Staged Chart Animation for Data Update Clarity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Graphical user interfaces often confuse users by misleadingly representing changes in data due to scale changes and animations that do not clearly show where elements have moved or been removed, leading to inaccurate interpretation of data changes.
Innovation Solution
A method for updating graphical user interface elements by animating changes in axes and data elements, ensuring that pan elements outside the initial view are updated and animated to avoid confusion, with specific steps for adding, removing, and changing elements to maintain a clear visualization of data transitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the scale of the graphical interface is changed to accommodate new data ranges, then the data can be displayed within the visible area, but the user becomes confused about actual data changes because the scale change masks the magnitude of variation
Solution Approach 1:
The update process is segmented into distinct phases: first updating pan elements outside the initial view, then animating axis changes to set the stage, followed by data element animations, then animating axis changes to the final view, and finally updating remaining out-of-view elements. This segmentation allows the system to manage scale changes and data updates in a controlled sequence that preserves user understanding of data magnitudes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by first updating pan elements that are outside the initial view before animating the axis changes. This preliminary update ensures that all elements are properly positioned and prepared before the scale transition begins, preventing confusion about data locations and maintaining clear visualization of data changes throughout the transformation.
2Speed
If data elements are updated immediately when scale changes occur, then the interface responds quickly to new data, but users cannot track where elements have moved or been removed, leading to inaccurate interpretation
Solution Approach 1:
The update process uses periodic action through staged animations that occur in distinct phases. Rather than updating all elements simultaneously, the system performs updates in a structured sequence with animations that pause at intermediate states, allowing users to track element movements and transformations while maintaining responsive performance through efficient rendering of each phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent maintains continuity of useful action by animating the transition between initial and final views rather than performing abrupt updates. The continuous animation shows elements moving smoothly to their new positions and scales, allowing users to track where elements have moved or been removed while still providing responsive updates to the underlying data.
3Loss of information
If all data elements are animated during scale transitions, then users can track all changes, but the interface becomes complex and performance degrades with large datasets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the treatment of data elements based on their location and visibility. Pan elements outside the initial view are updated differently from elements within the view, and remaining out-of-view elements are handled separately. This localized approach ensures that animation complexity is applied only where necessary to maintain data change visibility, rather than uniformly to all elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial action by selectively animating only the necessary elements during scale transitions. Rather than animating all data elements regardless of their importance or visibility, the patent focuses animations on elements that need to be tracked, using the five-step process to determine which elements require animation versus which can be updated more efficiently without full animation sequences.
Data Source
AI summary
Updating graphical user interface elements. A method includes accessing a graphical user interface which includes an initial view including graphical elements. Each of the following are performed (in order) if determined to be applicable: (1) updating in the graphical user interface any pan elements that are outside of the initial view; (2) animating any changes in axes of the graphical user interface to set the stage for data modifications; (3) performing any data element animations in the graphical user interface, including any moves, any additions, any removals and any changes for all updates except those already added in when updating any pan elements that are outside of the initial view and pan element removals that will not be visible in a final view; (4) animating any changes in the axes to the final view; and (5) updating any remaining elements that are now out of view.