Method and apparatus for elaborating and representing data analysis in a decision support system

Method for elaborating and representing data analysis in a decision support system, the system comprising:

• an electronic data base which is daily updated;
• a data server managing said data base and comprising linking interfaces to allow on line and/or batch connections to external data suppliers or providers;
• display means for displaying information and data and for allowing to the user to define data selection criteria;
• the method including the following steps:
• presenting on said display means a selection panel or menu reporting a list or table of data from said data base;
• scanning said data base according to a mask or filter corresponding to the selection choosen by the user to select a preferred set of data;
• selecting an allocation criteria among a plurality of numerical parameters available for the preferred set of data;
• weighting the selected criteria by graphically manipulating one or more cursors on the screen, one for each criteria;
• automatically presenting on said display means the results of the weighted selection criteria at each different detected selection of said cursors.

Method for elaborating and representing data analysis in a decision support system, the system comprising:

• an electronic data base which is daily updated;
• a data server managing said data base and comprising linking interfaces to allow on line and/or batch connections to external data suppliers or providers;
• display means for displaying information and data and for allowing to the user to define data selection criteria;
• the method including the following steps:
• presenting on said display means a selection panel or menu reporting a list or table of data from said data base;
• scanning said data base according to a mask or filter corresponding to the selection choosen by the user to select a preferred set of data;
• detecting a pointer of a user's data selection;
• presenting on said display means a leading history chart showing to the user the variations versus time of the selected data,
• presenting other related charts as a side or background views;
• detecting a preferred time point on the leading history chart by a user's cursor selection;
• detecting a request of a syncronize function comand;
• automatically refreshing the views or the related charts according to the new time scale defined by the above time point.

Apparatus for elaborating and representing data analysis in a decision support system, the system including:

• an electronic data server including linking interfaces to allow on line and/or batch connections to external data suppliers or providers;
• memory means inside said data server to store a data base which is daily updated;
• display means for displaying information and data and for allowing to the user to define data selection criteria;
• computing means for detecting a pointer of a user's data selection and scanning said data base in said memory means according to a mask or filter selected by the user;
• image elaboration means for presenting on said display means a view or history chart showing to the user the variations versus time of the selected data, while maintaining the selection panel as a side or background view, and refreshing immediately said view or history chart at each different detected pointer of the user's data selection.