Visualization between input table and pivoted results

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018349338-A1
Application number	US-201715612143-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 2, 2017
Priority date	Jun 2, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A user interface that concurrently shows both the input tabular data in an input portion and the result of pivot operation(s) derived from the input tabular data in a results portion. Association visualizations show associations between the input tabular data and the result of the pivot operation(s). For instance, a column of the input table may be visually associated with rows or columns of the result of the pivot operation. As another example, aggregated data may be visualized as associated with the corresponding input values from which the aggregated data was formed. Thus, a user may see how a pivot table or other result was constructed from input tabular data. Once the user selects an apply control, the input portion is deemphasized and the results portion is further emphasized, and association visualizations may be removed. Thus, the results portion can act as a preview of the pivot operation.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A computing system comprising:
one or more processors; and one or more computer-readable media having thereon computer-executable instructions that are structured such that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to formulate a user interface that comprises the following: an input portion that displays input tabular data; a result portion that displays a pivot result of a pivoting operation on the input tabular data; and at least one association visualization that shows an association between at least one section of the input tabular data displayed in the input portion and at least one section of the pivot operation result displayed in the result portion.

2 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , the pivot operation comprising a distinct value pivot operation in which columns of a pivot result are each created from each distinct value of a respective column or each distinct value combination of columns of the input tabular data, one of the at least one association visualizations showing the association between one or more columns of the pivot result and one or more columns of the input tabular data.

3 . The computing system in accordance with claim 2 , the pivot result showing aggregation results for each distinct value of the respective column or columns of the input tabular data, another of the at least association visualizations showing the association between input values of the input tabular data and an aggregation result in the pivot result.

4 . The computing system in accordance with claim 2 , the distinct value operation also in which rows of a pivot result are each created from each distinct value of a respective column or each distinct value combination of columns of the input tabular data, another of the at least one association visualizations showing the association between one or more rows of the pivot result and one or more columns of the input tabular data.

5 . The computing system in accordance with claim 4 , the pivot result showing aggregation results, another of the at least association visualizations showing the association between input values of the input tabular data and an aggregation result in the pivot result.

6 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , the pivot operation comprising an existing value pivot operation in which rows are created in the pivot result from each existing value across common multiple columns of each of a plurality of rows of the input tabular data, one of the at least one association visualizations showing the association between the common multiple columns of the input tabular table and columns of the pivot result in which the values appear.

7 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , one or more of the at least one association visualization being a color coding.

8 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , one more of the at least one association visualization being a connector.

9 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , one or more of the at least one association visualization being a pattern coding.

10 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , one or more of the at least one association visualization remaining constant when the pivot result and the input tabular data is not interfaced with.

11 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , one or more of the at least one association visualization being further emphasized when the pivot result or the input tabular data is interfaced with.

12 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , one or more of the at least one association visualization being created when the pivot result or the input tabular data is interfaced with.

13 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , one or more of the at least one association visualizations being displayed while creating the pivot results by a user selecting one or more columns of the input tabular data.

14 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , one or more of the at least one association visualizations being displayed after creating the pivot results upon an association display control being interfaced with by a user.

15 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a creation control for creating rows or columns of a pivot result from a column of the input tabular data, the control manifesting a number of distinct values of the column when the control is interfaced with.

16 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , the user interface further comprising an apply control that, when interfaced with by the user, hides the input portion of the user interface.

17 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , the user interface further comprising an apply control that, when interface with by the user, emphasizes the result portion of the user interface.

18 . The computing system in accordance with claim 1 , the user interface further comprising an apply control that, when interface with by the user, deemphasizes the input portion of the user interface, emphasizes the result portion of the user interface, and removes the at least one association visualization.

19 . A method for associating input tabular data with pivot results created from performing a pivot operation on the input tabular data, the method comprising:
displaying an input portion that displays input tabular data; displaying a result portion that displays a pivot result of a pivoting operation on the input tabular data at the same time as displaying the input portion; and displaying at least one association visualization that shows an association between at least one section of the input tabular data displayed in the input portion and at least one section of the pivot operation result displayed in the result portion.

20 . A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media having thereon computer-executable instructions that are structured such that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to formulate a user interface that comprises the following:
an input portion that displays input tabular data; a result portion that displays a pivot result of a pivoting operation on the input tabular data; and at least one association visualization that shows an association between at least one section of the input tabular data displayed in the input portion and at least one section of the pivot operation result displayed in the result portion.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Cheung Chairy Chiu Ying
• Garden Euan Peter

Classifications

• G06F40/18 Primary

  of spreadsheets (form-filling G06F40/174) · CPC title

• G06F3/04845 Primary

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title

• G06F17/245 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title