Automatic insight discovery system and method

• US 20050138043A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ProClarity Corp. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Lokken, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,243,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A database access component provides access to a database comprising a plurality of searchable items, one or more of the items being registered with one or more item classes, each item class being associated with at least one insight pertaining to items registered to that item class. An item matching component receives a user-specified search term and item class. In response, the item matching component lists one or more items of the specified item class within the database having names that potentially match the search term. An insight selection component automatically reveals one or more insights associated with the specified item class, after which the insight selection component receives a user selection of a listed item and one or more of the revealed insights. An insight materialization component then materializes the one or more selected insights using the selected item.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

registering one or more searchable items in a database with one or more item classes;

associating each item class with at least one insight pertaining to items registered to that item class;

receiving a user-specified search term and item class;

listing one or more items of the specified item class within the database having names that potentially match the search term;

automatically revealing one or more insights associated with the specified item class;

obtaining a user selection of a listed item and one or more of the revealed insights; and

materializing the one or more selected insights using the selected item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein materializing the one or more selected insights comprises generating at least one of a parameterized view, a parameterized report, and a parameterized analysis using the selected item as a parameter.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising allowing the user to select at least one different insight within a same screen in which the selected insight is materialized.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein generating comprises constructing a parameterized uniform resource locator (URL) comprising identifiers of the selected insight and the selected item.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising guiding a user'"'"'s insight selection by showing an indication of popularity for at least one displayed insight based on prior selections of insights associated with the specified item class.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising compiling statistics concerning which of the one or more insights were historically selected for the specified item class.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein showing an indication of popularity comprises ordering a listing of two or more insights according to popularity.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein showing an indication of popularity comprises pre-selecting the most popular insight.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein showing an indication of popularity comprises showing a numerical or symbolic popularity indicator for at least one insight.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the database comprises one of a relational database, a dimensional database, and an analytical database.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

accessing a database comprising a plurality of searchable items, one or more of the items being registered with one or more item classes, each item class being associated with at least one insight pertaining to items registered to that item class;

receiving a user-specified search term;

listing one or more items within the database having names that potentially match the search term;

receiving a user selection of a listed item;

identifying an item class associated with the selected item;

automatically revealing one or more insights associated with the identified item class;

obtaining a user selection of one or more of the revealed insights; and

materializing the one or more selected insights using the selected item.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein listing comprises:

grouping each of the listed items according to item class; and

displaying an indication of an item class in conjunction with each corresponding group of items.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying comprises receiving a user selection of the item class.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying comprises identifying the item class using registration data in the database for the selected item.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein materializing the one or more selected insights comprises generating and displaying at least one of a parameterized view, a parameterized report, and a parameterized analysis with the selected item as a parameter.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising guiding a user'"'"'s insight selection by showing an indication of popularity for at least one displayed insight based on prior selections of insights associated with the specified item class.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising compiling statistics concerning which of the one or more insights were historically selected for the specified item class.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein showing an indication of popularity comprises ordering a listing of two or more insights according to popularity.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein showing an indication of popularity comprises pre-selecting the most popular insight.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein showing an indication of popularity comprises showing a numerical or symbolic popularity indicator for at least one insight.

21. A system comprising:

a database access component to provide access to a database comprising a plurality of searchable items, one or more of the items being registered with one or more item classes, each item class being associated with at least one insight pertaining to items registered to that item class;

an item matching component to receive a user-specified search term and item class and to list one or more items of the specified item class within the database having names that potentially match the search term;

an insight selection component to automatically reveal one or more insights associated with the specified item class and to receive a user selection of a listed item and one or more of the revealed insights; and

an insight materialization component to materialize the one or more selected insights using the selected item.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the insight materializing component is to materialize the one or more selected insights by generating at least one of a parameterized view, a parameterized report, and a parameterized analysis using the selected item as a parameter.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the insight materialization component is to allow the user to select at least one different insight within a same screen in which the selected insight is materialized.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the insight materialization component is to construct a parameterized uniform resource locator (URL) comprising identifiers of the selected insight and the selected item.

25. The system of claim 21, further comprising an insight guidance component to guide a user'"'"'s selection of an insight by showing an indication of popularity for at least one displayed insight based on prior selections of insights associated with the specified item class.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the insight guidance component is to compile statistics concerning which of the one or more insights were selected for the specified item class.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the insight guidance component is to show an indication of popularity by ordering a listing of two or more insights according to popularity.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the insight guidance component is to show an indication of popularity by pre-selecting the most popular insight.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the insight guidance component is to show an indication of popularity by showing a numerical or symbolic popularity indicator for at least one insight.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the database comprises one of a relational database, a dimensional database, and an analytical database.

31. A system comprising:

a database access component to access a database comprising a plurality of searchable items, one or more of the items being registered with one or more item classes, each item class being associated with at least one insight pertaining to items registered to that item class;

an item matching component to receive a user-specified search term and to list one or more items within the database having names that potentially match the search term;

an insight selection component to receive a user selection of a listed item, identify an item class associated with the selected item, automatically reveal one or more insights associated with the identified item class, and receive a user selection of one or more of the revealed insights; and

an insight materialization component to materialize the one or more selected insights using the selected item.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the item matching component is to group each of the listed items according to item class and display an indication of an item class in conjunction with each corresponding group of items.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the insight selection component is to identify the item class associated with the selected item by receiving a user selection of the item class.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the insight selection component is to identify the item class associated with the selected item by using registration data in the database for the selected item.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein the materialization component is to materialize the one or more selected insights by generating and displaying at least one of a parameterized view, a parameterized report, and a parameterized analysis with the selected item as a parameter.

