the visual interface maintains detailed analytical capabilities, thereby improving efficiency without sacrificing analysis depth.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If performance data is presented in visual format only, then visual analysis is enabled, but accessibility for visually impaired users deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveaccessibilityVSAvoidinformation loss for visually impaired users

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an audible performance indicator as an intermediary representation of performance data that complements the visual display. This intermediary audio layer provides an additional channel for information delivery, enabling users to quickly identify performance issues through sound while the visual interface maintains detailed analytical capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds an auditory dimension to the traditionally visual-only performance monitoring interface. By converting performance metrics into audible indicators with distinct characteristics for different performance levels, the system creates a new sensory dimension for data presentation that is accessible to visually impaired users while preserving the original visual information channel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Ease of operation

If performance information is scattered across multiple sources, then comprehensive coverage is achieved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to manual search requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of accessing performance dataVSAvoidcomprehensive performance information

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent consolidates performance information from multiple components into a single unified dashboard interface that displays both visual charts and audible indicators simultaneously. This merging eliminates the need for users to manually navigate and consolidate data across multiple separate screens while maintaining comprehensive visual analysis capabilities through integrated graphical representations of performance metrics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9734674B1Sonification of performance metrics

Publication Date: 2017.08.15 DELL EMC

AI summary

Examples are generally directed towards sonifying performance metrics. A computing device includes one or more data storage devices coupled to one or more processors. A performance dashboard controller maps a plurality of performance status updates corresponding to a plurality of points within a time range to a set of sound recordings to identify an audible performance indicator for the at least one object. A performance status update indicates a change in a performance status of the at least one object at a given point in time. The audible performance indicator sonifies the plurality of performance status updates at the plurality of points relative to the performance threshold. The audible performance indicator is output by an output device. The audible performance indicator identifies changes in performance status of the at least one object during the time range.