Automatic data sharing between multiple graph elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9678652-B2
Application number	US-201514643625-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2015
Priority date	Mar 11, 2014
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

A method of automatically sharing data between graph elements is provided. First sample data is generated to render an instance of a first graph element type in a first cell. An indicator is received that indicates selection of a second graph element type and dropping of an indicator of the second graph element type into the first cell. Second sample data is generated to render an instance of the second graph element type in the first cell overlaid with a second instance of the first graph element type in the first cell. A common axis is used for the second instance of the first graph element type and the instance of the second graph element type. Data points used for the common axis are automatically shared between the second instance of the first graph element type and the instance of the second graph element type.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to:
receive a first indicator indicating a first graph element type selected by a user to present in a first cell of a canvas panel presented on a display;
after receiving the first indicator and based on the first graph element type, determine a number of columns and a number of rows of data values to generate for a first graph element instance;
generate first sample data to render the first graph element instance based on the first graph element type, wherein the generated first sample data includes a data value computed for each column and row of the determined number of columns and the determined number of rows;
render the first graph element instance in the first cell of the canvas panel using the generated first sample data, wherein the first graph element instance is a visual representation of the first graph element type using the generated first sample data;
receive a second indicator indicating selection of a second graph element type;
receive a third indicator indicating dropping of the second indicator into the first cell of the canvas panel presented on the display;
after receiving the third indicator and based on the first graph element type and the second graph element type, determine a second number of columns and a second number of rows of data values to generate for a second graph element instance based on the first graph element type and a third graph element instance based on the second graph element type;
after determining the second number of columns and the second number of rows, generate second sample data to render the second graph element instance and the third graph element instance in the first cell of the canvas panel, wherein the generated second sample data includes a first data value, a second data value, and a third data value generated for each row of the determined second number of rows, wherein the generated second sample data is not generated using data stored on the computer-readable medium prior to receiving the third indicator;
render the third graph element instance overlaid with the second graph element instance in the first cell of the canvas panel, wherein the first data value and the second data value generated for each row of the determined second number of rows are used to render the second graph element instance, and the first data value and the third data value generated for each row of the determined second number of rows are used to render the third graph element instance, wherein the second graph element instance is a second visual representation of the first graph element type using the generated second sample data, and the third graph element instance is a visual representation of the second graph element type using the generated second sample data;
store a graph design template that captures characteristics of the second visual representation of the first graph element type and of the visual representation of the second graph element type in the first cell of the canvas panel without either the generated first sample data or the generated second sample data and without an indicator of either of the generated first sample data or the generated second sample data,
wherein a common axis is used for the second graph element instance and the third graph element instance, and further wherein the first data values are used for the common axis and are automatically shared between the second graph element instance and the third graph element instance after the third indicator is received;
receive a fourth indicator indicating selection of the third graph element instance;
receive a fifth indicator indicating dropping of the fourth indicator into a second cell of the canvas panel;
after receiving the fifth indicator and based on the second graph element type, determine a third number of columns and a third number of rows of data values to generate for a fourth graph element instance;
generate third sample data to render the fourth graph element instance, wherein the generated third sample data includes a fourth data value generated for each column and each row of the determined third number of columns and the determined third number of rows, wherein at least a portion of the third sample data is different than the second sample data;
render the first graph element instance in the first cell of the canvas panel with a first axis using the generated first sample data; and
render the fourth graph element instance in the second cell of the canvas panel with a second axis parallel to the first axis using the generated third sample data,
wherein first data points of the data values generated for the first axis are automatically different from second data points of the fourth data values generated for the second axis.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first graph element type and the second graph element type are different graph element types.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein before generating the second sample data, the computer-readable instructions further cause the computing device to determine that the first graph element type and the second graph element type are compatible for overlaying in the first cell of the canvas panel.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3 , wherein determining compatibility for overlaying in the first cell of the canvas panel is based on an axis role classification overlapping by at least one option for each axis of the first graph element type and the second graph element type.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the axis role classification is selected from the group consisting of category, date-time and measure.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the common axis is a y-axis.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions further cause the computing device to:
receive a sixth indicator indicating to merge the first axis and the second axis;
after receiving the sixth indicator, generate the second sample data a second time;
render the second graph element instance in the first cell of the canvas panel with a third axis; and
render the third graph element instance in the second cell of the canvas panel with a fourth axis parallel to the third axis.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7 , further comprising computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to:
receive a seventh indicator indicating dropping of a third graph element type into a third cell of the canvas panel;
after receiving the seventh indicator and based on the third graph element type, generate fourth sample data to render a fifth graph element instance in the third cell of the canvas panel, wherein the generated fourth sample data includes a fifth data value generated for each row of the determined second number of rows; and
render the fifth graph element instance in the third cell of the canvas panel using the generated fourth sample data with a fifth axis parallel to the third axis, wherein the fifth graph element instance is a visual representation of the third graph element type using the first data value and the fifth data value generated for each row of the determined second number of rows,
wherein the first data values are used for the third axis, the fourth axis, and the fifth axis and are automatically shared.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first cell, the second ce

Assignees

• Sas Inst Inc
• Sas Ind Inc

Inventors

• Devarajan Ravinder
• Patel Himesh G
• Berryman Pat
• Everdyke Lisa Hope
• Morris Bradley Edward
• Edwards Christopher Kendrick
• Benson Jordan Riley
• Erikson Timothy Joel

Classifications

• G06T11/26 Primary

  Drawing of charts or graphs · CPC title

• G06F16/9024

  Graphs; Linked lists (G06F16/9027 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06T2200/24

  involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs] · CPC title

• G06T2200/32

  involving image mosaicing · CPC title

• H04L67/02

  based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] · CPC title