Graphical manipulation of chart elements for interacting with chart data

Abstract

A “Charting Animator” enhances computer-based charting/graphing systems by rendering dynamic animations of chart transitions. In general, when a user changes from one chart type to another, adds new data to a chart, or changes, sorts or deletes data, a new chart is generated to replace the old chart. Conventional charting systems simply replace the existing chart with the new chart. In contrast to conventional systems, the Charting Animator renders animated transitions that dynamically morph the original chart into the new chart. Consequently, these animations avoid abrupt changes that can disorient users. Examples of these animations include animating changes from one chart family to another (e.g., changing from a “Bar Chart” to a “Pie Chart”), animating changes from one chart type within a chart family to another chart type (e.g., changing 2D Bar Charts to 3D Bar Charts or Stacked Bar Charts), animating data changes, animating sorts, etc.

1 . A method for interacting with data elements used to construct a chart, comprising steps for:
 receiving at least one data set comprising a plurality of data elements;   automatically rendering a chart having a user selected chart type from corresponding data elements of the at least one data set;   wherein the chart includes a plurality of chart elements that provide graphical representations of corresponding data elements;   displaying the chart on a display device;   using a graphical user interface (GUI) to modify a visual representation of one or more of the chart elements; and   automatically modifying one or more corresponding data elements of the at least one data set to correspond to the visual modifications to the one or more chart elements.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein modifying the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements further comprises steps for selecting a group of two or more of the chart elements at the same time, and wherein all selected chart elements are simultaneously modified via the GUI by performing a joint modification of the group of chart elements. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein modifying the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements comprises steps for performing a drag and drop type operation via the GUI to reorder one or more of the chart elements within the chart, and wherein any corresponding data elements of the at least one data set are automatically sorted to correspond to the reordering of the one or more chart elements. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein modifying the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements comprises steps for resizing the chart elements, and wherein values of any corresponding data elements of the at least one data set are automatically changed to match the resizing of the one or more chart elements. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein modifying the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements comprises steps for deleting one or more of the chart elements from the displayed chart, and wherein any corresponding data elements of the at least one data set are automatically deleted from the at least one data set. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein modifying the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements comprises steps for adding a graphical representation of a chart element to the displayed chart, and wherein corresponding data elements for any added chart element are automatically created and added to the at least one data set. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein using the GUI to modify the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements further comprises moving one or more control handles associated with those chart elements to adjust the visual appearance of those chart elements. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein modifying the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements comprises steps for combining one or more of the chart elements by using a drag and drop type operation to drop one or more chart elements onto one or more other chart elements to construct combined chart elements, and wherein the corresponding data elements for any combined chart elements are automatically combined. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein modifying the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements comprises steps for displaying numerical readouts of the values of corresponding modified data elements while the visual modifications to the chart elements are being made. 
     
     
         10 . A physical computer readable storage media having computer executable instructions stored thereon for interacting with chart data used to render a chart on a display device, comprising instructions for:
 receiving a set of data elements comprising chart data;   selecting a chart type from a list of available chart types;   rendering a chart of the selected chart type on a display device as a function of the set of data elements, said chart being composed of a plurality of chart elements, each chart element providing a graphical representation of one or more of the data elements;   modifying a visual appearance of one or more of the chart elements via a graphical user interface (GUI); and   for each modified chart element, automatically modifying one or more corresponding data elements to correspond to the modifications of the visual appearance of the modified chart elements.   
     
     
         11 . The computer executable instructions of  claim 10  wherein modifying the visual appearance of one or more of the chart elements further comprises selecting a group of two or more of the chart elements at the same time, and wherein all selected chart elements are simultaneously modified via the GUI by performing a joint modification of the group of chart elements. 
     
     
         12 . The computer executable instructions of  claim 10  wherein modifying the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements comprises performing a drag and drop type operation via the GUI to reorder one or more of the chart elements within the chart, and wherein any corresponding data elements are automatically sorted to correspond to the reordering of the one or more chart elements. 
     
     
         13 . The computer executable instructions of  claim 10  wherein modifying the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements comprises resizing the chart elements, and wherein values of any corresponding data elements are automatically changed to match the resizing of the one or more chart elements. 
     
     
         14 . The computer executable instructions of  claim 10  wherein modifying the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements comprises deleting one or more of the chart elements from the displayed chart, and wherein any corresponding data elements are automatically deleted from the set of data elements. 
     
     
         15 . The computer executable instructions of  claim 10  wherein modifying the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements comprises adding a graphical representation of a chart element to the displayed chart, and wherein corresponding data elements for any added chart element are automatically created and added to the set of data elements. 
     
     
         16 . The computer executable instructions of  claim 10  wherein using the GUI to modify the visual representation of one or more of the chart elements further comprises moving one or more control handles associated with those chart elements to adjust the visual appearance of those chart elements. 
     
     
         17 . A system for interacting with charts via a graphical user interface (GUI), comprising using a computing device for:
 receiving a set of data elements, said data elements representing values for defining graphical elements of a chart;   selecting a chart type;   rendering a chart of the selected chart type on a display device using the set of data elements to define each graphical element of the chart;   using a GUI to modify one or more of the graphical elements; and   automatically modifying one or more corresponding data elements to correspond to the modifications to the one or more graphical elements.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein modifying the graphical elements comprises performing a drag and drop type operation via the GUI to reorder one or more of the graphical elements within the chart, and wherein any corresponding data elements are automatically sorted to correspond to the reordering of the one or more graphical elements. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17  further comprising using the GUI to add one or more graphical elements to the displayed chart, and wherein corresponding data elements for any added chart element are automatically created and added to the set of data elements. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17  further comprising displaying numerical readouts of the values of corresponding data elements while modifications to the graphical elements are being made.