SEARCH AND EXPLORATION USING ANALYTICS REFERENCE MODEL

• US 20100131546A1
• Filed: 11/26/2008
• Published: 05/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Way (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: MITAL, VIJAY, Rubin, Darryl E., Green, David G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

Searching and exploration using a data-driven analytics model. The analytics model includes an analytical modeling component that defines analytical relationships between model variables using a number of analytical relations. In response to a search request, the output variable(s) of the solve operation are identified. The output variable(s) may have even been identified based on the search request. The analytical relations of the model may then be used to solve for the identified output variable(s). The resulting value(s) for the now solved-for output variable(s) may then be used to formulate the response to the search request. The nature of the response may vary depending on the scope of the application that embodied the search request capability. The results of the search request may be used for further exploration of the model by, for example, submitting follow-up search requests, resulting in follow-up solve operations.

Claims

1. A method for searching using a data-driven analytics model that includes at least an analytical modeling component that defines analytical relationships between the plurality of model variables using a plurality of analytical relations, wherein the analytical modeling component uses the plurality of analytical relations to identify which of the plurality of model variables is or are to be solved for, and which of the plurality of mode variables is or are an input variable, wherein an identity of the output model variable(s) and an identity of the input model variable(s) may change from one solve operation to the next, the method comprising:

an act of accessing a search request;

an act of identifying at least one output variable of the plurality of model variables using the search request;

an act of using the plurality of analytical relations to solve for the identified at least one output variable; and

an act of formulating a response to the search request using the solved value(s) of the at least one output variable.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the search request is one search request (a “

first”

search request), the method further comprising;

an act of receiving another search request (a “

second”

search request);

an act of identifying at least one output variable of the plurality of model variables using the second search request;

an act of using the plurality of analytical relations to solve for the identified at least one output variable that was identified using the second search request; and

an act of formulating a response to the second search request using the solved value(s) of the at least one output variable that was identified using the second search request.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

an act of receiving yet another search request (a “

third”

search request);

an act of identifying at least one output variable of the plurality of model variables using the third search request;

an act of using the plurality of analytical relations to solve for the identified at least one output variable that was identified using the third search request; and

an act of formulating a response to the third search request using the solved value(s) of the at least one output variable that was identified using the third search request.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the identity of the at least one output variable identified using the third search request is different than the identity of the at least one output variable identified using the first search request and is different than the identity of the at least one output variable identified using the second search request.

5. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the identity of the at least one output variable identified using the second search request is different than the identity of the at least one output variable identified using the first search request.

6. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the identity of the at least one output variable identified using the second search request is the same as the identity of the at least one output variable identified using the first search request.

7. The method in accordance with claim 2, wherein the solved value(s) used to formulate a response to the first request are used as at least one input variable when using the plurality of analytical relations to solve for the identified at least one output variable that was identified using the second search request.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of analytical relations are equations.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of analytical relations are constraints.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of analytical relations are rules.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of analytical relations are simulations.

12. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a computing system without contemporaneous assistance from a human being.

13. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the data-driven analytics model further comprises:

a data source that is a source for a plurality of data items; and

a data-model binding component configured to bind portions of the plurality of data items to corresponding model parameters of the plurality of model parameters.

14. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the data-driven analytics model further comprises:

a view components repository that is capable of containing a plurality of heterogenic view components, each corresponding to a visual item that may be displayed, and at least some of which being parameterized;

a model-visual binding component configured to bind the plurality of model parameter values to parameter(s) of at least one of a parameterized view components contained within the view components repository; and

a view composition module configured to formulate instructions for rendering a view that contains at least some of the visual items corresponding to the plurality of heterogenic view components.

15. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the search request requires a noise calculation in order to formulate a response to the search request.

16. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the search request specifies a range for a value of a model variable that is not yet solved, where the not-yet solved for variable becomes an output model variable for a solve that is performed in order to satisfy the search request.

17. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the act of identifying at least one output variable of the plurality of model variables using the search request is performed using a taxonomy of the analytical relations.

18. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having thereon one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform a method for searching using a data-driven analytics model that includes at least an analytical modeling component that defines analytical relationships between the plurality of model variables using a plurality of analytical relations, wherein the analytical modeling component uses the plurality of analytical relations to identify which of the plurality of model variables is or are to be solved for, and which of the plurality of mode variables is or are an input variable, wherein an identity of the output model variable(s) and an identity of the input model variable(s) may change from one solve operation to the next, the method comprising:

an act of identifying at least one output variable of the plurality of model variables using a search request received from a user;

an act of using the plurality of analytical relations to solve for the identified at least one output variable; and

an act of formulating a response to the search request using at least one solved value of the at least one output variable.

19. A computer program product in accordance with claim 18, wherein the comprising one or more computer-readable media is physical storage media.

20. A method for searching and exploring search results using a data-driven analytics model that includes at least an analytical modeling component that defines analytical relations between the plurality of model variables using a plurality of analytical relations, wherein an identity of the output model variable(s) and an identity of the input model variable(s) may change from one solve operation to the next, the method comprising:

an act of accessing a first search request;

an act of identifying at least one output variable of the plurality of model variables using the first search request;

an act of using the plurality of analytical relations to solve for the identified at least one output variable identified using the first search request;

an act of formulating a response to the search request using the solved value(s) of the at least one output variable identified using the first search request;

an act of receiving a second search request;

an act of identifying at least one output variable of the plurality of model variables using the second search request;

an act of using the plurality of analytical relations and the solved value(s) of the at least one output variable identified using the first search request to solve for the identified at least one output variable that was identified using the second search request; and

an act of formulating a response to the second search request using the solved value(s) of the at least one output variable that was identified using the second search request.