Method and apparatus for graphically representing information stored in electronic media

A computer-implemented display system for displaying over a period of time on a computer screen a representation of a plurality of sets of values, each value being expressed in units of measurement, each set of values corresponding to one of a plurality of entities, said display comprising:

• means for displaying said entities during said period of time on said computer screen in a fixed position along a first ordinant, said period of time comprising at least three consecutive time segments;
• means for displaying said units of measurement during said period of time on said computer screen in a fixed position along a second ordinant;
• means for displaying, during only the first of said time segments, first and second markers in a first fixed relationship with respect to said ordinants and identifying, respectively, a first value in a first set of said sets of values, said first set corresponding to a first entity of said plurality of entities, and a first value in a second set of said sets of values, said second set corresponding to a second entity of said plurality of entities;
• means for displaying, during only the second of said time segments, said first and second markers in a second fixed relationship with respect to said ordinants and identifying, respectively, a second value in said first set and a second value in said second set;
• and
• means for displaying, during only the third of said time segments, said first and second markers in a third fixed relationship with respect to said ordinants and identifying, respectively, a third value in said first set and a third value in said second set.

A computer readable medium for storing a set of instructions for controlling a general purpose digital computer to display on a computer screen a plurality of sets of values, each value being expressed in units of measurement, and each said set corresponding to one of a plurality of entities, said instructions comprising instructions for causing the computer to:

• display said entities during said period of time on said computer screen in a fixed position along a first ordinant, said period of time comprising at least three consecutive time segments;
• display said units of measurement during said period of time on said computer screen in a fixed position along a second ordinant;
• continuously display, during only the first of said time segments, first and second markers in a first fixed relationship with respect to said ordinants and identifying, respectively, a first value in a first set of said sets of values, said first set corresponding to a first entity of said plurality of entities, and a first value in a second set of said sets of values, said second set corresponding to a second entity of said plurality of entities;
• continuously display, during only the second of said time segments, said first and second markers in a second fixed relationship with respect to said ordinants and identifying, respectively, a second value in said first set and a second value in said second set;
• and
• continuously display, during only the third of said time segments, said first and second markers in a third fixed relationship with respect to said ordinants and identifying, respectively, a third value in said first set and a third value in said second set.

A computer-based display system for dynamically displaying quantitative data, the display system comprising:

• a display for displaying said data;
• a frame in said display in which said data is displayed;
• a measure along a first frame axis for indicating a value of said displayed data;
• at least one entity display area, said entity display area being displayed in non-overlapping, fixed positions along a second frame axis;
• an entity displayed within each entity display area, said display entity being defined by at least five data points, said five data points comprising:
• a current datum point represented by a marker;
• a first and second end data points of a first data range, said first data range represented by a first range marker;
• a first and second end data points of a second data range, said second data range represented by a second range marker;
• and
• a label associated with said entity, said label displayed in a fixed position with respect to said entity display area.

A computer-based method for dynamically displaying quantitative data on a display, said data comprising datum points representing at least one measure, said data ordered along a continuum having increments, the method comprising the steps of:

• framing a display area on said display;
• displaying said measure for said data along a first frame axis;
• displaying at least one entity display area in non-overlapping fixed positions ordered along a second frame axis;
• displaying an entity within each of said entity display areas, said entity defined by a set of entity data points;
• displaying a current datum point in said entity display area, said current datum point representing said measure of said entity within a current increment of said continuum;
• displaying a first data range related to said set of entity data points in said entity display area, said first data range defined by a first and second end data points of said first data range;
• displaying a second data range related to said set of entity data points in said display area, said second data range defined by a first and second end data points of said second data range;
• and
• labeling said entity display area.

A computer-readable medium for storing a set of instructions for controlling a general purpose digital computer and an associated display, said set of instructions causing said computer to process data comprising data points representing at least one measure, said data ordered along a continuum having increments, said instructions comprising instructions for causing said computer to:

• frame a display area on said display;
• display said measure for said data along a first frame axis;
• display at least one entity display area in non-overlapping fixed positions ordered along a second frame axis;
• display an entity within each of said entity display areas, said entity defined by a set of entity datum points;
• display a current datum point in said entity display area, said current datum point representing said measure of said entity within a current increment of said continuum;
• display a first data range related to said set of entity data points in said entity display area, said first data range defined by a first and second end data points of said first data range;
• display a second data range related to said set of entity data points in said display area, said second data range defined by a first and second end data points of said second data range;
• and
• label said entity display area.