Systems, methods, and apparatus for automated dimensional model definitions and builds utilizing simplified analysis heuristics

• US 20040193633A1
• Filed: 03/28/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Petculescu, Cristian, Netz, Amir
• Application Number:
  US10/402,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20040193633A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP

Abstract

The present invention leverages interrelationships of a relational schema by utilizing simplified analysis heuristics to define and build dimensional models automatically. A user can also participate interactively in both the definition and building processes to influence an outcome. The relational schema is comprised of relational databases and the like. The dimensional models are comprised of OLAP objects and the like such as ROLAP and MOLAP objects. A means is also provided for allowing a user to initiate via a single user action, such as a single computer mouse click, defining a dimensional model, building a dimensional model, and/or both defining and building a dimensional model.

Claims

1. A data analysis system, comprising:

an automated structure labeling system utilizing simplified analysis heuristics for defining a dimensional model based on data interrelations from a relational data schema; and

an automated model building system for constructing the dimensional model defined by the automated structure labeling system.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface component that allows a user to interact with at least one selected from the group consisting of the automated structure labeling system and the automated model building system.

3. The system of claim 2, the user interface component comprising a graphical user interface.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an input component that allows a user to initiate via a single user action at least one selected from the group consisting of the automated structure labeling system and the automated model building system.

5. The system of claim 4, the input component comprising a single computer mouse click.

6. The system of claim 1, the relational data schema comprising a relational database.

7. The system of claim 1, the dimensional model comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of an OLAP object, a ROLAP object, and a MOLAP object.

48. A device employing the system of claim 1 comprising at least one from a group consisting of a computer, a server, and a handheld electronic device.

8. A data analysis method, comprising:

defining a dimensional model automatically based on data interrelations from a relational data schema utilizing simplified analysis heuristics.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

building the dimensional model automatically after defining the dimensional model.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing a means to allow a user to initiate via a single user action the defining of the dimensional model.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a means to allow a user to initiate via a single user action at least one selected from the group consisting of the defining of the dimensional model, the building of the dimensional model, and both the defining and building of the dimensional model.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

providing at least one structure and at least one characteristic of the dimensional model interactively to a user.

13. The method of claim 12, the structure comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of at least one fact table, at least one degenerate table, and at least one dimension table.

14. The method of claim 12, the characteristic comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of at least one dimension, at least one attribute, at least one measure, and at least one measure group.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

employing user inputs to facilitate in defining the dimensional model.

16. The method of claim 15, the user inputs comprising, at least in part, a user interaction level comprised of at least one selected from the group consisting of total automation, limited interaction, and full interaction modes.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

employing user inputs to facilitate in building the dimensional model.

18. The method of claim 17, the user inputs comprising, at least in part, a user interaction level comprised of at least one selected from the group consisting of total automation, limited interaction, and full interaction modes.

19. The method of claim 8, the relational data schema comprising a relational database.

20. The method of claim 8, the defining of the dimensional model comprising:

labeling at least one structure of the dimensional model as at least one selected from the group consisting of a strong fact, a strong dimension, both a fact and a dimension, a dimension, and a fact.

21. The method of claim 20, the structure comprising a table.

22. The method of claim 20, the labeling based on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

strong facts comprising structures with only out arcs;

strong dimensions comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of structures with at least two in arcs, structures with one in arc from a dimension, and structures with one in arc from a fact structure and at least one selected from the group consisting of zero and one out arcs;

both fact and dimension comprising structures with one arc in from a fact structure and at least two arcs into a cluster containing dimensions labeled by starting from other fact structures; and

dimensions comprising structures with one in arc from a fact structure.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining clusters of partitions by identifying structures having equivalent labeling for vertexes with only out arcs.

24. The method of claim 23, the equivalent labeling comprising identical primary key and identical cardinalities of columns with measure types not used in a foreign key/primary key pair.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

grouping the partitions in detail clusters and analyzing as a single vertex.

