CA2128578A1 - Method and System for Producing a Table Image Having Focus and Context Areas Showing Direct and Indirect Data Representations - Google Patents

Abstract

A method is disclosed for operating a processor-controlled system to produce from a first table image, upon receipt of an image display request signal from a signal source, a second table image including focal and context cell regions having output region sizes different from the regions sizes of the corresponding cells in the first table image. The output region size of each focal cell region is determined according to a "degree of interest" (DOI) function for each dimension of the table image that represents the level of interest of each cell region in that dimension. A
predetermined cell size is allocated to focal cell regions, and the remaining available output space is allocated to the cell sizes of non-focal cell regions.
Image definition data defining the second table image is then produced.
For each focal cell region in the second table image, the source data value of a respectively paired source data item in an underlying n-dimensional (nD) information data array is obtained. Image definition data defining the image representation of the source data value is then produced for display in the respective focal cell region. The second table image having focal cell regions showing source data values therein is then displayed in the display area of a system display device. In another aspect of the method of the invention, graphical display objects indirectly, or graphically, representing the data values in the underlying data array are included in the non-focal cell regions. The graphical display object for each non-focal cell region is determined by a cell presentation type selected using the data type of the respectively paired source data item. Image definition data defining the graphical display object for each non-focal cell is provided to a system display device for display in the second table image. The underlying data in the nD data array is thus directly, or symbolically, represented in the focal cell regions and graphically, or indirectly, represented in the non-focal cell regions, facilitating both direct observation and interaction with actual data values and the visual inspection and identification of patterns and trends in the data. In addition, for very large table images that do not fit in a standard sized display area, the combined features of focal cell regions and indirect representation of the data occupies substantially less space in the display area and pemits a very large table to be entirely represented in one image, while still providing direct access to data values of particular interest. A sophisticated user interface permits a system user to fluidly adjust the focal region location and to perform table manipulation functions, such as reordering rows and column, sorting rows or columns, and deriving new rows or column, in order to further reveal data trends and patterns in the graphical representations.