Dashboard builder with live data updating without exiting an edit mode

• US 10,101,889 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2014
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Prophete, Didier, Im, Fred, Chakravarthy, Vijayasarathy
• Primary Examiner(s): Higgs, Stella
• Application Number:
  US14/512,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20160103592A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

The technology disclosed relates to a platform for ultra-fast, ad-hoc data exploration and faceted navigation on integrated, heterogeneous data sets. The disclosed method of declarative specification of visualization queries, display formats and bindings represents queries, widgets and bindings combined on a dashboard in real time, with flexible display options for analyzing data and conveying analysis results.

Claims

1. A method of creating and editing of a dashboard using a computer system, comprising:

transforming data extracted from a data repository to generate read-only pre-packaged data sets for querying;

storing the read-only pre-packaged data sets in a general-purpose distributed memory caching system associated with the computer system;

receiving, in a dashboard editing mode, a selection of a second panel to add to the dashboard, wherein;

the second panel provides a visual representation of data, from the data repository, in a graph;

the dashboard includes (i) faceted first panels including filtering controls and (ii) selection controls;

the faceted first panels provide a visual representation of data, from the data repository, in a chart, such that each faceted first panel, of the faceted first panels, (i) presents one or more segments of a category from data in the data repository and (ii) associates at least one of the one or more segments with a filtering control that can be linked to a facet property; and

an activated facet property of a faceted first panel, of the faceted first panels, causes one or more other faceted first panels to share and be responsive to signals from both (i) the filtering control included in the faceted first panel and (ii) the selection controls;

activating a facet property of the second panel to link a selection of data visually displayed in the second panel to the signals from both (i) the filtering control included in the faceted first panel and (ii) the selection controls;

identifying a user selection of the filtering control included in the faceted first panel;

executing a query on the read-only pre-packaged data sets stored in the general-purpose distributed memory caching system based at least in part on the user selection; and

populating the second panel using results of the executed query without requiring a user to exit the dashboard editing mode,

wherein the selection controls, the filtering control included in the faceted first panel and a filtering control displayed by the one or more other faceted first panels are simultaneously presented for interaction by user selection, and

wherein the filtering control included in the faceted first panel applies a filter to adjust (i) the filtering control of the one or more other faceted first panels to provide interactive visual representations of the one or more segments displayed by at least one chart of the one or more other faceted first panels, and (ii) a visual representation of the graph displayed by the second panel.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a specification of a visualization widget to incorporate in the second panel, wherein the visualization widget, when invoked,

accepts as input at least one dimension and at least one measure in the data visually displayed in the second panel, wherein;

the at least one dimension is supplied to the visualization widget as an independent variable; and

a function of the at least one measure is supplied to the visualization widget as a dependent variable; and

generates a specified graph from the at least one dimension and the at least one measure.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein the visualization widget of the second panel comprises faceted filter controls that, when selected, apply a selected filter to the second panel and to at least one of the faceted first panels, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection signal from the faceted filter controls in the second panel indicating a faceted filter selection; and

updating at least one of the faceted first panels using results of the faceted filter selection without requiring the user to exit the dashboard editing mode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a signal that indicates completion of a dashboard editing action;

responsively re-executing one or more queries on the read-only pre-packaged data sets stored in the general-purpose distributed memory caching system underlying the faceted first panels and the second panel; and

updating charts or graphs in the faceted first panels and the second panel based at least in part on the re-executed one or more queries.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the signal that indicates completion of the dashboard editing action comprises a mouse click on a grouping selection control.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the signal that indicates completion of the dashboard editing action comprises a release of a rubber banding action that visually selects a data subset in a chart or a graph of one of the faceted first panels or the second panel.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

recording the executed query in memory, wherein the one or more queries are re-executed based at least in part on the recording.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the filtering control of the one or more other faceted first panels applies a filter to adjust (i) a filtering control of an additional faceted first panel, of the faceted first panels, to provide interactive visual representations of one or more segments displayed by at least one chart of the faceted first panels, and (ii) the visual representation of the graph displayed by the second panel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the data extracted from the data repository comprises:

performing an extract, load, transform (ELT) process to generate the read-only pre-packaged data sets based at least in part on data served by one or more backend system servers of the data repository.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein populating the second panel using results of the executed query further comprises:

determining an animation sequence based at least in part on the results of the executed query; and

transforming the visual representation of data of the second panel from a first visualization option to a second visualization option using the determined animation sequence.

11. A dashboard creation and editing apparatus operating on a dashboard, the apparatus comprising:

a computer including a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes computer program instructions causing the computer to implement a process comprising;

transforming data extracted from a data repository to generate read-only pre-packaged data sets for querying;

storing the read-only pre-packaged data sets in a general-purpose distributed memory caching system associated with the computer system;

receiving, in a dashboard editing mode, a selection of a second panel to add to the dashboard, wherein

the second panel provides a visual representation of data, from the data repository, in a graph;

the dashboard includes (i) faceted first panels including filtering controls and (ii) selection controls;

the faceted first panels provide a visual representation of data, from the data repository, in a chart, such that each faceted first panel, of the faceted first panels, (i) presents one or more segments of a category from data in the data repository and (ii) associates at least one of the one or more segments with a filtering control that can be linked to a facet property; and

an activated facet property of a faceted first panel, of the faceted first panels, causes one or more other faceted first panels to share and be responsive to signals from both (i) the filtering control included in the faceted first panel and (ii) selection controls;