26. The method of claim 9, the building the dimensional model comprising:

creating as many details as fact clusters;

storing a fact structure name in a detail in which it resides;

defining numeric columns inside a detail of a fact structure as measure columns and creating measures for the measure columns;

creating a count measure when no numeric columns exist inside a detail of a fact structure;

linking details to dimensions;

detecting hidden time dimensions inside a fact structure;

naming a dimensional model based on a detail having more measures than any other detail; and

building at least one selected from the group consisting of natural hierarchies and virtual hierarchies for at least one dimension.

27. The method of claim 8, the dimensional model comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of an OLAP object, a ROLAP object, and a MOLAP object.

47. A device employing the method of claim 8 comprising at least one from a group consisting of a computer, a server, and a handheld electronic device.

28. A data analysis system, comprising:

means for utilizing simplified analysis heuristics for defining a dimensional model based on data interrelations from a relational data schema; and

means for building the dimensional model defined by the automated structure labeling system.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

means to allow a user to interact with at least one selected from the group consisting of the automated structure labeling system and the automated model building system.

30. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

means for allowing a user to initiate with a single user action at least one selected from the group consisting of the automated structure labeling system and the automated model building system.

31. A user interface, comprising:

an interface adapted to communicate with an automated data analysis system;

at least one output associated with the interface to provide indications of data processing within the data analysis system relating to at least one characteristic; and

at least one input to influence the data processing based, at least in part, on a user'"'"'s preference of at least one selected from the group consisting of a how to define a dimensional model and how to construct a dimensional model.

32. The interface of claim 31, the automated data analysis system comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an automated structure labeling system utilizing simplified analysis heuristics for defining a dimensional model based on data interrelations from a relational data schema; and

an automated model building system for constructing the dimensional model defined by the automated structure labeling system.

33. The interface of claim 31, the output comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of dimensions, attributes, aggregate functions, table types, measures, and measure groups.

34. The interface of claim 31, the input comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of dimensions, attributes, aggregate functions, table types, measures, and measure groups.

35. The interface of claim 32, further comprising an input to initiate via a single user action at least one selected from the group consisting of the automated structure labeling system and the automated model building system.

36. The interface of claim 31, the interface comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a graphical user interface and a text based interface.

37. A data packet transmitted between two or more computer components that facilitates data analysis, the data packet comprising dimensional model analysis data, based, in part, on at least one selected from the group consisting of:

data from an automated structure labeling system utilizing simplified analysis heuristics for defining a dimensional model based on data interrelations from a relational data schema;

data from an automated model building system for constructing the dimensional model defined by the automated structure labeling system;

data from an input to initiate via a single user action at least one selected from the group consisting of the automated structure labeling system and the automated model building system;

data from an output associated with an interface to provide indications of data processing of the data analysis; and

data from an input associated with an interface to influence data processing based, at least in part, on a user'"'"'s preference of at least one selected from the group consisting of a how to define a dimensional model and how to construct a dimensional model.

38. The data packet of claim 37, the input to initiate via the single user action comprising data from a computer mouse click.

39. The data packet of claim 37, the output associated with the interface comprising data for a graphical user interface.

40. The data packet of claim 37, the relational data schema comprising a relational database.

41. The data packet of claim 37, the dimensional model comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of an OLAP object, a ROLAP object, and a MOLAP object.

42. A computer readable medium storing computer executable components of a system for facilitating data analysis, comprising an automated data analysis system that provides information associated with a data set, based, at least in part, upon at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an automated structure labeling system utilizing simplified analysis heuristics for defining a dimensional model based on data interrelations from a relational data schema;

an automated model building system for constructing the dimensional model defined by the automated structure labeling system;

an input to initiate via a single user action at least one selected from the group consisting of the automated structure labeling system and the automated model building system;

an output associated with an interface to provide indications of data processing of the automated data analysis system; and

an input associated with an interface to influence automated data processing based, at least in part, on a user'"'"'s preference of at least one selected from the group consisting of a how to define a dimensional model and how to construct a dimensional model.

43. The medium of claim 42, the input to initiate via the single user action comprising data from a computer mouse click.

44. The medium of claim 42, the output associated with the interface comprising data for a graphical user interface.

45. The medium of claim 42, the relational data schema comprising a relational database.

46. The medium of claim 42, the dimensional model comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of an OLAP object, a ROLAP object, and a MOLAP object.