Patent Application
20100277480
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 from Chinese Patent Application 200910136964.8, filed Apr. 30, 2009, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to visualization. More particularly, the present invention relates to a layout method and system in a display area for disconnected dynamic networks.
2. Description of Related Art
Network datasets, such as social networks, internet and financial networks etc. are widely available in many fields. As one of the effective techniques to demonstrate relationships in networks, graphs have been studied for a long time and many layout methods and useful interactive tools have been proposed to help users to find out interesting patterns in these network datasets. Recently, more and more attentions are moving into dynamic networks since many networks in real life change over time. Previous methods work well for static networks, but for dynamic networks, they fail to keep temporal coherence and cannot show stable transitions from frame to frame. Therefore, several approaches are designed for visualizing the updates of dynamic networks stably and smoothly by considering both the layout algorithms and the animation techniques.
For disconnected dynamic networks, one of the most popular networks, the visualization methods mentioned above cannot be directly adopted, since new challenges rose in which major challenges are as following. Firstly, it is quite difficult to lay out the disconnected components within the networks on the screen clearly and informatively when they are static, not to mention if they are dynamically changing; secondly, it is also very difficult to keep the changes of the multiple components shown smoothly and stably. If movements between the current location and the previous location are simply minimized, it may cause great overlap when some components are merged together in certain time frame.
There is need for a method and system to address the problems mentioned above.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a computer implemented layout method for multiple graph components in a display area of a computer system includes: dividing the multiple graph components into a first subset S1 and a second subset S2 according to the order of their importance, wherein the first subset S1 includes at least the most important graph component; dividing the first subset S1 into an upper subset Cp that includes only the most important graph component and a lower subset Cm; dividing the display area into display portions S1′ and S2′ proportionally according to importance values of the first subset S1 and the second subset S2; dividing the display portion S1′ into display portions Cp′ and Cm′ proportionally according to importance values of the upper subset Cp and the lower subset Cm; and iteratively executing the steps of dividing until the aspect ratio of display portion Cp′ is approximately 1.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a layout system for displaying multiple graph components in a disconnected dynamic network includes: a first division means for performing a first division to divide the multiple graph components into a first subset S1 and a second subset S2 according to the order of their importance, wherein the first subset S1 includes at least the most important graph component; a second division means for performing a second division to divide the first subset S1 into an upper subset Cp which includes only the most important graph component and a lower subset Cm which includes the other graph components; a first display area division means for dividing the display area into display portions S1′ and S2′ proportionally according to the importance values of the first subset S1 and the second subset S2; a second display area division means for dividing the display portion S1′ into display portions Cp′ and Cm′ proportionally according to the importance values of the upper subset Cp and the lower subset Cm; and an executing means for causing execution by (i) the first division means, (ii) the second division means and (iii) the corresponding display division means iteratively until the aspect ratio of display portion Cp′ is approximately 1.
By utilizing the method and system according to the present invention, the layout of the disconnected components within the networks on the screen can be clear and informative, at the same time the updates of dynamic networks can be shown stably and smoothly.
The present invention will be better understood from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding technical features or components will be represented by the same or corresponding reference signs. The accompanying drawings together with the following detailed description are included in this specification and form a part of the specification, which are used to describe the principle and advantages of the present invention and preferred embodiments of the present invention by way of example. In the figures:
a-3c shows the results of the division of the display area according to the layout method of the present invention;
a shows the results of the division of the display area according to an embodiment of the present invention;
b is the triple tree structure corresponding to the division of the display area of
In the following description, numerous particular details are described so that the present invention can be fully understood. However, it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that implementation of the present invention may not have these particular details. In addition, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein. Instead, it is contemplated to implement the present invention by using any combination of the following features and elements, regardless of whether they involve different embodiments. Therefore, the following aspects, features, embodiments and advantages are only used for illustration and should not be regarded as the elements or definitions of the attached claims, unless indicated explicitly in the claims.
It should also be noted that, for purpose of clarity, indications and descriptions of components and processes known by a person skilled in the art which are not involved in the present invention are omitted in the drawings and the specification.
Referring now to
A basic idea of the present invention is to put each of the graph components of a disconnected dynamic network respectively into each of the independent packing cells, while the packing cells are the optimal division of the display area.
