Generating a computer executable chart visualization by annotating a static image

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016110895-A1
Application number	US-201514840186-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 31, 2015
Priority date	Oct 21, 2014
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A computer executable chart visualization may be generated from a static image of the chart visualization. The static image, a set of pre-defined chart elements, and a portion of the static image that corresponds to a pre-defined chart element may each be identified. A mapping between the portion of the static image and the pre-defined chart elements may be determined, and a visual or logical property of each portion of the static image may be determined. A declarative description of the chart visualization may be generated by setting the visual properties for each of the respective pre-defined chart elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of generating a computer executable chart visualization from a static image of said chart visualization, the method comprising the steps of:
identifying said static image of said chart visualization; identifying a set of pre-defined chart elements; identifying one or more portions of said static image as corresponding to one or more respective pre-defined chart elements; determining a mapping between said one or more portions of the static image and said one or more respective pre-defined chart elements; determining visual properties of each of said one or more portions of said static image; and generating a declarative description of the chart visualization by setting the visual properties for each of said one or more respective pre-defined chart elements.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying one or more portions of said static image further comprises:
using image recognition to locate one or more visual borders of said one or more pre-defined chart elements within the static image; and receiving, from a user, input regarding accuracy and completeness of the one or more visual borders of said one or more pre-defined chart elements within the static image.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising rendering the declarative description to create an interactive visualization corresponding in appearance to the static image.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said using image recognition to locate one or more visual borders of pre-defined chart elements within the static image comprises:
transforming the static image into abstract shapes using known image recognition techniques; and comparing an assembly of the abstract shapes against a number of known pre-defined chart elements and selecting a best matching chart element.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said pre-defined chart elements include axes, elements, gridlines, and text.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the declarative description is directly translated into computer executable code.

7 . A system for generating a computer executable chart visualization from a static image of said chart visualization, the system comprising:
a computer readable medium with program instructions stored thereon; and one or more processors configured to execute the program instructions to perform the method comprising:
identifying said static image of said chart visualization;
identifying a set of pre-defined chart elements;
identifying one or more portions of said static image as corresponding to one or more respective pre-defined chart elements;
determining a mapping between said one or more portions of the static image and said one or more respective pre-defined chart elements;
determining visual properties of each of said one or more portions of said static image; and
generating a declarative description of the chart visualization by setting the visual properties for each of said one or more respective pre-defined chart elements.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the identifying one or more portions of said static images comprises:
using image recognition to locate one or more visual borders of said one or more pre-defined chart elements within the static image; and receiving, from a user, input regarding accuracy and completeness of the one or more visual borders of said one or more pre-defined chart elements within the static image.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises rendering the declarative description to create an interactive visualization corresponding in appearance to the static image.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein said using image recognition to locate one or more visual borders of pre-defined chart elements within the static image comprises:
transforming the static image into abstract shapes using known image recognition techniques; and comparing an assembly of the abstract shapes against a number of known pre-defined chart elements and selecting a best matching chart element.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein said pre-defined chart elements include axes, elements, gridlines, and text.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the declarative description is directly translated into computer executable code.

13 . A computer program product for generating a computer executable chart visualization from a static image of said chart visualization, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, wherein the computer readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause a device to perform the method comprising:
identifying said static image of said chart visualization; identifying a set of pre-defined chart elements; identifying one or more portions of said static image as corresponding to one or more respective pre-defined chart elements; determining a mapping between said one or more portions of the static image and said one or more respective pre-defined chart elements; determining visual properties of each of said one or more portions of said static image; and generating a declarative description of the chart visualization by setting the visual properties for each of said one or more respective pre-defined chart elements.

14 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the identifying one or more portions of said static image further comprises:
using image recognition to locate one or more visual borders of said one or more pre-defined chart elements within the static image; and receiving, from a user, input regarding accuracy and completeness of the one or more visual borders of said one or more pre-defined chart elements within the static image.

15 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises rendering the declarative description to create an interactive visualization corresponding in appearance to the static image.

16 . The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein said using image recognition to locate one or more visual borders of pre-defined chart elements within the static image comprises:
transforming the static image into abstract shapes using known image recognition techniques; and comparing an assembly of the abstract shapes against a number of known pre-defined chart elements and selecting a best matching chart element.

17 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein said pre-defined chart elements include axes, elements, gridlines, and text.

18 . The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the declarative description is directly translated into computer executable code.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Broadbent Peter R
• Coolen Leo A
• Van Ham Franciscus J J
• Wills Graham J

Classifications

• G06V30/422

  Technical drawings; Geographical maps · CPC title

• G06T11/26 Primary

  Drawing of charts or graphs · CPC title

• G06V10/56

  relating to colour · CPC title

• G06T7/0085

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06T11/206 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic