Computer systems and methods for automatically viewing multidimensional databases

• US 10,386,989 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2014
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tableau Software Incorporated (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tableau Software Incorporated (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mackinlay, Jock Douglas, Stolte, Christopher Richard, Hanrahan, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Young, Kevin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stitt, Erik V
• Application Number:
  US14/549,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20150081692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,734 Days
• Field of Search: 715810, 715764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2379 Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2393 Updating materialised views
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

The implementations described herein include methods and systems for displaying graphical representations of datasets. A method is performed at a computer having one or more processors and memory storing programs for execution by the processors. The method receives a request from a user to display a graphical representation of a dataset. In response to the request, the method identifies a plurality of alternative graphical representations of the dataset. Each alternative graphical representation has a respective associated view type. The method ranks the plurality of alternative graphical representations in accordance with a rating system. The rating system is based on a set of criteria, which includes at least one user-specific criterion. The method selects for display a resulting graphical representation from among the plurality of alternative graphical representations based on the ranking.

Claims

1. A method for displaying graphical representations of datasets, comprising:

at a computer having one or more processors and memory storing programs for execution by the one or more processors;

storing a respective view type and a respective set of data types for each graphical representation of a plurality of graphical representations previously used by a user to visualize respective datasets;

receiving a request from the user to display a graphical representation of a dataset, the request identifying a plurality of user-selected data fields each having a respective data type; and

in response to the request;

identifying a plurality of alternative graphical representations of the dataset, wherein each alternative graphical representation has a respective associated view type;

retrieving the stored view types and sets of data types for the plurality of graphical representations previously used by the user;

for each graphical representation of the plurality of graphical representations, comparing the data types of the user-selected data fields to the respective set of data types for the respective graphical representation;

automatically selecting a respective view type corresponding to a set of data types matching the data types of the user-selected data fields;

identifying in the plurality of alternative graphical representations one or more graphical representations that have the selected view type; and

selecting for display a resulting graphical representation from among the one or more graphical representations that have the selected view type.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the resulting graphical representation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the view types of actual graphical representations previously used by the user include a first view type, and wherein the selected graphical representation is selected, in part, based on having the first view type.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic selection of the view type is based at least in part on user preferences of respective users.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user preferences for a respective user include a preference for a first view type, and wherein the selected view type is selected, in part, based on the user preference for the first view type.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the user preferences for the respective user are determined in part by the user'"'"'s designation of one or more preferred view types.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the view types are selected from the group consisting of Table, Scatter Plot, Bar Chart, Gantt Plot, Line Graph, and Circle Graph.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein each respective data type is selected from the group consisting of ordinal, ordinal time, dependent ordinal, independent quantitative, and dependent quantitative.

8. A system for displaying graphical representations of datasets, comprising:

one or more processors, memory, and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

storing a respective view type and a respective set of data types for each graphical representation of a plurality of graphical representations previously used by a user to visualize respective datasets;

receiving a request from the user to display a graphical representation of a dataset, the request identifying a plurality of user-selected data fields each having a respective data type; and

in response to the request;

identifying a plurality of alternative graphical representations of the dataset, wherein each alternative graphical representation has a respective associated view type;

retrieving the stored view types and sets of data types for the plurality of graphical representations previously used by the user;

for each graphical representation of the plurality of graphical representations, comparing the data types of the user-selected data fields to the respective set of data types for the respective graphical representation;

automatically selecting a respective view type corresponding to a set of data types matching the data types of the user-selected data fields;

identifying in the plurality of alternative graphical representations one or more graphical representations that have the selected view type; and

selecting for display a resulting graphical representation from among the one or more graphical representations that have the selected view type.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for displaying the resulting graphical representation.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the view types of actual graphical representations previously used by the user include a first view type, and wherein the selected graphical representation is selected, in part, based on having the first view type.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the automatic selection of the view type is based at least in part on user preferences of respective users.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the user preferences for a respective user include a preference for a first view type, and wherein the selected view type is selected, in part, based on the user preference for the first view type.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the user preferences for the respective user are determined in part by the user'"'"'s designation of one or more preferred view types.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the view types are selected from the group consisting of Table, Scatter Plot, Bar Chart, Gantt Plot, Line Graph, and Circle Graph.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

storing a respective view type and a respective set of data types for each graphical representation of a plurality of graphical representations previously used by a user to visualize respective datasets;

receiving a request from the user to display a graphical representation of a dataset, the request identifying a plurality of user-selected data fields each having a respective data type; and

in response to the request;

identifying a plurality of alternative graphical representations of the dataset, wherein each alternative graphical representation has a respective associated view type;

retrieving the stored view types and sets of data types for the plurality of graphical representations previously used by the user;

for each graphical representation of the plurality of graphical representations, comparing the data types of the user-selected data fields to the respective set of data types for the respective graphical representation;

automatically selecting a respective view type corresponding to a set of data types matching the data types of the user-selected data fields;

identifying in the plurality of alternative graphical representations one or more graphical representations that have the selected view type; and

selecting for display a resulting graphical representation from among the one or more graphical representations that have the selected view type.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for displaying the resulting graphical representation.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the view types of actual graphical representations previously used by the user include a first view type, and wherein the selected graphical representation is selected, in part, based on having the first view type.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the automatic selection of the view type is based at least in part on user preferences of respective users.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the user preferences for a respective user include a preference for a first view type, and wherein the selected view type is selected, in part, based on the user preference for the first view type.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the user preferences for the respective user are determined in part by the user'"'"'s designation of one or more preferred view types.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the view types are selected from the group consisting of Table, Scatter Plot, Bar Chart, Gantt Plot, Line Graph, and Circle Graph.