Patent ID: 7499046

Claim:
A method for creating a multidimensional visual representation of a group of data elements having integrated temporal and spatial properties, the data elements being included in the visual representation as a corresponding plurality of visual elements, at least two of the data elements of the group linked by at least one association, the method comprising the steps of: generating a spatial domain of the visual representation to include a reference surface for providing a spatial reference frame having at least two spatial dimensions, the reference surface for relating a first visual element of the plurality of visual elements representing a first data element of the group to a first location of interest in the spatial reference frame and relating a second visual element of the plurality of visual elements representing a second data element of the group to a second location of interest in the spatial reference frame, the first and second data elements being defined as positioned with respect to their respective location of interest for time defined in a temporal reference frame; generating a temporal domain of the visual representation operatively coupled to the spatial domain, the temporal domain for providing the common temporal reference frame for the locations of interest, the temporal domain including a first time track coupled to the first location of interest and a second time track coupled to the second location of interest, the first visual element positioned on the first time track and the second visual element positioned on the second time track, each of the time tracks configured for visually representing a respective temporal sequence of a plurality of the data elements at each of the locations of interest; linking the first data element to the second data element using the at least one association, the at least one association configured for representing a connection between the first data element and the second data element, the connection having at least one property in the spatial domain and including time as a temporal property; assigning a connection visual element in the visual representation between the first visual element and the second visual element, the connection visual element for representing the at least one association; and aggregating the first data element and the second data element into an aggregated element group according to a selected aggregation parameter, the aggregated element group configured for reducing the visual complexity of the visual elements for display in the visual representation by displaying the aggregated element group on a third time track and removing the display of the first and second time tracks from the visual representation wherein the visual representation is configured for display on a user interface for subsequent interaction with user events wherein the user interface uses a processor and a memory.