System for generating a table

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for generating a table comprising generating means for generating a table which contains at least a column or line depicting one or more first categories and at least a column or line depicting first values associated with said first categories and wherein the system further comprises selecting means for selecting one of said first categories by a user and adding means for enlarging the table upon selection of a category by said selecting means, said adding means being adapted to enlarge the table by adding a new column or line which comprises second categories into which said selected first category may be subdivided as well as second values associated with said second categories and wherein said new column or line does not comprise categories into which non selected first categories may be subdivided.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages of the present invention may become evident from the drawing.

FIGS. 1 and 3 shown an example of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a table according to the prior art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Starting from FIG. 1 the table depicted on a screen for example of a computer, or a mobile device has four first categories 110, 120, 130, 140 in a first column 100 as well as values associated with those first categories and being depicted in column 500.

If the user is interested to know how the value for category 110 is composed he selects for example by using the computer mouse the category 110 and then obtains a table having a further column 200 (FIG. 3) in which the category 110 is subdivided in four second categories 210, 220, 230, 240 wherein each of those second categories is assigned a value in column 500. Column 500 further contains values of those categories 120, 130, 140 which have not been selected by the user for subdivision.

If the user further wants to have more information referring to the category 220 he selects this category 220 for example by moving the mouse pointer to the respective portion of the table and activating the mouse and then obtains a table having a third column 300 in which the categories 310, 320, 330 which are subcategories of category 220 are shown.

The user may then select category 330 which leads to the generation of a further column 400 having the categories 410, 420, 430 which are subcategories to category 330. Column 500 in any case shows the values 540-547 of non selected categories as well as of those categories 410, 420, 430 which have been selected lastly. These values are depicted as values 510, 520, 530.

One major advantage of the present invention is that the table shown to the user is less complex than prior art tables, nevertheless contains all required information and further may be quickly generated due to the fact that a less amount of data is necessary for representing the table on the screen.

Claims

1. System for generating a table comprising generating means for generating a table (10) which contains at least a column (100) or line depicting one or more first categories (110, 120, 130, 140) and at least a column (500) or line depicting first values associated with said first categories (110, 120, 130, 140), andselecting means for selecting one (110) of said first categories (110, 120, 130, 140) by a user and adding means for enlarging the table (10) upon selection of a category (110) by said selecting means,said adding means being adapted to enlarge the table by adding a new column (200) or line which comprises second categories (210, 220, 230, 240) into which said selected first category (110) may be subdivided as well as second values associated with said second categories (210, 220, 230, 240), andsaid new column (200) or line does not comprise categories into which non selected first categories (120, 130, 140) may be subdivided.

2. System according to claim 1 wherein said adding means are adapted to further enlarge the table (10) by adding one or more further columns (300, 400) or lines which comprises (n+1)rd/th (n≧2) categories (310, 320, 330; 410, 420, 430) into which said selected nnd/rd/th (n≧2) category (220, 330) may be subdivided as well as (n+1)rd/th (n≧2) values (510, 520, 530) associated with said (n+1)rd/th (n≧2) categories (410, 420, 430), andsaid new column (300, 400) or line does not comprise categories into which non selected nnd/rd/th (n≧2) categories (210, 230, 240; 310, 320) may be subdivided.

3. System according to claim 1, wherein the table contains a line (600) or column including the type of the depicted categories.

4. System according to claim 1, wherein the values associated to the first and any further category are listed in one column (500) or line of the table.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein values (540-547) of non selected categories (210, 230, 240, 310, 320) are maintained in the table (10) after selection of another category.

6. System according to claim 1, wherein the new column (200, 300, 400) or line which comprises the (n+1)nd/rd/th (n≧1) categories into which said selected nst/nd/rd/th (n≧1) category has been subdivided comprises a category (210, 310, 410) covering all further of said (n+1)nd/rd/th (n≧1) categories.

7. System according to claim 1, further comprising means for generating a sparkline, at least one of the depicted nst/nd/rd/th (n≧1) categories being provided with a sparkline showing the number of categories into which the depicted nst/nd/rd/th (n≧1) category may be sub-divided as well as the relation of values associated with said (n+1)nd/rd/th (n≧1) categories.

8. System according to claim 7, wherein the system further comprises means for selecting a bar of a sparkline and means for depicting the value on which the selected bar of the sparkline is based.

9. System according to claim 8, wherein the portion of the value represented by the bar of the sparkline relative to the sum of values on which the sparkline is based is depicted.

10. System according to claim 7, wherein the means for generating the sparkline are adapted to allow display only of those values which contribute to the sum of values to a predetermined minimum extent.

11. System according to claim 7, wherein the means for generating a sparkline are adapted to disallow display of those values which are smaller than the next larger data by a predetermined amount.

12. System according to claim 1, wherein the nst/nd/rd/th (n≧1) category may subdivided into different types of (n+1)nd/rd/th (n≧1) categories and the adding means are adapted to automatically choose the type of (n+1)nd/rd/th (n≧1) categories based upon a criterion.

13. System according to claim 12, wherein said criterion is the spread of values associated with the of (n+1)nd/rd/th (n≧1) categories.

14. System according to claim 12, wherein said adding means are adapted to choose this type of the (n+1)nd/rd/th (n≧1) categories, the values of which having the highest spread of values.

15. System according to claim 13, wherein the adding means are adapted to add types of categories in an order so that categories having a higher spread of values are chosen prior to those categories having a lower spread of values.

16. System according to claim 13, wherein said adding means are adapted to choose this type of the (n+1)nd/rd/th (n≧1) categories, the values of which having the highest spread of values.

17. System according to claim 16, wherein the adding means are adapted to add types of categories in an order so that categories having a higher spread of values are chosen prior to those categories having a lower spread of values.

18. System according to claim 14, wherein the adding means are adapted to add types of categories in an order so that categories having a higher spread of values are chosen prior to those categories having a lower spread of values.

19. System according to claim 2, wherein the table contains a line (600) or column including the type of the depicted categories.

20. System according to claim 19, wherein the values associated to the first and any further category are listed in one column (500) or line of the table.