Data cleansing

• US 20030204518A1
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Rausch, Willi Alexander, Lang, Stefan Dieter
• Granted Patent: US 7,219,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/215 Improving data quality; Data cleansing, e.g. de-duplication, removing invalid entries or correcting typographical errors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/962 Entity-attribute-value
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

Data cleansing of a data management system involves merging two data objects by copying one or more attribute values associated with one a source object to a target data object and reassigning any instances that refer to the source object to the target object. The source object may be deleted. A user interface is developed that allows a user to select from a list of possible source objects and target objects, view attribute values for an object, view dependent relationships as dependency trees, indicate any attribute values that should be copied and any referring objects that should be reassigned to the target instance.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for maintaining data, the method comprising:

displaying a source instance of a data element having one or more associated attribute values;

displaying a target instance of a data element;

receiving an indication that identifies one or more attribute values associated with the source instance that are to be associated with the target instance; and

associating the identified attribute values with the target instance.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a source identification key for the source instance and a target identification key for the target instance;

using the source identification key to access source data structure information identifying one or more data elements relating to the source instance and one or more attribute values associated with the source instance; and

using the target identification key to access target data structure information identifying one or more data elements relating to the target instance and one or more attribute values associated with the target instance.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the source data structure information differs from the target data structure information.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising deleting the source instance.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein deleting the source instance comprises physically deleting the source instance by removing the source instance from storage holding the source instance.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein deleting the source instance comprises logically deleting the source instance by indicating the source instance is to be removed at a later time from storage holding the source instance.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising archiving the source instance.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising indicating that the source instance is to be archived at a later time.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying an indication as to whether the attribute value associated with the source instance is identical to a corresponding attribute value associated with the target instance.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a source instance comprises one or more subcomponents, with each subcomponent having one or more associated attribute values, the method further comprising:

displaying a subcomponent of the source instance;

receiving an indication that the displayed subcomponent of the source instance is to be associated with the target instance; and

associating the identified subcomponent with the target instance.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a target instance comprises one or more subcomponents, with each subcomponent having one or more associated attribute values, the method further comprising:

displaying at least one attribute value associated with the subcomponent of the source instance and at least one attribute value associated with the subcomponent of the target instance;

receiving an indication that identifies at least one attribute value associated with the subcomponent of the source instance that is to be associated with the subcomponent of the target instance; and

associating the identified attribute values with the subcomponent of the target instance.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

associating a target list with at least one source instance and at least one target instance;

displaying identifying information for each source instance and each target instance associated with the target list; and

receiving an indication that identifies a source instance and a target instance to be displayed.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving an indication that identifies at least one subcomponent of the source instance that is to be removed from the display, and

removing the identified subcomponent of the source instance from the display.

14. A computer-implemented method for maintaining data, the method comprising:

receiving instances of data elements, with each instance having one or more associated attribute values and an associated identification key;

displaying the identification key associated with each instance;

receiving an indication that identifies one of the displayed identification keys as the identification key of a source instance;

receiving an indication that identifies one of the displayed identification keys as the identification key of a target instance;

displaying the source instance and one or more associated attribute values;

displaying the target instance;

receiving an indication that identifies one or more attribute values associated with the source instance that are to be associated with the target instance;

associating the identified attribute values with the target instance;

displaying a source dependency tree showing one or more subcomponents associated with the source instance;

displaying a target dependency tree showing one or more subcomponents associated with the target instance;

receiving a dependency indication that identifies one or more subcomponents associated with the source instance that are to be associated with the target instance; and

associating the identified subcomponents with the target instance.

15. A computer-readable medium or propagated signal having embodied thereon a computer program configured to maintain data, the medium comprising a code segment configured to:

display a source instance of a data element having one or more associated attribute values;

display a target instance of a data element;

receive an indication that identifies one or more attribute values associated with the source instance that are to be associated with the target instance; and

associate the identified attribute values with the target instance.

16. The medium of claim 15 further comprising a code segment configured to:

receive a source identification key for the source instance and a target identification key for the target instance;

use the source identification key to access source data structure information identifying one or more data elements relating to the source instance and one or more attribute values associated with the source instance; and

use the target identification key to access target data structure information identifying one or more data elements relating to the target instance and one or more attribute values associated with the target instance.

17. The medium of claim 16 wherein the source data structure information differs from the target data structure information.

18. The medium of claim 15 further comprising a code segment configured to delete the source instance.

19. The medium of claim 18 wherein deleting the source instance comprises physically deleting the source instance by removing the source instance from storage holding the source instance.

20. The medium of claim 18 wherein deleting the source instance comprises logically deleting the source instance by indicating the source instance is to be removed at a later time from storage holding the source instance.

21. The medium of claim 15 further comprising a code segment configured to archive the source instance.

22. The medium of claim 15 further comprising a code segment configured to indicate that the source instance is to be archived at a later time.

23. The medium of claim 15 further comprising a code segment configured to display an indication as to whether the attribute value associated with the source instance is identical to a corresponding attribute value associated with the target instance.

