Techniques for representing relationships between queries

• US 20050289100A1
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Vaccinex, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kolz, Daniel P., Dettinger, Richard D., Tenner, Jeffrey W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,135,698 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query

Abstract

A method, system and article of manufacture for processing queries and, more particularly, for graphically representing relationships between different queries. One embodiment provides a method for graphically representing a relationship between a first and a second query. The method includes selecting, from the first and second queries, elements to be compared. On the basis of the selected elements, a degree of similarity between the first and second queries is calculated. The method further includes displaying a first query object representative of the first query and a second query object representative of the second query in a user interface. The first and second query objects are positionally arranged on the basis of the calculated degree of similarity. The positional arrangement reflects the relationship between the first and second queries.

Claims

1. A method for graphically representing a relationship between a first and a second query, comprising:

selecting one or more elements from the first and second queries;

calculating, on the basis of the selected elements, a degree of similarity between the first and second queries; and

displaying a first query object representative of the first query and a second query object representative of the second query in a user interface, the first and second query objects being positionally arranged on the basis of the calculated degree of similarity, wherein the positional arrangement reflects the relationship between the first and second queries.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second query objects are shapes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second query objects are connected to each other via a connector, the connector being indicative of the degree of similarity and describing for the selected elements at least one of:

(i) selected elements contained in the first and second queries; and

(ii) selected elements contained only in either of the first and second queries.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the degree of similarity is defined by a relative distance between the first and second query objects in the user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the degree of similarity comprises:

weighting the selected elements.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein weighting the selected elements is performed using at least one of:

(i) user-specific predefined weights;

(ii) application-specific predefined weights;

(iii) dynamically calculated weights; and

(iv) statistically inferred weights.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the selected elements are selected of one of:

(i) condition fields of query conditions from the first and second queries;

(ii) condition parameters of query conditions from the first and second queries; and

(iii) result fields of the first and second queries.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected elements are condition fields of query conditions from the first and second queries.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein calculating the degree of similarity comprises:

counting all condition fields included only in either of the first and second queries.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected elements are condition parameters of query conditions from the first and second queries.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected elements are result fields of the first and second queries.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein calculating the degree of similarity comprises:

counting all result fields included only in either of the first and second queries.

13. A method for graphically representing relationships between a first result obtained upon execution of a first query and a second result obtained upon execution of a second query, the method comprising:

comparing the first and second results to determine matching elements of the first and second results;

displaying, in a user interface, at least a first graphical object representative of the first result and a second graphical object representative of the second result; and

positionally relating the graphical objects on the basis of the determined matching elements, wherein the positional relationship of the graphical objects reflects a degree of similarity between the first result and second result.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the graphical objects are shapes, the method further comprising:

determining a first quantity representative of the first result and a second quantity representative of the second result;

determining a third quantity representative of the matching elements; and

defining relative sizes for the shapes on the basis of the first, second and third quantities.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first quantity defines a number of data records contained in the first result, the second quantity defines a number of data records contained in the second result, and the third quantity defines a number of matching data records contained in the matching elements.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein positionally relating the graphical query objects comprises defining:

(i) an overlapping region representing the matching elements, the overlapping region being defined by overlapping portions of the graphical objects;

(ii) non-overlapping regions defined by the non-overlapping portions of the graphical objects; and

(iii) one or more unoccupied regions defined by portions of the user interface which are not contained in the overlapping region or the non-overlapping regions.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining a first quantity defining a number of data records contained in the first result;

determining a second quantity defining a number of data records contained in the second result;

determining a third quantity defining a number of matching data records contained in the matching elements; and

defining relative sizes for the overlapping and the non-overlapping regions on the basis of the first, second and third quantities.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

displaying an indication of the first, second and third quantities in the respective overlapping and non-overlapping regions.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising, prior to displaying the graphical objects:

displaying a plurality of user-selectable queries in the user interface; and

receiving a user-selection of at least a first and a second user-selectable query, wherein the first graphical object is displayed for the first selected query and the second graphical object is displayed for the second selected query.

20. A method for graphically representing a relationship between a first and a second query result, comprising:

displaying, in a user interface, at least a first graphical object representative of a first result of a first query and a second graphical object representative of a second result of a second query;

positionally relating each of the graphical objects so that respective portions of the graphical objects are overlapping one another, whereby a plurality of user-selectable regions is defined comprising (i) an overlapping region defined by the overlapping respective portions and (ii) non-overlapping regions defined by the non-overlapping portions of the graphical objects, and wherein each user-selectable region corresponds to a different executable query;

receiving user-selection of a user-selectable region of the plurality of user-selectable regions;

executing the first query, the second query and an executable query corresponding to the user-selected region to obtain corresponding query results; and

re-arranging the positionally related graphical objects on the basis of the obtained query results.