According to a basic idea of the present invention, the display area is divided first to form multiple packing cells that are independent with each other. The multiple packing cells are used to display graph components of the disconnected dynamic network respectively. When dividing the display area, at least one of the following requirements should be considered.
1) Graph components with higher importance should occupy larger display area.
2) The aspect ratio of each independent packing cell should be close to 1 as much as possible.
3) Graph components with the highest importance should occupy the center of the display area.
4) The layout should consider the demand that changes of the graph components can be shown stably and smoothly when the disconnected dynamic network evolves with time.
Considering the above requirements, the layout in
Now referring to
For the purpose of description, the method above is described by using datasets. Suppose the disconnected dynamic network includes multiple graph components c0, c1, . . . , cn, in the specification, it will be described as dataset C={c0, c1, . . . cn}, in which n is an integer. The graph components of the disconnected dynamic network may be sorted according to their importance in a descending order thus the sorted graph components set is obtained, here referenced as C={ci|iε[0,n]}, in which n is an integer, and the importance order of the multiple graph components is c0>c1> . . . >cn. Then, a first division is performed to divide the sorted multiple graph components C={ci|iε[0,n]} into a first subset S1={ci|iε[0,k]} and a second subset S2={ci|iε[k+1,n]} according to the importance order, in which n>k≧0 and k is an integer. Then, a second division is performed to divide the first subset S1={ci|iε[0,k]} into an upper subset Cp={c0} and a lower subset Cm={S1−Cp} according to the order of their importance.
The display area is then divided into display portions S1′ and S2′ proportionally according to the importance values of the first subset S1 and the second subset S2 as well as the display portion S1′ into display portions Cp′ and Cm′ proportionally according to the importance values of the upper subset Cp and the lower subset Cm. Executing the first division, second division and corresponding division of the display area iteratively, till the aspect ration of display portion Cp′ is close to 1.
Preferably, n/2>k≧0 is used for the iterative execution of the division thus half of the computation is saved. The division mentioned herein is to divide the display area according to the importance of the corresponding graph components of the disconnected dynamic network. First, the most important graph component is divided and the aspect ratio of the display portion for the most important graph component is computed each time the division is executed, then the division in which the aspect ratio of the display portion for the most important graph component is close to 1 is chosen as the final division of the display area.
By way of iterative execution using importance as a parameter, the requirements 1) Graph components with higher importance should occupy larger display area; and 2) The aspect ratio of each independent packing cell should be close to 1 as much as possible can be satisfied. With considering the importance of the graph components of the disconnected dynamic network, the focus of the layout as well as the structure of the disconnected dynamic network can be shown more clearly compared with prior arts.
In the following the results of the division of the display area is described with
According to the embodiment mentioned above, a first division is performed to graph components set C={ci|ε[0,n]}. The graph components set C={ci|ε[0,n]} is divided into subset S1={ci|iε[0,k]} and subset S2={ci|iε[k+1,n]}, in which n>k≧0 and k is an integer. When k=0, S1={c0}, S2={c1, c2, c3, c4, c5, c6}. The display area is divided according to the importance values of the subsets S1 and S2 proportionally, thus display portions S1′ and S2′ are formed. As the weights of the subsets S1 and S2 are W1={w0} and W2={w1, w2, w3, w4, w5, w6}, the display portions S1′ and S2′ are divided according to the importance values of the subsets S1 and S2, i.e. S1′=W1/(W1+W2) and S2′=W2/(W1+W2), as shown in
In
The display area is divided according to the importance values of the subsets S1 and S2 proportionally, thus display portions S1′ and S2′ are formed. As the weights of the subsets S1 and S2 are W1={w0, w1} and W2={w2, w3, w4, w5, w6}, the display portions S1′ and S2′ are divided according to the importance values of the subsets S1 and S2, i.e. S1′=W1/(W1+W2) and S2′=W2/(W1+W2), as shown in
As the weights of the subsets Cp and Cm are Wp={w0} and Wm={w1}, the display portions Cp′ and Cm′ are divided according to the importance values of the subsets Cp and Cm, i.e. Cp′=Wp/(Wp+Wm) and Cm′=Wm/(Wp+Wm), as shown in
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a third division is performed. Subset S2={ci|iε[k+1,n]} is divided according to the importance order to form subsets Cl and Cr, the display area is further divided according to the importance values of subsets Cl and Cr proportionally, thus display portions Cp′ and Cm′ are formed. First, a third division is performed that S2={ci|iε[k+1,n]} is divided into subsets Cl={ci|iε[q1+1,j]} and Cr={ci|iε[j+1,n]}, iteratively from j=q1+1 to j=n−1, find the value of j that makes Cl and Cr has the most similar aspect ratio, i.e., the displays area that Cl′ and Cr′ occupy are close, the value of j is recorded as q2. Then, the layout of the display portions Cp′, Cm′, Cl′ and Cr′ corresponding to Cp, Cm, Cl and Cr is shown in
Here, suppose there are six graph components in the disconnected dynamic network. Subsets Cp, Cm, Cl and Cr compose a triple tree structure T, in which the root node Cp of the tree has three sub-trees: center sub-tree Cm, left sub-tree Cl and right sub-tree Cr, each of which corresponds to respective display portions. Then, a fourth division is performed to divide the left sub-tree Cl and right sub-tree Cr, in which the division is performed according to the rules in the following with q2′ represents the value of j that the division of Cl and Cr makes them have the most similar aspect ratios.