activating a facet property of the second panel to link a selection of data visually displayed in the second panel to the signals from both (i) the filtering control included in the faceted first panel and (ii) the selection controls;

identifying a user selection of the filtering control included in the faceted first panel;

executing a query on the read-only pre-packaged data sets stored in the general-purpose distributed memory caching system based at least in part on the user selection; and

populating the second panel using results of the executed query without requiring a user to exit the dashboard editing mode,

wherein the selection controls, the filtering control included in the faceted first panel and a filtering control displayed by the one or more other faceted first panels are simultaneously presented for interaction by user selection, and

wherein the filtering control included in the faceted first panel applies a filter to adjust (i) the filtering control of the one or more other faceted first panels to provide interactive visual representations of the one or more segments displayed by at least one chart of the one or more other faceted first panels by at least one chart of the one or more other faceted first panels, and (ii) a visual representation of the graph displayed by the second panel.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computer program instructions further cause the computer to implement a process comprising:

receiving a specification of a visualization widget to generate the second panel, wherein the visualization widget, when invoked,

accepts as input at least one dimension and at least one measure in the data visually displayed in the second panel, wherein;

the at least one dimension is supplied to the visualization widget as an independent variable; and

a function of the at least one measure is supplied to the visualization widget as a dependent variable; and

generates a specified graph from the at least one dimension and the at least one measure.

13. The apparatus of claim 12,

wherein the visualization widget of the second panel comprises faceted filter controls that, when selected, apply a selected filter to the second panel and to at least one of the faceted first panels, wherein the computer program instructions further cause the computer to implement a process comprising:

receiving a selection signal from the faceted filter controls in the second panel indicating a faceted filter selection; and

updating at least one of the faceted first panels using results of the faceted filter selection without requiring the user to exit the dashboard editing mode.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computer program instructions further cause the computer to implement a process comprising:

receiving a signal that indicates completion of a dashboard editing action;

responsively re-executing one or more queries on the read-only pre-packaged data sets stored in the general-purpose distributed memory caching system underlying the faceted first panels and the second panel; and

updating charts or graphs in the faceted first panels and the second panel based at least in part on the re-executed one or more queries.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the signal that indicates completion of the dashboard editing action comprises a mouse click on a grouping selection control.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the signal that indicates completion of the dashboard editing action comprises a release of a rubber banding action that visually selects a data subset in a chart or a graph of one of the faceted first panels or the second panel.

17. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer program instructions for creating and editing of a dashboard, the computer program instructions, when executed, causing a computer to implement a process comprising:

transforming data extracted from a data repository to generate read-only pre-packaged data sets for querying;

storing the read-only pre-packaged data sets in a general-purpose distributed memory caching system associated with the computer system;

receiving, in a dashboard editing mode, a selection of a second panel to add to the dashboard, wherein

the second panel provides a visual representation of data, from the data repository, in a graph;

the dashboard includes (i) faceted first panels including filtering controls and (ii) selection controls;

the faceted first panels provide a visual representation of data, from the data repository, in a chart, such that each faceted first panel, of the faceted first panels, (i) presents one or more segments of a category from data in the data repository and (ii) associates at least one of the one or more segments with a filtering control that can be linked to a facet property; and

an activated facet property of a faceted first panel, of the faceted first panels, causes one or more other faceted first panels to share and be responsive to signals from both (i) the filtering control included in the faceted first panel and (ii) the selection controls;

activating a facet property of the second panel to link a selection of data visually displayed in the second panel to the signals from both (i) the filtering control included in the faceted first panel and (ii) the selection controls;

identifying a user selection of the filtering control included in the faceted first panel;

executing a query on the read-only pre-packaged data sets stored in the general-purpose distributed memory caching system based at least in part on the user selection; and

populating the second panel using results of the executed query without requiring a user to exit the dashboard editing mode,

wherein the selection controls, the filtering control included in the faceted first panel and a filtering control displayed by the one or more other faceted first panels are simultaneously presented for interaction by user selection, and

wherein the filtering control included in the faceted first panel applies a filter to adjust (i) the filtering control of the one or more other faceted first panels to provide interactive visual representations of the one or more segments displayed by at least one chart of the one or more other faceted first panels, and (ii) a visual representation of the graph displayed by the second panel.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer program instructions further cause the computer to implement a process comprising:

receiving a specification of a visualization widget to incorporated in the second panel, wherein the visualization widget, when invoked,

accepts as input at least one dimension and at least one measure in the data visually displayed in the second panel, wherein;

the at least one dimension is supplied to the visualization widget as an independent variable; and

a function of the at least one measure is supplied to the visualization widget as a dependent variable; and

generates a specified graph from the at least one dimension and the at least one measure.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18,

wherein the visualization widget of the second panel comprises faceted filter controls that, when selected, apply a selected filter to the second panel and to at least one of the faceted first panels, wherein the computer program instructions further cause the computer to implement a process comprising:

receiving a selection signal from the faceted filter controls in the second panel indicating a faceted filter selection; and

updating at least one of the faceted first panels using results of the faceted filter selection without requiring the user to exit the dashboard editing mode.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer program instructions further cause the computer to implement a process comprising:

receiving a signal that indicates completion of a dashboard editing action;

responsively re-executing one or more queries on the read-only pre-packaged data sets stored in the general-purpose distributed memory caching system underlying the faceted first panels and the second panel; and

updating charts or graphs in the faceted first panels and the second panel based at least in part on the re-executed one or more queries.