Methods and systems of automatically geocoding a dataset for visual analysis

• US 20090319556A1
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tableau Software Incorporated (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tableau Software Incorporated (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stolte, Christopher Richard, Bunker, Ross Thomas, Wesley, Richard Michael Grantham, Mackinlay, Jock Douglas, Dahl, Austin David
• Granted Patent: US 8,306,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/00 Maps; Plans; Charts; Diagrams, e.g. route diagram star maps G09B27/04; devices for holding or supporting maps A47B97/02; for computing purposes G06G1/14, G09B1/16; display boards G09F

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of generating a map view includes accessing a dataset having multiple records and multiple fields. One or more of the multiple fields are identified as geographical fields. Geographical codes are automatically associated with a first one of the identified geographical fields. A geographical map is generated for the dataset. Generating the geographical map includes generating a first plurality of marks on the geographical map. The first plurality of marks is positioned on the geographical map in accordance with the geographical codes associated with the first one of the identified geographical fields.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of generating a map view, comprising:

accessing a dataset having multiple records and multiple fields;

identifying one or more of the multiple fields as geographical fields;

automatically associating geographical codes with a first one of the identified geographical fields; and

generating a geographical map for the dataset, including generating a first plurality of marks on the geographical map, wherein the first plurality of marks is positioned on the geographical map in accordance with the geographical codes associated with the first one of the identified geographical fields.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field comprises:

receiving user input specifying that one of the multiple fields is a geographical field.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field comprises:

automatically identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein automatically identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field comprises:

determining that at least one of the multiple fields corresponds to a level in a geographical hierarchy.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein automatically identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field comprises:

querying a schema of the dataset for metadata specifying a geographical field.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the metadata is semantic metadata.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein querying the schema of the dataset for metadata specifying the geographical field comprises:

performing an Application Programming Interface (API) call.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein automatically identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field further comprises:

determining that the metadata specifying the geographical field corresponds to a level in a geographical hierarchy.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein automatically identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field further comprises:

verifying that the geographical field specified by the metadata has an expected data type and a width at least as wide as a specified minimum width.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein automatically identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field comprises:

taking a sample of values in at least one of the multiple fields; and

verifying that at least a predefined percentage of the sample corresponds to geographical areas.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the sample is a random sample.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein automatically identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field comprises:

verifying that the geographical field specified by the metadata has an expected data type and a width at least as wide as a specified minimum width.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

identified geographical fields correspond to respective levels in a geographical hierarchy; and

the first one of the identified geographical fields corresponds to a respective level having a greatest level of detail of the respective levels.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

identified geographical fields have respective detail numbers; and

the first one of the identified geographical fields has a highest detail number of the respective detail numbers.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein automatically associating geographical codes with the first one of the identified geographical fields comprises:

adding location fields to the dataset, the location fields specifying map coordinates that correspond to respective values of the first one of the identified geographical fields of respective records in the dataset.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the location fields include a latitude field and a longitude field.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein adding the location fields to the dataset comprises:

performing a join operation with a table that includes location fields for geographical areas.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein:

identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field comprises determining that at least one of the multiple fields corresponds to a level in a geographical hierarchy; and

the map coordinates specified in the location fields added to the dataset correspond to geographical areas for the level in the geographical hierarchy.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein automatically associating geographical codes with the first one of the identified geographical fields comprises:

adding location fields to a result set generated from the dataset, the location fields specifying map coordinates for respective records in the result set.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the result set is generated by querying the dataset.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the location fields include a latitude field and a longitude field.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein adding the location fields to the result set comprises:

performing a join operation with a table that includes location fields for geographical areas.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein:

identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field comprises determining that at least one of the multiple fields corresponds to a level in a geographical hierarchy; and

the map coordinates specified in the location fields added to the result set correspond to geographical areas for the level in the geographical hierarchy.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein respective marks in the first plurality of marks have respective appearances that correspond to aggregations of data in one of the multiple fields for respective values in the first one of the identified geographical fields.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user request; and

in response to the user request;

removing the first plurality of marks from the geographical map;

automatically associating geographical codes with a second one of the identified geographical fields; and

generating a second plurality of marks on the geographical map, wherein the second plurality of marks is positioned on the geographical map in accordance with the geographical codes associated with the second one of the identified geographical fields.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, wherein:

respective marks in the first plurality of marks have respective appearances that correspond to aggregations of data in one of the multiple fields for respective values in the first one of the identified geographical fields; and

respective marks in the second plurality of marks have respective appearances that correspond to aggregations of data in one of the multiple fields for respective values in the second one of the identified geographical fields.

27. A system for generating a map view, the system comprising:

memory;

one or more processors; and

one or more programs stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including;

instructions to access a dataset having multiple records and multiple fields;

instructions to identify one or more of the multiple fields as geographical fields;

instructions to automatically associate geographical codes with a first one of the identified geographical fields; and

instructions to generate a geographical map for the dataset, including instructions to generate a first plurality of marks on the geographical map, wherein the first plurality of marks is positioned on the geographical map in accordance with the geographical codes associated with the first one of the identified geographical fields.

28. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for use in generating a map view, the one or more programs configured to be executed by a computer system and comprising:

instructions to access a dataset having multiple records and multiple fields;

instructions to identify one or more of the multiple fields as geographical fields;

instructions to automatically associate geographical codes with a first one of the identified geographical fields; and

instructions to generate a geographical map for the dataset, including instructions to generate a first plurality of marks on the geographical map, wherein the first plurality of marks is positioned on the geographical map in accordance with the geographical codes associated with the first one of the identified geographical fields.