Data visualization methods

A graphical computing system for creating a graphical representation of data points in the form of a heatmap wherein the heatmap represents a plurality of multi-directional flow values between the data points, the system including:

• a processor;
• a memory device;
• a node determination module executable by the processor arranged to position data points at respective data point locations on a heatmap for graphical representation;
• a flow determination module executable by the processor arranged to calculate bi-directional flow values between data points, at least two data points having bi-directional flow values to at least two other data points;
• a heat determination module executable by the processor arranged to calculate the intensity and direction of a predominant flow from the bi-directional flow values and further arranged to calculate weighted heat values for an area on the heatmap based on the bi-directional flow values near the area, the distance the bi-directional flow values are from the area and flow start values for the data points;
• a cone generation module executable by the processor arranged for each data point to represent flow start values at each respective data point by calculating respective conical data distribution values around the respective data point based on the flow start value associated with the respective data point, wherein each conical distribution comprises a set of locations and a unique distribution value corresponding to each location in a respective region centered on the respective data point location, wherein the cone generation module executable by the processor is further arranged to for each data point determine whether the calculated respective conical data distribution values of other data points at the respective data point location are greater than the flow start value associated with the respective data point, and upon a positive determination, calculate inverse conic data distribution values around the respective data point based on the flow start value associated with the respective data point;
• and
• a rendering module executable by the processor arranged to graphically represent the predominant flow, bi-directional flows between the data points, the calculated weighted heat values, the calculated conical data distribution values and the calculated inverse conic data distribution values in the heatmap.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by an electronic computing device, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

• positioning data points at respective data point locations on a heatmap for graphical representation;
• calculating bi-directional flow values between data points, at least two data points having bi-directional flow values to at least two other data points;
• determining the intensity and direction of a predominant flow from the bi-directional flow values;
• calculating weighted heat values for an area on the heatmap based on the bi-directional flow values near the area, the distance the bi-directional flow values are from the area and flow start values for the data points;
• for each data point, representing flow start values at each respective data point by calculating respective conical data distribution values around the respective data point based on the flow start value associated with the respective data point, wherein each conical distribution comprises a set of locations and a unique distribution value corresponding to each location in a respective region centered on the respective data point location;
• for each data point, determining whether the calculated respective conical data distribution values of other data points at the respective data point location are greater than the flow start value associated with the respective data point;
• and
• upon a positive determination, calculating inverse conic data distribution values around the respective data point based on the flow start value associated with the respective data point;
• and
• graphically representing the predominant flow, the bi-directional flows between the data points, the calculated weighted heat values, the calculated conical data distribution values and the calculated inverse conic data distribution values in the heatmap.