Techniques for Visualization of Data

Abstract

A computer system where a geometric plot is generated having at least two axes, wherein a dataset from which the plot will be generated specifies at least one shape for the geometric plot and wherein the plot includes at least one axis having a plurality of discrete, categorical index values. Zero or more offset values are specified that determines a mapping of one or more shape-defining vertices of the at least one shape to a location that is a fractional distance between two of the discrete, categorical index values, such that a generated set of data specifies a pixel location for each of the shape-defining vertices of the at least one shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A graphing computer system, the graphing computer system comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that includes instructions that are configured to be executed by the processor such that, when executed, the instructions cause the graphing computer system to perform operations including:
 receiving a request at the graphing computer system to generate a geometric plot having at least two axes, wherein the request specifies a dataset from which the system will generate at least one shape for the geometric plot, and wherein the request specifies data relative to a plurality of discrete, categorical index values related to at least one axis of the plot; 
 processing the received request to determine a mapping of shape-defining vertices of the at least one shape to respective locations comprising a sum of a discrete, categorical index value of the plot axis and an offset value; 
 generating a set of data in accordance with the received request such that the generated set of data specifies a plot location on the geometric plot for each of the shape-defining vertices of the at least one shape; and 
 providing the generated set of data to a graphing engine configured to render the set of data and generate the geometric plot on an electronic display. 
   
     
     
         2 . The graphing computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the dataset comprises a table of alphanumeric data, wherein at least one of the specified vertex locations in the data provided is a relative location on the display of the graphing computer system, and wherein the categorical index values comprise values that are non-numerical. 
     
     
         3 . The graphing computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the received request includes a dataset that defines at least one shape comprising a polygon that is illustrated on the display of the graphing computer system after rendering. 
     
     
         4 . The graphing computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the offset value is a non-zero value and determines a location that is a fractional distance between two of the discrete, categorical index values. 
     
     
         5 . The graphing computer system of  claim 4 , wherein the dataset of the request specifies an angle of rotation for one or more polygons of the geometric plot. 
     
     
         6 . The graphing computer system of  claim 4 , wherein the dataset of the request includes data values characterized over multiple variables. 
     
     
         7 . The graphing computer system of  claim 6 , wherein the dataset of the request specifies an angle of rotation for each polygon of the geometric plot, such that the angle of rotation is independent of the remaining polygons of the geometric plot, and such that the angle of rotation indicates a data value of at least one variable of the dataset. 
     
     
         8 . The graphing computer system of  claim 7 , wherein the angle of rotation is represented by two or more colors of the polygons. 
     
     
         9 . The graphing computer system of  claim 7 , wherein the angle of rotation indicates a data value regardless of the polygon color. 
     
     
         10 . The graphing computer system of  claim 9 , wherein the first axis and the second axis both have discrete, categorical index values and the polygons defined by the dataset indicate a value that is a function of the categorical index values of the first axis and the second axis. 
     
     
         11 . The graphing computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the received request includes a dataset that defines at least one shape comprising a polygon having a plurality of vertices, and wherein the dataset specifies a location of each polygon vertex on the geometric plot on the display of the graphing computer system after rendering, and at least one vertex of the polygon is specified in the dataset by a discrete, categorical index value and an offset relative to the discrete, categorical index value. 
     
     
         12 . The graphing computer system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the offset value of the at least one shape determines a location that is a fractional distance between two of the discrete, categorical index values and wherein the dataset of the request specifies an angle of rotation for one or more polygons of the geometric plot; and   wherein the angle of rotation of a geometric shape corresponds to one of at least two geometric shapes, wherein both geometric shapes have discrete, categorical index values, and the polygons defined by the dataset indicate a data value represented by a polygon angle of rotation that is a function of the categorical index values of the first axis and the second axis.   
     
     
         13 . The graphing computer system of  claim 12 , wherein the polygons defined by the dataset indicate a data value represented by a fill color that is a function of the data value. 
     
     
         14 . The graphing computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the set of data is generated in response to a plurality of requests to generate a geometric plot, and wherein the graphing engine is further configured such that the generated geometric plot includes all the shapes specified in the plurality of requests. 
     
     
         15 . The graphing computer system of  claim 14 , wherein the polygons in the requests comprise a heat map, and wherein the heat map illustrates a plurality of data values that provide a visualization of data that comprises response data, and the shapes of the heat map comprise a plurality of polygon shapes for a plurality of categories, such that at least two of the polygon shapes represent different data values having different magnitudes indicated by a feature of the respective polygon shapes. 
     
     
         16 . The graphing computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the polygon feature is independent of polygon color. 
     
     
         17 . The graphing computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the different data values are represented by different corresponding colors, wherein the polygon feature comprises a color, which indicates magnitude of the visualized data. 
     
     
         18 . The graphing computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the request specifies an angle of rotation for at least one of the polygon shapes, and the angle of rotation indicates response value of the data. 
     
     
         19 . A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, including instructions configured to be executed to cause a graphing computer system to perform a method comprising:
 receiving a request at the graphing computer system to generate a geometric plot having at least two axes, wherein the request specifies a dataset from which the system will generate at least one shape for the geometric plot, and wherein the request specifies data relative to a plurality of discrete, categorical index values related to at least one axis of the plot;   processing the received request to determine a mapping of shape-defining vertices of the at least one shape to respective locations comprising a sum of a discrete, categorical index value of the plot axis and an offset value;   generating a set of data in accordance with the received request such that the generated set of data specifies a plot location on the geometric plot for each of the shape-defining vertices of the at least one shape; and   providing the generated set of data to a graphing engine configured to render the set of data and generate the geometric plot on an electronic display.   
     
     
         20 . A method of operating a graphing computer system, the method comprising:
 receiving a request at the graphing computer system to generate a geometric plot having at least two axes, wherein the request specifies a dataset from which the system will generate at least one shape for the geometric plot, and wherein the request specifies data relative to a plurality of discrete, categorical index values related to at least one axis of the plot;   processing the received request to determine a mapping of shape-defining vertices of the at least one shape to respective locations comprising a sum of a discrete, categorical index value of the plot axis and an offset value;   generating a set of data in accordance with the received request such that the generated set of data specifies a plot location on the geometric plot for each of the shape-defining vertices of the at least one shape; and   providing the generated set of data to a graphing engine configured to render the set of data and generate the geometric plot on an electronic display.