METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR NAVIGATION AND VISUALIZATION OF DATA IN RELATIONAL AND/OR MULTIDIMENSIONAL DATABASES

• US 20070130113A1
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heng Ting
• Original Assignee: Heng Ting
• Inventors: Ting, Heng
• Granted Patent: US 9,336,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2423 Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A computer-implemented design tool for the navigation and visualization of data in at least one relational and/or multidimensional database. The design tool allows a user to partition a display screen into a plurality of frames, to insert and configure controls within each frame to form a dashboard, the controls defining queries to the database(s) and any rules associated with those queries, and to create the dashboards in multiple levels for each of the frames. Configuring the controls permits a user to define drill actions for the controls within each dashboard to target dashboards in any of the multiple levels, both within the same frame as the starting dashboard, as well as in any or all of the other frames. The user-defined drill actions provide for powerful and highly flexible multi-path and multi-level navigation to achieve visualization of data in the database(s), by displaying on the display screen a respective target dashboard of any one of the multiple levels in each frame according to the controls selected by the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for the visualization and navigation of data from at least one of a relational or a multidimensional database, the method comprising the steps of:

a) defining at least one module which may be used to better display information for the specific organization or business purposes and objective;

b) partitioning the at least one module as seen on a display screen into a plurality of frames;

c) inserting controls into the defined frames of the at least one module;

d) configuring the properties and business rules of the controls in the frames to create dashboards;

e) establishing said dashboards in multiple levels for each of said frames; and

f) setting up drill-actions for the related controls in each said dashboard for multi-path and multi-level navigations to others of said dashboards to complete the at least one module.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 further comprising setting up drill-actions for the related controls in the dashboards to any other business modules, external Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), websites or applications.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein said controls are configured with at least a drill-action to a dashboard, a URL or an application.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein one of said plurality of frames is adapted to display representations relating to different stages of a process, respective controls being displayed in association with said representations, said controls having drill-actions for extracting and displaying further information relating to the associated process stage in one or more of the others of said plurality of frames.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein the controls displayed in association with said representations are color-coded according to a comparison of a result relating to a query to said at least one of a relational or a multidimensional database with a target or threshold.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of frames individually comprises boundaries which do not overlap.

8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the number of dashboard levels for any one of said frames is independent of the number of dashboard levels in any other of said frames.

9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the use of a query generator with business rules capabilities for performing an ad-hoc query on said at least one of a relational or a multi dimensional database.

2. A computer-implemented method for the navigation and visualization of data in at least one of a relational or a multidimensional database, the method comprising the steps of:

a) partitioning a display screen into a plurality of frames;

b) inserting and configuring controls to form a dashboard within each frame, wherein the controls define queries to said at least one of a relational or a multidimensional database, and any rules associated with those queries; and

c) creating said dashboards in multiple levels for each of said frames;

wherein the step of configuring the controls includes the user defining drill actions for the controls within each dashboard to target dashboards in any of said levels, said target dashboards including dashboards within the same frame as said each dashboard and including dashboards in other frames of said plurality of frames;

whereby said drill actions provide for multi-path and multi-level navigation to achieve visualization of data in said at least one relational and/or multidimensional database, by displaying on said display screen a respective target dashboard of any one of the multiple levels in each frame according to the controls selected by said user.

15. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, further comprising setting up drill-actions for the related controls in the dashboards to any other business modules, external Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), websites or applications.

16. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, wherein said controls are configured with at least a drill-action to a dashboard, a URL or an application.

17. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, wherein each one of the plurality of frames individually comprises boundaries which do not overlap.

18. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, wherein the number of dashboard levels for any one of said frames is independent of the number of dashboard levels in any other of said frames.

19. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, wherein said method further comprises the use of a query generator with business rules capabilities for performing an ad-hoc query on said at least one of a relational or a multi dimensional database.

10. A computer-implemented system for the visualization and navigation of data from at least one of a relational or a multidimensional database, the system comprising means for:

defining at least one module which may be used to display information for the specific organization or business purpose and objectives;

partitioning the at least one module as seen on a display screen into different frames;

inserting controls into the defined frames of the module;

configuring the properties and business rules of the controls in the frames to create dashboards;

establishing said dashboards in multiple levels for each of said frames;

setting up drill-actions for the related controls in each said dashboard for multi-path and multi-level navigations to others of said dashboards; and

saving the different sets of dashboards to complete the at least one module, ready for multi-path and multi-level navigations.

11. The visualization and navigation system of claim 10, wherein to facilitate interaction and analysis of charts in the dashboards of any said business module, means are provided whereby the user may apply new business rules and mathematical calculations to the charts, and the results thereof viewed directly in the user mode.

12. The visualization and navigation system of claim 10, wherein to facilitate interaction and analysis of charts in the dashboards of any said business module, means are provided whereby the user may perform relational and/or multidimensional analysis on the charts, comprising a query generator with business rules capabilities and functions that is operable in a run-time, user mode whereby the user may perform an ad-hoc query on said at least one of a relational or a multidimensional databases using the query generator.

13. The visualization and navigation system of claim 11, wherein means are provided whereby the user may save the results of newly applied rules and calculations or of the query as a new chart.

20. The visualization and navigation system of claim 12, wherein means are provided whereby the user may save the results of newly applied rules and calculations or of the query as a new chart.

14. A computer-implemented design tool for the navigation and visualization of data in at least one of a relational or a multidimensional database, the design tool comprising:

means for partitioning a display screen into a plurality of frames;

means for inserting and configuring controls within each frame of said plurality of frames to form a dashboard, wherein the controls define queries to said at least one of a relational or a multidimensional database, and any rules associated with those queries; and

means for creating said dashboards in multiple levels for each of said plurality of frames;

wherein said means for configuring the controls permits a user to define drill actions for the controls within each dashboard to target dashboards in any of said levels, said target dashboards including dashboards within the same frame as said each dashboard and including dashboards in other frames of said plurality of frames;

whereby said drill actions provide for multi-path and multi-level navigation to achieve visualization of data in said at least one of a relational or a multidimensional database, by displaying on said display screen a respective target dashboard of any one of the multiple levels in each frame according to the controls selected by said user.