If the width is greater than the height of the display portions Cm′, Cl′ or Cr′, then perform the first division, the second division and the third division iteratively for the lower subset Cm, the left subset Cl or the right subset Cr, until there is only one graph component left in each subset. If the width is less than the height of the display portions Cm′, Cl′ or Cr′, rotate the display portions Cm′, Cl′ or Cr′ for 90 degree and then perform the first division, the second division and the third division iteratively for the lower subset Cm, the left subset Cl or the right subset Cr, until there is only one graph component left in each subset.
Now in connection with
More specifically:
A) for the left sub-tree Cl:
1) if the width is greater than the height of the display portion Cl′ that corresponds to the left sub-tree Cl, divide Cl into Cl={ci|iε[q1+1,n]} and Cr′={ø}, i.e., q2′=n, and then the second division is performed as it is the left sub-tree;
2) if the width is less than the height of the display portion Cl′ that corresponds to the left sub-tree Cl, divide Cl into Cl′={ø} and Cr′={ci|iε[q1+1,n]}, i.e., q2′=q1, and then the second division is performed as it is the right sub-tree; and
B) for the right sub-tree Cr:
1) if the width is greater than the height of the display portion Cr′ that corresponds to the right sub-tree Cr, divide Cr into Cl′={ø} and Cr′={ci|iε[q1+1,n]}, i.e., q2′=q1, and then the third division is performed as it is the right sub-tree;
2) if the width is less than the height of the display portion Cr′ that corresponds to the right sub-tree Cr, divide Cr into Cl′={ci|iε[q1+1,n]} and Cr′={ø}, i.e., q2′=n, and then the third division is performed as it is the left sub-tree.
Create root node t that corresponds to the triple tree T, in which q1 and q2 are recorded. Correlate t with dataset C. Create corresponding empty sub-tree nodes tl, tm and tr and correlate them with Cl, Cm and Cr. Iteratively perform the divisions based on the criteria mentioned above to the center sub-tree Cm, the left sub-tree Cl and the right sub-tree Cr if they are not empty and perform corresponding divisions of the display area, until all graph components has been placed in the right place, i.e. the layout has been completed. Still using the disconnected network with six graph components as an example, the layout will look like what is shown in
The division of the display portions to form display portions Cl′ and Cr′ according to the weight of the subsets Cl and Cr is similar to the division of the display area to form display portions S1′ and S2′ according to the weight of subsets S1 and S2 as well as the division of the display portions to form display portions Cp′ and Cm′ according to the weight of the subsets Cp and Cm, i.e. dividing using the weight of the graph components, thus no further detailed description is presented here.
After implementing the method of the present invention mentioned above, the display portion Cp′ is in the center of the display area, Cm′ beneath Cp′, Cl′ and Cr′ to the left side and right side of Cp′.
