Parallel coordinates chart visualization for machine data search and analysis system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10459939-B1
Application number	US-201615224618-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 31, 2016
Priority date	Jul 31, 2016
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

Disclosed are a system and a method for providing user-interactive parallel coordinates charts. In an embodiment, a machine data search and analysis system retrieves search results including a plurality of events, each of the events containing time-stamped data in response to a search query. The system identifies a plurality of characteristics from the data corresponding to the events. The system causes display of a multiple-dimensional chart (e.g., a parallel coordinates chart) depicting the data corresponding to the events. The multiple-dimensional chart includes a plurality of axes. Each of the axes corresponds to one of the identified characteristics. The multiple-dimensional chart further includes a plurality of polylines representing the events. Each of the polylines includes a plurality of vertices on the axes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
in response to a search query, retrieving search results including a plurality of events, each of the plurality of events containing time-stamped data, at a system for indexing and searching data;
identifying a plurality of characteristics from the time-stamped data corresponding to the plurality of events; and
causing display of an interactive multiple-dimensional chart depicting the data corresponding to the events the interactive multiple-dimensional chart including a plurality of axes, each of the axes corresponding to one of the identified characteristics, the interactive multiple-dimensional chart further including a plurality of polylines representing the events, each of the polylines including a plurality of vertices on the axes;
wherein causing display of the interactive multiple-dimensional chart includes:
formatting the time-stamped data corresponding to the plurality of events into a data object that is readable by a code library for generating a static visualization;
receiving state information that is indicative of a current state of display of the interactive multiple-dimensional chart, wherein use of the state information enables the interactive multiple-dimensional chart to be displayed at a plurality of different devices without saving a rendering of the interactive multiple-dimensional chart; and
processing the data object using the code library to render the interactive multiple-dimensional chart based on the received state information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiple-dimensional chart is a parallel coordinates chart and the plurality of axes are parallel to each other.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein for an individual polyline of the plurality of polylines, a position of an individual vertex of the individual polyline on an individual axis is indicative of a value of a particular characteristic corresponding to the individual axis.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time-stamped data comprises machine data.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the time-stamped data comprises real-time event data.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
in response to a signal indicative of a user interaction with an individual axis of the plurality of axes of the interactive multiple-dimensional chart, identifying a subset of events that correspond with the individual axis; and
dynamically updating display of the interactive multiple-dimensional chart by processing the subset of events using the code library.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the code library is open source.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
repeatedly and automatically updating the interactive multiple-dimensional chart when the search results are updated with new events.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the events represent products or data points that are indicated in the time-stamped data corresponding to the events.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a color of each individual polyline of the plurality of polylines is indicative of a position of a vertex of the individual polyline on a particular axis of the plurality of axes.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a color of each individual polyline of the plurality of polylines is indicative of a value or a value range of a particular characteristic for an event represented by the individual polyline, or is indicative of a category of a particular characteristic for an event represented by the individual polyline.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to a user interacting with the interactive multiple-dimensional chart or the user changing the search query,
reordering the axes of the interactive multiple-dimensional chart; and

causing changes of the polylines of the interactive multiple-dimensional chart in response to the reordering of the axes.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to a user input, dynamically switching the interactive multiple-dimensional chart between a categorical color mode and a sequential color mode;
wherein in a sequential color mode, a color of an individual polyline of the plurality of polylines denotes a value range of a particular characteristic for an event represented by the individual polyline; and
wherein in a categorical color mode, a color of an individual polyline of the plurality of polylines denotes a category of a particular characteristic for an event represented by the individual polyline.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying the plurality of polylines in a plurality of colors, wherein a color of an individual polyline of the plurality of polylines denotes a value range of a particular characteristic for an event represented by the individual polyline;
in response to a user input, adjusting value ranges of the particular characteristic for the plurality of colors;
dynamically changing the colors of the polylines based on the adjusted value ranges.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a user interface element for users to specify a time range of events as part of the search query.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a signal indicative of a user input interacting with an individual axis of the plurality of axes of the interactive multiple-dimensional chart;
in response to the signal, generating a filter specifying a value range of a particular characteristic represented by the individual axis; and
highlighting polylines representing events that are selected by the filter.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a signal indicative of a user input interacting with an individual axis of the plurality of axes of the interactive multiple-dimensional chart;
in response to the signal, generating a filter specifying a value range of a particular characteristic represented by the individual axis, based on the user input interacting with the individual axis; and
reducing intensities of polylines representing events that are excluded by the filter.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a signal indicative of a user input interacting with an individual axis of the plurality of axes of the interactive multiple-dimensional chart;
in response to the signal, generating a filter specifying a value range of a particular characteristic represented by the individual axis;
removing polylines representing events that are excluded by the filter;
receiving a second signal indicative of a user input clearing the filter; and
displaying polylines representing events that are excluded by the filter and polylines representing events that are selected by the filter.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a first signal indicative of a user input interacting with a first individual axis of the plurality of axes of the interactive multiple-dimensional chart;
in response to the first signal, generating a first filter specifying a first value range of a first particular characteristic represented by the first individual axis;
receiving a second signal indicative of a user interaction with a second individual axis of the plurality of axes of the interactive multiple-dimensional chart;
in response to the second signal, generating a second filter specifying a second value range of a second particular characteristic represented by the second individual axis, based on the user input interacting with the second individual axis; and
highlighting polylines representing events that are selected by the first

Assignees

• Splunk Inc

Inventors

• Agnew Marshall Chalmers
• Porath Michael
• Wied Patrick
• Mullen Clark Eugene

Classifications

• G06T11/26

  Drawing of charts or graphs · CPC title

• G06F16/2264 Primary

  Multidimensional index structures · CPC title

• G06F16/248 Primary

  Presentation of query results · CPC title

• G06F16/26

  Visual data mining; Browsing structured data · CPC title

• G06T11/206

  Physics · mapped topic