Method and user interface for making a presentation of data using meta-morphing

• US 20040230585A1
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TARGIT A/S
• Original Assignee: TARGIT A/S
• Inventors: Middelfart, Morten
• Granted Patent: US 7,783,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24522 Translation of natural language queries to structured queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of making a presentation of data requested by a question received via a user interface of a database, wherein data items are categorized as measures or dimensions, and in which question data items of the type measures or dimensions can be associated to specify a set of data; the method comprises the following steps: parsing (301) the question for associations of dimensions and measures, if no association is found, create an association (307); searching (311) for presentation properties of stored associations; if presentation properties are found applying (313) the presentation properties to make a presentation of data specified by the association. Thereby, a user can request a computer presentation of data based on higher or lower levels of abstraction while the computer ensures that a user'"'"'s preferences are applied.

Additionally, a computer-readable medium, a computer program product and a user-interface is disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of making a presentation of data requested by a question received via a user interface (101) of a database (113), wherein data items are categorized as measures or dimensions, and in which question data items of the type measures or dimensions can be associated to specify a set of data;

the method comprises the following steps;

parsing (301) the question for associations of dimensions and measures to determine an association;

searching (311) for presentation properties of stored associations, determining (302) whether presentation properties are found, and in the affirmative event, applying (313) the presentation properties to make (315) a presentation of data specified by the association.

2. A computer-implemented method according to claim 1, of making a presentation of data retrieved by a query from a question received via a user interface (101) of a database (113), wherein data items are categorized as measures or dimensions, and in which question data items of the type measures or dimensions can be associated to specify a set of data;

characterized in that the method comprises the following steps;

determination (308) of an association by parsing (301) the question to detect an association or a data item, if any, and in the event no association is found, searching (305,306) a first storage (110) to detect a previously used association, if any, involving the data item, and in the event no previously used association involving the data item is found, creating (307) an association involving the data item;

determination (310) of presentation properties for a determined association by searching a first storage (110) for presentation properties of a previously stored, like association, and in the event presentation properties of a previously stored, like association is found, applying (313) the presentation properties to make a presentation of the data specified by the association.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in comprising the steps of parsing (301) the question to detect combinations of associations, and determining presentation properties by searching (402) stored combinations of associations with assigned presentation properties.

4. A method according to claims 1, characterized in comprising the step of determining (303,304) whether a data item of the dimensions type or measures types is present in the question, and in the affirmative event selecting (305,306) a data item of the measures type or the dimensions types, respectively, to create an association.

5. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the step of selecting a data item of the measures type or dimensions type involves selecting (305,306) from a storage the data items that can be associated with the determined data item in the question to create an association.

6. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the step of selecting a data item of the measures type or dimensions type involves selecting (305,306) the data items that are determined to be the most frequently used data items of the dimensions type or measures type, respectively.

7. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the step of selecting (305,306) a data item of the measures type involves selecting from a storage the data items that are determined to be the most frequently used data items in association with the determined data item in the question.

8. A method according to claims 1, characterized in that the determined associations of data items that are applied with the presentation properties to make a presentation are (407) registered with a count that represents a frequency of use.

9. A method according to claims 1, characterized in that the method comprises creation (411) of a memory object for each determined data item of the dimensions type.

10. A method according to claims 1, characterized in that the determination of presentation properties comprises a layered search (1,2,3,4) for presentation properties.

11. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the layered search comprises a first level (1) with a search for a match of measures and same dimensions.

12. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the layered search comprises a second level (2) with a search for a match of measures and different dimensions.

13. A method according to claim 10, characterized in that the layered search comprises a third level (3,4) with a search for a match of dimension at primarily same level of dimension or secondarily at a different level of dimension.

14. A method according to claim 1, characterized in comprising the step of applying (509) an expert system, arranged to determine and apply presentation properties, in the event no like association is found.

15. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for implementing the method set forth in claim 1 when run on a computer.

16. A computer program product for implementing the method set forth in claim 1 when run on a computer.

17. A user-interface (101) arranged to make a presentation of data requested by a question received via an input box (102) on the user interface;

the user-interface is connected to a database (113) wherein data items are categorized as measures or dimensions, and in which question data items of the type measures or dimensions can be associated to specify a set of data;

the user-interface comprises;

a parser (202) arranged to parsing the question for associations of dimensions and measures, and a creator (203) arranged to create an association if no association is found; and

a search engine (204) for searching for presentation properties of associations stored in a storage (110); and

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presentation means (108) for, if presentation properties are found, applying the presentation properties to make a presentation of data specified by the association.