24. The medium of claim 15, wherein a source instance comprises one or more subcomponents, with each subcomponent having one or more associated attribute values, the medium further comprising a code segment configured to:

display a subcomponent of the source instance;

receive an indication that the displayed subcomponent of the source instance is to be associated with the target instance; and

associate the identified subcomponent with the target instance.

25. The medium of claim 24 wherein a target instance comprises one or more subcomponents, with each subcomponent having one or more associated attribute values, the medium further comprising a code segment configured to:

display at least one attribute value associated with the subcomponent of the source instance and at least one attribute value associated with the subcomponent of the target instance;

receive an indication that identifies at least one attribute value associated with the subcomponent of the source instance that is to be associated with the subcomponent of the target instance; and

associate the identified attribute values with the subcomponent of the target instance.

26. The medium of claim 15 further comprising a code segment configured to:

associate a target list with at least one source instance and at least one target instance;

display identifying information for each source instance and each target instance associated with the target list; and

receive an indication that identifies a source instance and a target instance to be displayed.

27. The medium of claim 25 further comprising a code segment configured to:

receive an indication that identifies at least one subcomponent of the source instance that is to be removed from the display, and

remove the identified subcomponent of the source instance from the display.

28. A computer-readable medium or propagated signal having embodied thereon a computer program configured to maintain data, the medium comprising a code segment configured to:

receive instances of data elements, with each instance having one or more associated attribute values and an associated identification key;

display the identification key associated with each instance;

receive an indication that identifies one of the displayed identification keys as the identification key of a source instance;

receive an indication that identifies one of the displayed identification keys as the identification key of a target instance;

display the source instance and one or more associated attribute values;

display the target instance;

receive an indication that identifies one or more attribute values associated with the source instance that are to be associated with the target instance;

associate the identified attribute values with the target instance;

display a source dependency tree showing one or more subcomponents associated with the source instance;

display a target dependency tree showing one or more subcomponents associated with the target instance;

receive a dependency indication that identifies one or more subcomponents associated with the source instance that are to be associated with the target instance; and

associate the identified subcomponents with the target instance.

29. A system for maintaining data, the system comprising a processor connected to a storage device and one or more input/output devices, wherein the processor is configured to:

display a source instance of a data element having one or more associated attribute values;

display a target instance of a data element;

receive an indication that identifies one or more attribute values associated with the source instance that are to be associated with the target instance; and

associate the identified attribute values with the target instance.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a source identification key for the source instance and a target identification key for the target instance;

use the source identification key to access source data structure information identifying one or more data elements relating to the source instance and one or more attribute values associated with the source instance; and

use the target identification key to access target data structure information identifying one or more data elements relating to the target instance and one or more attribute values associated with the target instance.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the source data structure information differs from the target data structure information.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the processor is further configured to delete the source instance.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein deleting the source instance comprises physically deleting the source instance by removing the source instance from storage holding the source instance.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein deleting the source instance comprises logically deleting the source instance by indicating the source instance is to be removed at a later time from storage holding the source instance.

35. The system of claim 29 wherein the processor is further configured to archive the source instance.

36. The system of claim 29 wherein the processor is further configured to indicate that the source instance is to be archived at a later time.

37. The system of claim 29 wherein the processor is further configured to display an indication as to whether the attribute value associated with the source instance is identical to a corresponding attribute value associated with the target instance.

38. The system of claim 29, wherein a source instance comprises one or more subcomponents, with each subcomponent having one or more associated attribute values, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display a subcomponent of the source instance;

receive an indication that the displayed subcomponent of the source instance is to be associated with the target instance; and

associate the identified subcomponent with the target instance.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein a target instance comprises one or more subcomponents, with each subcomponent having one or more associated attribute values, wherein the processor is further configured to:

display at least one attribute value associated with the subcomponent of the source instance and at least one attribute value associated with the subcomponent of the target instance;

receive an indication that identifies at least one attribute value associated with the subcomponent of the source instance that is to be associated with the subcomponent of the target instance; and

associate the identified attribute values with the subcomponent of the target instance.

40. The system of claim 29 wherein the processor is further configured to:

associate a target list with at least one source instance and at least one target instance;

display identifying information for each source instance and each target instance associated with the target list; and

receive an indication that identifies a source instance and a target instance to be displayed.

41. The system of claim 39 wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive an indication that identifies at least one subcomponent of the source instance that is to be removed from the display, and

remove the identified subcomponent of the source instance from the display.

42. A system for maintaining data, the system comprising a processor connected to a storage device and one or more input/output devices, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive instances of data elements, with each instance having one or more associated attribute values and an associated identification key;

display the identification key associated with each instance;

receive an indication that identifies one of the displayed identification keys as the identification key of a source instance;

receive an indication that identifies one of the displayed identification keys as the identification key of a target instance;

display the source instance and one or more associated attribute values;

display the target instance;

receive an indication that identifies one or more attribute values associated with the source instance that are to be associated with the target instance;

associate the identified attribute values with the target instance;

display a source dependency tree showing one or more subcomponents associated with the source instance;

display a target dependency tree showing one or more subcomponents associated with the target instance;

receive a dependency indication that identifies one or more subcomponents associated with the source instance that are to be associated with the target instance; and

associate the identified subcomponents with the target instance.