36. The system of claim 31, further comprising a guidance component to guide a user'"'"'s insight selection by showing an indication of popularity for at least one displayed insight based on prior selections of insights associated with the specified item class.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the insight guidance component is to compile statistics concerning which of the one or more insights were selected for the specified item class.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the insight guidance component is to show an indication of popularity by ordering a listing of two or more insights according to popularity.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the insight guidance component is to show an indication of popularity by pre-selecting the most popular insight.

40. The system of claim 36, wherein the insight guidance component is to show an indication of popularity by showing a numerical or symbolic popularity indicator for at least one insight.

41. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium having stored therein

program instructions for registering one or more searchable items in a database with one or more item classes;

program instructions for associating each item class with at least one insight pertaining to items registered to that item class;

program instructions for receiving a user-specified search term and item class;

program instructions for listing one or more items of the specified item class within the database having names that potentially match the search term;

program instructions for automatically revealing one or more insights associated with the specified item class;

program instructions for obtaining a user selection of a listed item and one or more of the revealed insights; and

program instructions for materializing the one or more selected insights using the selected item.

42. The computer program product of claim 41, wherein the program instructions for materializing the one or more selected insights comprise program instructions for generating at least one of a parameterized view, a parameterized report, and a parameterized analysis using the selected item as a parameter.

43. The computer program product of claim 42, further comprising program instructions for allowing the user to select at least one different insight within a same screen in which the selected insight is materialized.

44. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein the program instructions for generating comprise program instructions for constructing a parameterized uniform resource locator (URL) comprising identifiers of the selected insight and the selected item.

45. The computer program product of claim 41, further comprising program instructions for guiding a user'"'"'s insight selection by showing an indication of popularity for at least one displayed insight based on prior selections of insights associated with the specified item class.

46. The computer program product of claim 45, further comprising program instructions for compiling statistics concerning which of the one or more insights were historically selected for the specified item class.

47. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the program instructions for guiding a user'"'"'s insight selection comprise program instructions for ordering a listing of two or more insights according to popularity.

48. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the program instructions for guiding a user'"'"'s insight selection comprise program instructions for pre-selecting the most popular insight.

49. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the program instructions for guiding a user'"'"'s insight selection comprise program instructions for showing a numerical or symbolic popularity indicator for at least one insight.

50. The computer program product of claim 45, wherein the database comprises one of a relational database, a dimensional database, and an analytical database.

51. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium having stored therein

program instructions for accessing a database comprising a plurality of searchable items, one or more of the items being registered with one or more item classes, each item class being associated with at least one insight pertaining to items registered to that item class;

program instructions for receiving a user-specified search term;

program instructions for listing one or more items within the database having names that potentially match the search term;

program instructions for receiving a user selection of a listed item;

program instructions for identifying an item class associated with the selected item;

program instructions for automatically revealing one or more insights associated with the identified item class;

program instructions for obtaining a user selection of one or more of the revealed insights; and

program instructions for materializing the one or more selected insights using the selected item.

52. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the program instructions for listing comprise:

program instructions for grouping each of the listed items according to item class; and

program instructions for displaying an indication of an item class in conjunction with each corresponding group of items.

53. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the program instructions for identifying comprise program instructions for receiving a user selection of the item class.

54. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the program instructions for identifying comprise program instructions for identifying the item class using registration data in the database for the selected item.

55. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the program instructions for materializing the one or more selected insights comprise program instructions for generating and displaying at least one of a parameterized view, a parameterized report, and a parameterized analysis with the selected item as a parameter.

56. The computer program product of claim 51, further comprising program instructions for guiding a user'"'"'s insight selection by showing an indication of popularity for at least one displayed insight based on prior selections of insights associated with the specified item class.

57. The computer program product of claim 56, further comprising program instructions for compiling statistics concerning which of the one or more insights were historically selected for the specified item class.

58. The computer program product of claim 56, wherein the program instructions for guiding a user'"'"'s insight selection comprise program instructions for ordering a listing of two or more insights according to popularity.

59. The computer program product of claim 56, wherein the program instructions for guiding a user'"'"'s insight selection comprise program instructions for pre-selecting the most popular insight.

60. The computer program product of claim 56, wherein the program instructions for guiding a user'"'"'s insight selection comprise program instructions for showing a numerical or symbolic popularity indicator for at least one insight.

61. An apparatus comprising:

means for accessing a database comprising a plurality of searchable items, one or more of the items being registered with one or more item classes, each item class being associated with at least one insight pertaining to items registered to that item class;

means for receiving a user-specified search term;

means for listing one or more items within the database having names that potentially match the search term;

means for receiving a user selection of a listed item;

means for identifying an item class associated with the selected item;

means for automatically revealing one or more insights associated with the identified item class;

means for obtaining a user selection of one or more of the revealed insights; and

means for materializing the one or more selected insights using the selected item.

62. A propagated signal in a transmission medium comprising:

a code segment for causing a computer to access a database comprising a plurality of searchable items, one or more of the items being registered with one or more item classes, each item class being associated with at least one insight pertaining to items registered to that item class;

a code segment for causing a computer to receive a user-specified search term;

a code segment for causing a computer to list one or more items within the database having names that potentially match the search term;

a code segment for causing a computer to receive a user selection of a listed item;

a code segment for causing a computer to identify an item class associated with the selected item;

a code segment for causing a computer to automatically reveal one or more insights associated with the identified item class;

a code segment for causing a computer to obtain a user selection of one or more of the revealed insights; and

a code segment for causing a computer to materialize the one or more selected insights using the selected item.