Method of displaying graphs with markers

For use with a data processing system including a display, the display displaying a graph of data samples in a graph field on the display, the graph including a first coordinate axis, a second coordinate axis and a trace indicating characteristics of data samples with respect to the coordinate axes, and further including a plurality of markers indicating positions of respective data samples along the trace, each marker having a marker annotation for display, a method for displaying the plurality of markers, comprising:

• calculating a position for a marker annotation for a first marker according to a preferred orientation with respect to the trace and its respective data samples;
• identifying markers in the plurality of markers which have marker annotation that overlaps with annotation of the first marker according to the calculated position;
• and
• recalculating the position of each identified marker so that the marker annotation of the identified marker no longer overlaps with the marker annotation of the first marker.

For use with a data processing system including a display, the display displaying a graph of data samples in a graph field on the display, the graph including a first coordinate axis, a second coordinate axis and a trace indicating characteristics of data samples with respect to the corrdinate axes, and further including a plurality of markers indicating positions of respective data samples along the trace, each marker having a marker annotation for display, a method for positioning a first marker in the plurality of markers, comprising:

• calculating the position of the marker annotation for the first marker according to a preferred orientation with respect to the trace and its data sample;
• determining whether the marker annotation of the first marker according to the preferred orientation, lies in whole or in part outside the graph field;
• if it is determined that the marker annotation of the first marker lies in whole or in part outside the graph field, then recalculating the position of the annotation of the first marker according to a second orientation with respect to the trace;
• identifying markers which have marker annotation that overlaps with the marker field according to the calculated or first recalculated position;
• and
• recalculating the position of each identified marker so that the marker annotation of the identified marker no longer overlaps with the marker annotation of first marker.

For use with a data processing system including a display, the display displaying a graph of data samples in a graph field on the display, the graph including a first coordinate axis, a second coordinate axis and a trace indicating characteristics of data samples with respect to the coordinate axes, and further including a plurality of markers indicating positions of respective assigned data samples along the trace, each marker having a marker annotation for display, a method for displaying the plurality of markers wherein a new marker is added for an assigned data sample on the trace, comprising:

• calculating a position of a marker field for the new marker according to a preferred orientation with respect to the trace and its assigned data sample;
• identifying markers for which the marker annotation that overlaps with the marker field of the new marker according to the calculating position;
• and
• recalculating a position for each identified marker so that the marker annotation of the identified marker no longer overlaps with the marker annotation of the new marker.

For use with a data processing system including a display, the display displaying a graph of data samples in a graph field on the display, the graph including a first coordinate axis, a second coordinate axis and a trace indicating characteristics of data samples with respect to the coordinate axes, and further including a plurality of markers indicating positions of respective assigned data samples along the trace, each marker having a marker annotation for display, a method for displaying the plurality of markers wherein one of the plurality of markers is moved by changing its assigned data sample, comprising:

• calculating a position of a marker annotation for the moved marker according to a preferred orientation with respect to the trace and its assigned data sample;
• identifying markers for which the marker annotation overlaps with the marker annotation of moved marker according to the calculated position;
• and
• recalculating a position for each identified marker so that the marker annotation of the identified marker no longer overlaps with the marker annotation of the moved marker.

For use with a data processing system including a display, the display displaying a graph of data samples in a graph field on the display, the graph including a first coordinate axis, a second coordinate axis and a trace indicating characteristics of data samples with respect to the coordinate axes, and further including a plurality of markers indicating positions of respective assigned data samples along the trace, each marker having a marker annotation for display, a method for displaying the plurality of markers wherein the trace of data samples is updated, comprising:

• identifying a marker for which the marker annotation is not in a preferred position with respect to the updated trace and its assigned data sample;
• determining a direction and distance for the identified marker in which the marker field should be shifted to reach the preferred position;
• finding a shift distance to the marker annotation of any other marker lying less than the determined distance away from the identified marker in the determined direction;
• and
• shifting the marker annotation of the identified marker the lesser of the shift distance or the determined distance.

For use with a data processing system including a display, the display displaying a graph of data samples in a graph field on the display, the graph including a first coordinate axis, a second coordinate axis and a trace indicating characteristics of data samples with respect to the coordinate axes, and further including a plurality of markers indicating positions of respective data samples along the trace, each marker having a marker annotation for display, an apparatus for positioning the plurality of markers on the graph field, comprising:

• means for calculating positions of the marker annotations of the plurality of markers according to a preferred orientation with respect to the trace;
• means for identifying markers for which the marker annotation according to the calculated position, lies in whole or in part outside the graph field;
• and
• means for recalculating the position of each identified marker according to a second orientation with respect to the trace.

For use with a data processing system including a display, the display displaying a graph of data samples in a graph field on the display, the graph including a first coordinate axis, a second coordinate axis and a trace indicating characteristics of data samples with respect to the coordinate axes, and further including a plurality of markers indicating positions of respective data samples along the trace, each marker having a marker annotation for display, an apparatus for displaying the plurality of markers, comprising:

• means for calculating a position for a marker annotation for a first marker according to a preferred orientation with respect to the trace and its respective data samples;
• means for identifying markers in the plurality of markers which have marker annotation that overlaps with annotation of the first marker according to the calculated position;
• and
• means for recalculating the position of each identified marker so that the marker annotation of the identified marker no longer overlaps with the marker annotation of the first marker.