21. A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs a process for graphically representing a relationship between a first and a second query, the process comprising:

selecting one or more elements from the first and second queries;

calculating, on the basis of the selected elements, a degree of similarity between the first and second queries; and

displaying a first query object representative of the first query and a second query object representative of the second query in a user interface, the first and second query objects being positionally arranged on the basis of the calculated degree of similarity, wherein the positional arrangement reflects the relationship between the first and second queries.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first and second query objects are shapes.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the first and second query objects are connected to each other via a connector, the connector being indicative of the degree of similarity and describing for the selected elements at least one of:

(i) selected elements contained in the first and second queries; and

(ii) selected elements contained only in either of the first and second queries.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the degree of similarity is defined by a relative distance between the first and second query objects in the user interface.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein calculating the degree of similarity comprises:

weighting the selected elements.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein weighting the selected elements is performed using at least one of:

(i) user-specific predefined weights;

(ii) application-specific predefined weights;

(iii) dynamically calculated weights; and

(iv) statistically inferred weights.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the selected elements are selected of one of:

(i) condition fields of query conditions from the first and second queries;

(ii) condition parameters of query conditions from the first and second queries; and

(iii) result fields of the first and second queries.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the selected elements are condition fields of query conditions from the first and second queries.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein calculating the degree of similarity comprises:

counting all condition fields included only in either of the first and second queries.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the selected elements are condition parameters of query conditions from the first and second queries.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the selected elements are result fields of the first and second queries.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein calculating the degree of similarity comprises:

counting all result fields included only in either of the first and second queries.

33. A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs a process for graphically representing relationships between a first result obtained upon execution of a first query and a second result obtained upon execution of a second query, the process comprising:

comparing the first and second results to determine matching elements of the first and second results;

displaying, in a user interface, at least a first graphical object representative of the first result and a second graphical object representative of the second result; and

positionally relating the graphical objects on the basis of the determined matching elements, wherein the positional relationship of the graphical objects reflects a degree of similarity between the first result and second result.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the graphical objects are shapes, the process further comprising:

determining a first quantity representative of the first result and a second quantity representative of the second result;

determining a third quantity representative of the matching elements; and

defining relative sizes for the shapes on the basis of the first, second and third quantities.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the first quantity defines a number of data records contained in the first result, the second quantity defines a number of data records contained in the second result, and the third quantity defines a number of matching data records contained in the matching elements.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein positionally relating the graphical query objects comprises defining:

(i) an overlapping region representing the matching elements, the overlapping region being defined by overlapping portions of the graphical objects;

(ii) non-overlapping regions defined by the non-overlapping portions of the graphical objects; and

(iii) one or more unoccupied regions defined by portions of the user interface which are not contained in the overlapping region or the non-overlapping regions.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 36, wherein the process further comprises:

determining a first quantity defining a number of data records contained in the first result;

determining a second quantity defining a number of data records contained in the second result;

determining a third quantity defining a number of matching data records contained in the matching elements; and

defining relative sizes for the overlapping and the non-overlapping regions on the basis of the first, second and third quantities.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the process further comprises:

displaying an indication of the first, second and third quantities in the respective overlapping and non-overlapping regions.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the process further comprises, prior to displaying the graphical objects:

displaying a plurality of user-selectable queries in the user interface; and

receiving a user-selection of at least a first and a second user-selectable query, wherein the first graphical object is displayed for the first selected query and the second graphical object is displayed for the second selected query.

40. A computer-readable medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs a process for graphically representing a relationship between a first and a second query result, the process comprising:

displaying, in a user interface, at least a first graphical object representative of a first result of a first query and a second graphical object representative of a second result of a second query;

positionally relating each of the graphical objects so that respective portions of the graphical objects are overlapping one another, whereby a plurality of user-selectable regions is defined comprising (i) an overlapping region defined by the overlapping respective portions and (ii) non-overlapping regions defined by the non-overlapping portions of the graphical objects, and wherein each user-selectable region corresponds to a different executable query;

receiving user-selection of a user-selectable region of the plurality of user-selectable regions;

executing the first query, the second query and an executable query corresponding to the user-selected region to obtain corresponding query results; and

re-arranging the positionally related graphical objects on the basis of the obtained query results.

41. A computer system comprising:

a user interface;

a first and a second query; and

a relationship manager configured for;

selecting one or more elements from the first and second queries;

calculating, on the basis of the selected elements, a degree of similarity between the first and second queries; and

displaying a first query object representative of the first query and a second query object representative of the second query in the user interface, the first and second query objects being positionally arranged on the basis of the calculated degree of similarity, wherein the positional arrangement reflects the relationship between the first and second queries.

42. A computer system comprising:

a user interface;

a query manager configured for executing a first query for obtaining a first result and a second query for obtaining a second result; and

a relationship manager configured for;

comparing the first and second results to determine matching elements of the first and second results;

displaying, in the user interface, at least a first graphical object representative of the first result and a second graphical object representative of the second result; and

positionally relating the graphical objects on the basis of the determined matching elements, wherein the positional relationship of the graphical objects reflects a degree of similarity between the first result and second result.

43. A computer system comprising:

a user interface;

a first and a second query result;

a relationship manager configured for;

displaying, in the user interface, at least a first graphical object representative of the first query result and a second graphical object representative of the second query result;

positionally relating each of the graphical objects so that respective portions of the graphical objects are overlapping one another, whereby a plurality of user-selectable regions is defined comprising (i) an overlapping region defined by the overlapping respective portions and (ii) non-overlapping regions defined by the non-overlapping portions of the graphical objects, and wherein each user-selectable region corresponds to a different executable query;

receiving, via the user interface, user-selection of a user-selectable region of the plurality of user-selectable regions;

initiating execution of a first query corresponding to the first query result, a second query corresponding to the second query result, and an executable query corresponding to the user-selected region to obtain corresponding query results; and

re-arranging the positionally related graphical objects on the basis of the obtained query results; and

a query manager configured for executing the first query, the second query and the executable query corresponding to the user-selected region.