Optimization-based visual context management

Abstract

Improved visual context management techniques are disclosed. By way of example, a technique for updating an existing visual display to incorporate new information comprises obtaining new information requested by a subsequent user query, and dynamically deriving one or more visual transformations for updating at least a portion of the existing display to incorporate the new information, wherein the transformation derivation is modeled as an optimization operation which attempts to balance visual context management constraints and to achieve a desired presentation of intended information.

1 . A method of updating an existing visual display to incorporate new information, comprising the steps of: 
 obtaining new information requested by a subsequent user query; and    dynamically deriving one or more visual transformations for updating at least a portion of the existing display to incorporate the new information, wherein the transformation derivation is modeled as an optimization operation which attempts to balance visual context management constraints and to achieve a desired presentation of intended information.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises modeling the visual context management constraints as feature-based desirability metrics.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of one of the feature-based metrics measuring a display overlap value.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of one of the feature-based metrics measuring a perceptual landmark preservation value.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of one of the feature-based metrics measuring a transition smoothness value.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of one of the feature-based metrics measuring a visual ordering value.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of one of the feature-based metrics measuring a visual clutter value.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of formulating the feature-based metrics using user information.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the user information comprising a data navigation preference of the user.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the step of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of performing the optimization operation such that the desirability metrics are maximized for one or more visual transformation operators.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the optimization operation comprises a global optimization technique.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the global optimization technique comprises a simulated-annealing technique.  
   
   
       13 . Apparatus for updating an existing visual display to incorporate new information, comprising: 
 a memory; and    a processor coupled to the memory and operative to: (i) obtain new information requested by a subsequent user query; and (ii) dynamically derive one or more visual transformations for updating at least a portion of the existing display to incorporate the new information, wherein the transformation derivation is modeled as an optimization operation which attempts to balance visual context management constraints and to achieve a desired presentation of intended information.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the operation of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises modeling the visual context management constraints as feature-based desirability metrics.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the operation of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of one of the feature-based metrics measuring a display overlap value.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the operation of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of one of the feature-based metrics measuring a perceptual landmark preservation value.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the operation of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of one of the feature-based metrics measuring a transition smoothness value.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the operation of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of one of the feature-based metrics measuring a visual ordering value.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the operation of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of one of the feature-based metrics measuring a visual clutter value.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the operation of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the step of formulating the feature-based metrics using user information.  
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the operation of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises the user information comprising a data navigation preference of the user.  
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the operation of dynamically deriving visual transformations to incorporate new information into the existing display further comprises performing the optimization operation such that the desirability metrics are maximized for one or more visual transformation operators.  
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the optimization operation comprises a global optimization technique.  
   
   
       24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the global optimization technique comprises a simulated-annealing technique.  
   
   
       25 . An article of manufacture for updating an existing visual display to incorporate new information, comprising a machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of: 
 obtaining new information requested by a subsequent user query; and    dynamically deriving one or more visual transformations for updating at least a portion of the existing display to incorporate the new information, wherein the transformation derivation is modeled as an optimization operation which attempts to balance visual context management constraints and to achieve a desired presentation of intended information.    
   
   
       26 . A method of providing a service for updating an existing visual display to incorporate new information, comprising the step of: 
 a service provider, in response to obtained new information requested by a subsequent user query, enabling the step of dynamically deriving one or more visual transformations for updating at least a portion of the existing display to incorporate the new information, wherein the transformation derivation is modeled as an optimization operation which attempts to balance visual context management constraints and to achieve a desired presentation of intended information.