Now referring to
In the following, the update method of the disconnected dynamic network according to the present invention is described. As mentioned before, subsets Cp, Cm, Cl and Cr formed a triple tree structure T, in which root node Cp has three sub-trees: the center sub-tree Cm, the left sub-tree Cl and the right sub-tree Cr. Such triple tree saves the latest iterative layout information. If a graph component ci is deleted, then locate the corresponding node ti in the triple tree structure T and delete the node ti, and then locate the parent node of ci, make q1 and q2 of the found tree node minus 1. If a graph component ci is added, then locate the parent node of ci according to the location ci is going to be added and make q1 and q2 of the found tree node add 1. If a graph component ci is moved, then 1) delete ci at the original location; 2) adding ci at the new location.
By using the updated q1 and q2, as well as the updated triple tree structure T, the layout method can be utilized again by dividing the new dataset C′ to new subsets Cp, Cl, Cm and Cr, and dividing the display area according to the new subsets Cp, Cl, Cm and Cr.
Again, take the disconnected dynamic network includes six graph components as an example, suppose the layout of the last iterative is shown in
For the triple tree structure with the root node c0, q1=2, q2=4; for the triple tree structure with the root node c3, q2=3, q1 doesn't exist (because Cm and Cl of C3 is empty); for the triple tree structure with the root node c1, q2=1, q1 doesn't exist (because Cm and Cr of C1 is empty); for the triple tree structure with the root node c5, q2=5, q1 doesn't exist (because Cm and Cr of C5 is empty).
If graph component c3 is deleted, according to the update method mentioned above, first locate the corresponding node t3 in the triple tree structure and delete it (corresponding to c3), then locate the father node of t3, (here is node c0). Then make q1 and q2 of the found tree node minus 1, i.e., for the triple tree structure with root node c0, q1=1, q2=3. And then divide the new dataset using updated q1 and q2. As for the example, for the dataset C′={c0, c1, c2, c4, c5, c6}, use q1=1, q2=3 (here q2=3 corresponds to c4) to divide the dataset as well as the corresponding display area. Thus, after the division, Cp={c0}, Cm={c1}, Cl={c2, c4} and Cr={c5, c6}.
The basic principle of the present invention is described in conjunction with the embodiments above. However, for those skilled in the art, it should be understood that, each or any step or component of the method and the apparatus of the present invention may be implemented with hardware, firmware, software or a combination thereof in any computing apparatus (including processors, storage medium and the like) or a network of computing apparatuses, which can be done by those skilled in the art with basic programming skills after reading the specification of the present invention.
Therefore, the object of the present invention may also be implemented by executing a program or a series of programs on any computing apparatus. The computing apparatus can be a known general-purpose apparatus. Therefore, the object of the present invention can be implemented through program products providing program codes that implement the method or the apparatus. That is, such a program product also constitutes the present invention, and storage medium stored with such a program product also constitute the present invention. Apparently, the storage medium can be any known storage medium or any storage medium to be developed in the future.
In case of implementing the embodiments of the present invention by software and/or firmware, a program constituting the software may be installed into a computer with dedicated hardware, for example, a general-purpose personal computer 700 as shown in
In
The following components are connected to the input/output interface 705: an input section 706 including a keyboard, a mouse, or the like; an output section 707 including a display such as a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), or the like, and a loudspeaker or the like; the storage section 708 including a hard disk or the like; and a communication section 709 including a network interface card such as a LAN card, a modem, or the like. The communication section 709 performs communication processing via the network such as the Internet.
A drive 710 is also connected to the input/output interface 705 as necessary. A removable medium 711, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like, is installed on the drive 710 as necessary, so that a computer program read therefrom may be installed into the storage section 708 as necessary.
In the case where the above-described series of processing is implemented with software, the program that constitutes the software may be installed from a network such as the Internet or a storage medium such as the removable medium 711.
Those skilled in the art would appreciate that, the storage medium is not limited to the removable medium 711 having the program stored therein as illustrated in
It should also be noted that, in the apparatus and method of the present invention, apparently the components or the steps may be decomposed and/or recombined. The decomposition and/or recombination should be considered as equivalent solutions of the present invention. Moreover, the steps performing the above described series of processing can, but not necessarily, be performed chronologically in the natural order of the description. Some steps may be performed in parallel or independently of one another.
The present invention and its advantages have been described in detail. However, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. Moreover, the terms “include”, “including,” “include” or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion so that a process, method, article, or device that includes a list of elements does not only include these elements but also may include other elements not explicitly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or device. An element preceded by “a” or “an” does not, if without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or device that includes the element.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200910136964.8 | Apr 2009 | CN | national |
