Data exploration system

Abstract

An improved data exploration system and method for analyzing and exploring complex data sets involving multiple data dimensions and multi-variable data presentations. The system can generate visual representations of complex data sets in a map format, in which symbols representing the complex data sets are plotted based on data underlying the various symbols. The positions of a first set of symbols can be plotted in the map format relative to a first axis based on the data underlying each symbol, and index numbers corresponding to a second set of symbols can be plotted in the map format along a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, thereby facilitating visual comparison and comprehension of selected characteristics of the data.

1 . A data exploration and analysis system for facilitating a user's analysis and comprehension of information relationships within one or more groups of data units, comprising:
 at least one processor;   at least one software program;   at least one memory operative to store the software program and the one or more groups of data units; and   at least one output device,   wherein each of the at least one memory and the at least one output device is communicably coupled to the processor, and   wherein the processor executes the software program out of the memory, and cooperates with the output device:   to obtain the one or more groups of data units from at least one data source;   to organize the respective groups of data units in a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers including at least one parent layer and at least one child layer,   wherein a containment relationship exists between at least one data unit in the parent layer and at least one data unit in the child layer;   to output, via the output device, a compound plot of the data units in the parent and child layers relative to x and y coordinate axes, including creating at least one first plot controller and at least one second plot controller for controlling plotting of the respective groups of data units in the parent and child layers, respectively, in the compound plot;   wherein the first plot controller is operative:   to plot each data unit in the parent layer relative to the x and y coordinate axes, each plotted data unit in the parent layer being represented by a first symbol having a corresponding position relative to the x and y coordinate axes; and   wherein the second plot controller is operative:   to plot each data unit in the child layer relative to the x and y coordinate axes, each plotted data unit in the child layer being represented by a second symbol having a corresponding position relative to the x and y coordinate axes, the corresponding position of the second symbol being proximate to the corresponding position of the first symbol representing the plotted data unit in the parent layer having the containment relationship with the respective data unit in the child layer; and   based on attribute data associated with each data unit in the child layer, to offset, from the position proximate to the position of the first symbol, the position of each second symbol representing the plotted data unit in the child layer along a selected one of the x and y coordinate axes.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the processor further executes the software program out of the memory to organize each group of data units in the parent and child layers in a table, each table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each data unit in the group corresponding to a respective row of the table, each column of the table containing attribute data associated with the data unit corresponding to the respective row of the table. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the first plot controller is further operative to plot first attribute data contained in a selected column of the table for the group of data units in the parent layer relative to the x and y coordinate axes, each plotted first attribute datum being represented by the first symbol having the corresponding position relative to the x and y coordinate axes. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the second plot controller is further operative to plot second attribute data contained in a selected column of the table for the group of data units in the child layer relative to the x and y coordinate axes, each plotted second attribute datum being represented by the second symbol having the position offset along the selected one of the x and y coordinate axes. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the processor further executes the software program out of the memory to implement the first plot controller and the second plot controller within a single plot controller. 
   
   
       6 . A method of facilitating a user's analysis and comprehension of information relationships within one or more groups of data units, for use in a data exploration and analysis system including at least one processor, at least one software program, at least one memory for storing the software program and the one or more groups of data units, and at least one output device, each of the at least one memory and the at least one output device being communicably coupled to the processor, the method comprising the steps of:
 executing the software program, by the processor, to obtain the one or more groups of data units from at least one data source;   executing the software program, by the processor, to organize the respective groups of data units in a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers including at least one parent layer and at least one child layer,   wherein a containment relationship exists between at least one data unit in the parent layer and at least one data unit in the child layer;   executing the software program, by the processor, to output, via the output device, a compound plot of the data units in the parent and child layers relative to x and y coordinate axes, including creating at least one first plot controller and at least one second plot controller for controlling plotting of the respective groups of data units in the parent and child layers, respectively, in the compound plot;   executing the software program, by the processor via the first plot controller, to plot each data unit in the parent layer relative to the x and y coordinate axes, each plotted data unit in the parent layer being represented by a first symbol having a corresponding position relative to the x and y coordinate axes;   executing the software program, by the processor via the second plot controller, to plot each data unit in the child layer relative to the x and y coordinate axes, each plotted data unit in the child layer being represented by a second symbol having a corresponding position relative to the x and y coordinate axes, the corresponding position of the second symbol being proximate to the corresponding position of the first symbol representing the plotted data unit in the parent layer having the containment relationship with the respective data unit in the child layer; and   executing the software program, by the processor via the second plot controller, based on attribute data associated with each data unit in the child layer, to offset, from the position proximate to the position of the first symbol, the position of each second symbol representing the plotted data unit in the child layer along a selected one of the x and y coordinate axes.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  further including executing the software program, by the processor, to organize each group of data units in the parent and child layers in a table, each table having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each data unit in the group corresponding to a respective row of the table, each column of the table containing attribute data associated with the data unit corresponding to the respective row of the table. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  further including executing the software program, by the processor via the first plot controller, to plot first attribute data contained in a selected column of the table for the group of data units in the parent layer relative to the x and y coordinate axes, each plotted first attribute datum being represented by the first symbol having the corresponding position relative to the x and y coordinate axes. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7  further including executing the software program, by the processor via the second plot controller, to plot second attribute data contained in a selected column of the table for the group of data units in the child layer relative to the x and y coordinate axes, each plotted second attribute datum being represented by the second symbol having the position offset along the selected one of the x and y coordinate axes. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6  further including executing the software program, by the processor, to implement the first plot controller and the second plot controller within a single plot controller.