Presentation of multivariate data on a graphical user interface of a computing system
View Patent ↗Various systems, methods, and media allow for graphical display of multivariate data in parallel coordinate plots and similar plots for visualizing data for a plurality of variables simultaneously. These systems, methods, and media can aggregate individual data points into curves between axes, significantly improving functioning of computer systems by decreasing the rendering time for such plots. Certain implementations can allow a user to examine the relationship between two or more variables, by displaying the data on non-parallel or other transformed axes.
1. A computing system for representing multivariate data in parallel coordinates on a plurality of parallel axes, the computing system comprising:
a network interface coupled to a data network for receiving and transmitting one or more packet flows comprising the multivariate data;
a computer processor; and
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program instructions for execution by the computer processor in order to cause the computing system to
generate a user interface depicting
a first shape corresponding to a first variable of the multivariate data, the first shape comprising
a first region having at least two dimensions including a first height extending along a first axis of the plurality of axes and a first width perpendicular to the first axis, the first region having a first color and the first region associated with a first value or a range of first values of the first variable, and
one or more first textual labels within the first width and at least partially within the first height, wherein the one or more first textual labels indicate the first value or the range of first values of the first variable; and
a second shape spaced from the first shape, the second shape corresponding to a second variable of the multivariate data and the second shape comprising
a second region having at least two dimensions including a second height extending along a second axis of the plurality of axes and a second width perpendicular to the second axis, the second region having a second color and the second region associated with a second value or a range of second values of the second variable,
one or more second textual labels within the second width and at least partially within the second height, wherein the one or more second textual labels indicate the second value or the range of second values of the second variable; and
depict on the user interface a first non-linear curve in the space between the first shape and the second shape, having a first length from a periphery of the first region to a periphery of the second region and a first thickness generally perpendicular to the first length, the first thickness generally uniform and proportional to a first aggregation of the multivariate data corresponding to the first value or the range of first values of the first variable associated with the first region and the second value or the range of second values of the second variable associated with the second region, wherein the first color of the first region defines a color of the first curve.
2. The computing system of claim 1 , the non-transitory computer readable storage medium further storing program instructions for execution by the computer processor in order to cause the computing system to visually deaggregate the multivariate data corresponding to the first value or the range of first values of the first variable associated with the first region and the second value or the range of second values of the second variable associated with the second region.
3. The computing system of claim 1 , the second shape comprising a third region aligned with the second region along the second axis, the third region having a third color distinct from the second color and the third region associated with a third value or a range of third values of the second variable, and the non-transitory computer readable medium storing program instructions in order to cause the computing system to
depict on the user interface a second non-linear curve in the space between the first shape and the second shape, having a second length from the periphery of the first region to a periphery of the third region and a second thickness generally perpendicular to the second length, the second thickness generally uniform and proportional to a second aggregation of the multivariate data corresponding to the first value or the range of first values of the first variable associated with the first region and the third value or the range of third values of the second variable associated with the third region, wherein the first color of the first region defines a color of the second curve; and
receive a second user instruction to remove the depiction of the second curve on the user interface.
4. The computing system of claim 1 , the non-transitory computer readable medium storing program instructions in order to cause the computing system to receive a first user instruction to remove the depiction of the first curve on the user interface, the first user instruction comprising a zoom-in operation removing the first region from the first shape.
5. The computing system of claim 1 , the first shape comprising a plurality of regions including the first region, and the non-transitory computer readable storage medium further storing program instructions for execution by the computer processor in order to cause the computing system to receive an operation changing a number of regions in the plurality of regions.
6. The computing system of claim 1 , the non-transitory computer readable storage medium further storing program instructions for execution by the computer processor in order to cause the computing system to depict a third textual label at least partly superimposed on the first curve, the third textual label reflecting the first aggregation.
7. A computer-implemented method of representing multivariate data on a plurality of axes, the computer-implemented method comprising:
as implemented by one or more computer systems comprising computer hardware and memory, the one or more computer systems configured with specific executable instructions,
generating a user interface depicting
a first shape corresponding to a first variable of the multivariate data, the first shape comprising a first region having at least two dimensions including a first dimension extending along a first axis of the plurality of axes and a non-zero second dimension generally perpendicular to the first axis, the first region having a first distinguishing visual appearance and the first region associated with a first value or a range of first values of the first variable, and
a second shape spaced from the first shape, the second shape corresponding to a second variable of the multivariate data and the second shape comprising a second region having at least two dimensions including a third dimension extending along a second axis of the plurality of axes and a non-zero fourth dimension generally perpendicular to the second axis, the second region having a second distinguishing visual appearance and the second region associated with a second value or a range of second values of the second variable;
depicting on the user interface a first non-linear curve in the space between the first shape and the second shape, having a first length from a periphery of the first region to a periphery of the second region and a first thickness generally perpendicular to the first length, at least part of the first thickness proportional to a first aggregation of the multivariate data corresponding to the first value or the range of first values of the first variable associated with the first region and the second value or the range of second values of the second variable associated with the second region, wherein the first distinguishing visual appearance of the first region defines a distinguishing visual appearance of the first curve.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , the first distinguishing visual appearance comprising a first color, a first pattern, a first grayscale intensity, a first shading, or a first hatching.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein the axes are parallel.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising receiving a first user instruction to remove the depiction of the first curve on the user interface.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising receiving a second user instruction to grow or shrink the third dimension.
12. The computing system of claim 7 , further comprising depicting a textual label at least partly superimposed on the first curve, the textual label reflecting the first aggregation.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising one or more program instructions recorded thereon, the instructions configured for execution by a computing system comprising one or more processors in order to cause the computing system to:
generate a user interface depicting
a first shape corresponding to a first variable of the multivariate data, the first shape comprising a first region having at least two dimensions including a first dimension extending along a first axis of the plurality of axes and a second dimension generally perpendicular to the first axis, the first region associated with a first value or a range of first values of the first variable, and
a second shape spaced from the first shape, the second shape corresponding to a second variable of the multivariate data and the second shape comprising a second region having at least two dimensions including a third dimension extending along a second axis of the plurality of axes and a fourth dimension generally perpendicular to the second axis, the second region associated with a second value or a range of second values of the second variable; and
depict on the user interface a non-linear curve in the space between the first shape and the second shape, having a length from a periphery of the first region to a periphery of the second region and a non-uniform thickness generally perpendicular to the first length, the thickness comprising a first part adjacent the first region, a third part adjacent the second region, and a second part between the first part and the third part, the third part thinner than the first part and the second part and proportional to an aggregation of the multivariate data corresponding to the first value or the range of first values of the first variable associated with the first region and the second value or the range of second values of the second variable associated with the second region.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the first region having a first distinguishing visual appearance comprising a first color, a first pattern, a first grayscale intensity, a first shading, or a first hatching.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , the first curve having the first distinguishing visual appearance of the first region.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the instructions further configured for execution by the computing system in order to cause the computing system to receive a first user instruction to remove the depiction of the curve on the user interface.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the instructions further configured for execution by the computing system in order to cause the computing system to receive a second user instruction to grow or shrink the first dimension.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the instructions further configured for execution by the computing system in order to cause the computing system to depict a first textual label at least partly superimposed on the curve, the first textual label reflecting the aggregation.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the instructions further configured for execution by the computing system in order to cause the computing system to depict one or more second textual labels within the first dimension and at least partially within the second dimension.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , the instructions further configured for execution by the computing system in order to cause the computing system to move the second shape from a first position parallel the first shape to a second position perpendicular to the second shape, in response to a third user instruction.