Hierarchy global management system and user interface

• US 20080235249A1
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Initiate Systems, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Jacobs, Bradley Scott, Scotece, Michael, Neto, Joaquim, Stephens, Sean, Cushman, James B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/282 Hierarchical databases, e.g. IMS, LDAP data stores or Lotus Notes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein provide data management systems with an ability to integrate parent-child and peer-to-peer relationships (e.g., hierarchies) in a single interface, allowing a user to parent/unparent, link/unlink, merge/unmerge, and modify trusted attributes in a single interaction using highly accurate algorithms to provide data, including hints and recommendations for the management of these hierarchies. A user interface allows a user to perform hierarchy global management functions including read, write, business-to-business (B2B) search, navigation, and maintenance.

Claims

1. A hierarchy global management system comprising:

a processor; and

one or more computer readable media accessible by said processor and storing computer instructions executable by said processor to implement a user interface having a plurality of functions for managing indexed master records, wherein said computer instructions comprise;

code for searching an organization in a hierarchy based on one or more search criteria;

code for returning a set of records, each of which matches said one or more search criteria to a degree of confidence, wherein said set of records represent one or more members of said hierarchy, including said organization;

code for loading said hierarchy or a portion thereof into a workspace of said user interface;

code for navigating among loaded members within said hierarchy; and

code for making relationship changes to said loaded members of said hierarchy.

2. The hierarchy global management system of claim 1, wherein each member of said hierarchy is a node having a master record of said member and zero to any number of candidate records that are linked to said member.

3. The hierarchy global management system of claim 2, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for enabling a user to add and edit attribute values of said master record.

4. The hierarchy global management system of claim 3, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for versioning said master record.

5. The hierarchy global management system of claim 1, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for enabling a user to move said loaded members within said hierarchy.

6. The hierarchy global management system of claim 1, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for enabling a user to move said loaded members across hierarchies residing in said hierarchy global management system.

7. The hierarchy global management system of claim 1, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for enabling a user to break said organization out from said hierarchy into a separate hierarchy.

8. The hierarchy global management system of claim 1, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for enabling a user to compare records to determine their degree of similarity, and whether they belong to same member or in the same hierarchy.

9. The hierarchy global management system of claim 1, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for enabling a user to add, update, or delete a member.

10. The hierarchy global management system of claim 9, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for presenting to a user an instruction from a third party source to delete a member of said hierarchy.

11. The hierarchy global management system of claim 9, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for enabling a user to change parenting and identity relationships of said member.

12. The hierarchy global management system of claim 1, wherein said computer instructions further comprise:

code for searching organizations whose demographics meet said one or more search criteria;

code for searching organizations having a specific linkage task associated therewith; and

code for searching organizations having a specific data management task associated therewith.

13. The hierarchy global management system of claim 1, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for enabling a user to export a consolidated view of said hierarchy or a portion thereof to a delimited file.

14. The hierarchy global management system of claim 1, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for displaying linkage details between members of said hierarchy, wherein said linkage details include match scores, wherein a soft linkage represents a lower score match, and wherein a hard linkage represents a higher score match.

15. The hierarchy global management system of claim 1, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for presenting a change in an attribute value of a master record of a member of said hierarchy.

16. The hierarchy global management system of claim 1, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for automatically processing said change and updating said master record.

17. A computer readable medium carrying computer executable instructions implementing a user interface having a plurality of functional areas for managing indexed master records, wherein said plurality of functional areas comprise:

a Find Organization functional area for enabling a user to search by Organization, by Linkage, or by Task;

a Search Results functional area for displaying a set of records representing one or more members of a hierarchy that match, to a degree of confidence, one or more search criteria specified by said user;

a Compare functional area for enabling said user to compare records to determine whether they belong to same member;

a Hierarchy Tree functional area for displaying said hierarchy or a portion thereof and enabling said user to navigate among members of said hierarchy; and

an Organization Details functional area for enabling said user to view and edit attributes, linkages, and tasks associated with a member of said hierarchy, wherein each member of said hierarchy is a composite node having at least two candidate records that are linked together and wherein one of said at least two candidate records is a master record of said member.

18. A system comprising:

a processor; and

one or more computer readable media accessible by said processor and storing computer instructions executable by said processor to implement a user interface having a plurality of functional areas for managing indexed master records, wherein said plurality of functional areas comprise;

a Find Organization functional area for enabling a user to search by Organization, by Linkage, or by Task;

a Search Results functional area for displaying a set of records representing one or more members of a hierarchy that match, to a degree of confidence, one or more search criteria specified by said user;

a Compare functional area for enabling said user to compare records to determine whether they belong to same member;

a Hierarchy Tree functional area for displaying said hierarchy or a portion thereof and enabling said user to navigate among members of said hierarchy; and

an Organization Details functional area for enabling said user to view and edit attributes, linkages, and tasks associated with a member of said hierarchy, wherein each member of said hierarchy is a composite node having at least two candidate records that are linked together and wherein one of said at least two candidate records is a master record of said member.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein each member of said hierarchy is a node having a master record of said member and zero to any number of candidate records that are linked to said member and wherein a node is declared composite when at least two candidate records are linked together.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said computer instructions further comprise code for enabling a user to add, edit, or delete said master record.