Methods and systems for providing a visualization graph

• US 20050114802A1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Werner, Horst, Beringer, Joerg
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/700
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A visualization graph is provided on a computer. Data corresponding to a plurality of entities is stored, wherein a semantic net includes the entities and wherein the entities are linked to each other by a plurality of relations. In response to a query with respect to an entity selected from the plurality of entities, providing a visualization graph representing the results of the query, representing a plurality of entities having a common relation as a first node on the visualization graph. In response to a predetermined stimulus causing the entities comprised at the first node to be displayed, and in response to a further predetermined stimulus causing the graph to restructure so that the node replaces the displayed entities.

Claims

1. A method of providing a visualization graph on a computer comprising:

storing data corresponding to a plurality of entities, wherein a semantic net includes the entities and wherein the entities are linked to each other by a plurality of relations;

providing a visualization graph representing results responsive to a query with respect to a selected one of the plurality of entities;

representing a plurality of entities having a common relation as a first node on the visualization graph;

causing the entities comprised at the first node to be displayed in response to a first predetermined stimulus; and

causing the graph to restructure so that the displayed entities are replaced by the node in response to a further predetermined stimulus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to the first predetermined stimulus, the node remains in the graph to represent the common relation.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the entities are linked to a further entity or node via a link representing a relation that may not be common to all entities linked to the first node.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

performing the query on the data, and outputting at least two of the plurality of data in the form of a visualization graph representing the results of the query, wherein the graph has a focus entity or node defined by a user or the query; and

using context information to determine at least one entity and/or node to be output in the results which is indirectly related to the focus entity or node.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

providing attractors that attract the entities to a predetermined sector of the graph depending on their entity type.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

selecting entities from the plurality of entities having at least one common relation and storing the selected entities as a plurality of groups, representing the groups on the graph as a plurality of nodes; and

representing only those relations for which all of the nodes share in common.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the selecting step includes abstracting the relations to find the common relation.

8. A computer for providing a visualization graph, the computer comprising:

a storage medium having recorded therein processor readable code processable to provide a visualization graph;

a database for storing data corresponding to a plurality of entities, wherein a semantic net includes the entities and wherein the entities are linked to each other by a plurality of relations;

a query interface adapted, so that in response to a query with respect to an entity selected from the plurality of entities, a visualization graph is provided representing the results of the query, wherein the code includes representation code processable to represent a plurality of entities having a common relation as a node on the visualization graph;

causing the entities comprised at the node to be displayed in response to a predetermined stimulus; and

causing the graph to restructure so that the entities displayed are replaced by the node in response to a further predetermined stimulus.

9. The computer according to claim 8, wherein the representation code is processable in response to the first predetermined stimulus to cause the node to remain in the graph to represent the common relation.

10. The computer according to claim 8, wherein the entities are linked to a further entity or node via a link that represents a relation that may not be common to all entities linked to the first node.

11. The computer according to claim 8, wherein the computer further comprises:

a database for storing data corresponding to a plurality of entities and/or nodes, wherein a semantic net includes the entities and/or nodes and wherein the entities and/or nodes are linked to each other by a plurality of relations;

a storage medium having recorded therein processor readable code processable to provide a visualization graph, the code including a query code processable to perform a query on the database;

an output device for outputting at least two of the plurality of data in the form of a visualization graph representing the results of the query, wherein the graph has a focus entity or node defined by a user or the query, and wherein the code further includes context code processable to express context information which is processable to determine at least one entity and/or node to be output in the results which is indirectly related to the focus entity or node.

12. A program storage device readable by a processing apparatus, the device embodying instructions executable by the processor to perform the steps of:

storing data corresponding to a plurality of entities, wherein a semantic net includes the entities and wherein the entities are linked to each other by a plurality of relations;

providing a visualization graph representing the results of the query in response to a query with respect to an entity selected from the plurality of entities; and

representing a plurality of entities having a common relation as a first node on the visualization graph;

causing the entities comprised at the first node to be displayed in response to a predetermined stimulus; and

causing the graph to restructure so that the displayed entities are replaced by the node in response to a further predetermined stimulus.