Object type relationship graphical user interface

• US 20030131007A1
• Filed: 02/25/2000
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goodwin, James, Schirmer, Andrew L
• Granted Patent: US 6,829,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A computer- and software-based apparatus and method is disclosed for managing and presenting information as a domain of data objects which can be grouped according to their category or “object type,” and which can be associated with other data objects, of same or differing object types, according to a myriad of relationship types. The system and method present the network of objects using a computer-generated graphical user interface (GUI) which may comprise a series of tables or trees or other means for representing a set. The invention provides for display of a primary object set comprising a plurality of primary data objects sharing a common object type. On the same or a related GUI display, a plurality of other object sets, known as “secondary object sets,” are displayed in order to present data objects related to the data objects of the primary object set. When a data object in the primary set is selected (by cursor or similar means), each of the secondary object sets will display data object related to the selected data item in the primary set. This “relationship traversal” allows the user to explore the network and ascertain relationships between data objects. The system and method also provide various additional functions to explore and analyze the data, including sorting, attribute filtering, context filtering and view pivoting. Relationship traversal and the additional functions allow the user to view structure and detail at the same time, and to engage in “data mining” to appreciate previously unappreciated relationships between discrete data objects.

Claims

1. A system for analyzing stored data objects, comprising:

a server system;

one or more databases, said databases comprising stored data objects, said stored data objects comprising a plurality of object types;

at least one user system capable of accessing said stored data objects through said server system;

wherein said server system enables said at least one user system to ascertain relationships between said stored data objects by providing a display of secondary data objects related to a primary data object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of object types comprises document objects, topic objects and people objects.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said server system enables a user to select the primary data object to generate said display.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said server system enables the user to select a secondary data object to project the data along a different object type axis.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein said server system enables the user to select a secondary data object in order to filter the display according to the selected secondary data object.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein said server system permits the user to sort or filter the primary object set corresponding to said primary data object according to attributes of the members of said primary object set.

7. A system for analyzing stored data objects, comprising:

database means associated with one or more server means for storing data objects comprising a plurality of object types;

said one or more server means for enabling a user system to access said database means,

data processing means for enabling the user system to associate a selected primary data object of a first object type with a related plurality of secondary data objects of a second object type stored in said database means;

display means for enabling the user system to display said selected primary data object and the related plurality of secondary data objects.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said data processing means permits the user system to filter the selected primary data object according to a selected secondary data object.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein said data processing means permits the user system to select one of said secondary data objects so as to pivot the data.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein said display means generates a list-based graphical presentation of the selected primary data object and the said related plurality of secondary data objects.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein said display means generates a tree-based graphical presentation of the selected primary data object and the said related plurality of secondary data objects.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

filtering said selected data object in the primary object set according to one of the related data objects to identify cross-related data items.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:

selecting one of said related data objects or one of said secondary object sets to pivot the domain of data items and project said domain along a different data type.

12. A method of presenting relationships among stored data objects in a database, comprising:

inputting into a database a plurality of people data objects;

inputting into a database a plurality of document data objects;

inputting into a database a plurality of topic data objects; and

selecting one of the stored data objects in order to identify a plurality of other data objects to which it is related through a graphically presented display which presents the selected data object in a primary object set and a plurality of related data objects in one or more secondary object sets.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

sorting one of the displayed object sets according to one or more attributes associated with the object set and displayed therewith.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

filtering one of the displayed object sets according to one or more attributes associated with the object set and displayed therewith.

17. A storage medium for storing readable code, the machine readable code being executable to enable a user to explore relationships between stored data objects of a plurality of object types maintained in a system including a server, a database, and at least one user system, comprising:

computer readable program code for causing the server to receive a request from the user of a selected primary object set, the selected primary object set to include a current primary data object which is selected by the user or set by default;

computer readable program code for causing the server to identify a plurality of secondary object sets with one or more secondary data objects related to the current primary data object; and

computer readable program code for generating a graphical user interface display of the primary object set and the secondary object sets.

18. The storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

computer readable program code for receiving a request from said user to select one of said secondary object sets as the new primary object set and for generating a new graphical user interface display projecting the domain of data objects along the new primary object set.

19. The storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

computer readable program code for receiving a request from said user to sort or filter one of the object sets according to an attribute associated therewith.

20. The storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

computer readable program code for receiving a request from said user to filter said current primary data object according to one of the secondary data objects related to the current primary data object, and for presenting a display identifying cross-related data objects.