Method for superimposing statistical information on tabular data
A method is disclosed for displaying a plurality of statistical data usually presented in a histogram, such as sample counts and percentages of a collection of categorized samples, in a compact single table. The method comprises presenting grouped statistical data that exists within a collection of “buckets” and presenting the sample count for the collected data as an integer in a corresponding cell in the table. Additionally, as disclosed by the present invention, the percentage value of the samples located in each bucket data cell is represented in the data cell as a superimposed gray-scale representation. Presenting the percentages in gray-scale provides overall clarity to the table, assists in ensuring that data can be quickly and easily interpreted and not be subject to misinterpretation, and further allows for the compact display of such information in a single table and subsequent manipulation by automated analysis tools.
1. A computer for processing and displaying statistical information in a statistical table comprising:
a central processing unit;
a least one display communicably coupled to the central processing unit;
a least one program operating on the central processing unit, wherein the program is operative to provide a signal for creating a statistical table and to calculate a set of percentage values from a set of cell data; and,
wherein the display communicates with the central processing unit to simultaneously display the statistical information related to the set of percentage values, wherein the statistical information is approximately indicated by superimposing shades of gray selected by the program from a gray-scale color palette over the set of cell data within the statistical table, thereby allowing an analyst to easily interpret a plurality of statistical information comprised within the statistical table.
2. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the statistical information is drawn from one or more of the group of, arrival of work at a computer node, a request for service at a computer node, arrival rates of work at a computer server and number of transactions waiting within a queue.
3. The computer of claim 2 , wherein the gray scale color palette is in hexadecimal HTML compliant format.
4. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the gray scale color palette comprises a plurality of shades of gray, wherein the palette includes darker shades of gray, wherein the darker shades of gray represent larger percentage values.
5. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the gray scale color palette comprises a plurality of shades of gray, wherein the palette includes lighter shades of gray, wherein the lighter shades of gray represent smaller percentage values.
6. The computer of claim 1 , wherein the set of cell data is represented in a two-tone color gray scale palette generally opposite the gray scale selected by the program and is calculated from the set of percentage values.