MAP-BASED METHODS OF VISUALIZING RELATIONAL DATABASES
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for generating a database map depicting a plurality of data tables in a database, the method comprising executing instructions in a computer system to perform the operations of:
- retrieving a list of the plurality of data tables from the database;
determining a relative size and location in the database map of a first tile corresponding to a first data table of the plurality of data tables, wherein the first tile comprises a polygon and the location of the first tile is determined such that at least one edge or corner of the first tile is adjacent to a second tile in the database map corresponding to another of the plurality of data tables that is related to the first data table; and
displaying the database map in a user interface, wherein the user interface comprises one or more controls allowing a user to navigate and zoom the database map in order to reveal data contained in the first data table corresponding to the first tile.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Technologies are described herein for generating and manipulating visual maps of relational databases. A list of data tables is retrieved from the database and ordered according to the number of relationships for each data table. A database map is generated containing tiles corresponding to each data table in the list, wherein tiles corresponding to related data tables are adjacent along at least one edge or corner of the tiles where possible. The display attributes of each tile may be adjusted to reflect properties of the corresponding data table. The database map is then displayed to a user in a user interface, and controls are provided that allow the user to navigate and zoom the database map in the user interface in order to reveal data contained in the data tables corresponding to the displayed tiles.
76 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method for generating a database map depicting a plurality of data tables in a database, the method comprising executing instructions in a computer system to perform the operations of:
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retrieving a list of the plurality of data tables from the database; determining a relative size and location in the database map of a first tile corresponding to a first data table of the plurality of data tables, wherein the first tile comprises a polygon and the location of the first tile is determined such that at least one edge or corner of the first tile is adjacent to a second tile in the database map corresponding to another of the plurality of data tables that is related to the first data table; and displaying the database map in a user interface, wherein the user interface comprises one or more controls allowing a user to navigate and zoom the database map in order to reveal data contained in the first data table corresponding to the first tile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
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retrieve a list of data tables from a database; order the list of data tables according to a number of relationships for each data table in the list; place a first tile in a current layout of a database map corresponding to a first data table in the list of data tables having a greatest number of relationships; generate a list of possible layouts of the database map including a new tile corresponding to a next data table in the list of data tables, where each possible layout in the list of possible layouts comprises the current layout with one existing tile split to create a location for placement of the new tile; compute an energy for each of the possible layouts in the list of possible layouts; select the possible layout from the list of possible layouts having a greatest energy as the current layout of the database map; determine if more data tables exist in the list of data tables for placement of corresponding tiles in the database map; and upon determining that more data tables exist in the list of data tables for placement of corresponding tiles in the database map, repeat the generate, compute, and select operations until no more data tables exists in the list of data tables for placement of corresponding tiles in the database map. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for generating a database map from a database, the system comprising:
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a computer; and a database visualization module executing on the computer and configured to retrieve a list of data tables from the database, order the list of data tables according to a number of relationships for each data table in the list, compute a relative size for a tile corresponding to each data table in the list of data tables, place the tile corresponding to a first data table in the list of data tables having a greatest number of relationships in a center of a current layout of the database map, generate a list of possible layouts of the database map including the tile corresponding to a next data table in the list of data tables, wherein each possible layout in the list of possible layouts comprises the current layout with the tile corresponding to the next data table fitted into one of a number of slots located on edges and corners of existing tiles in the current layout, compute an energy for each of the possible layouts in the list of possible layouts, select the possible layout from the list of possible layouts having a greatest energy as the current layout of the database map, determine if more data tables exist in the list of data tables for placement of corresponding tiles in the database map, and upon determining that more data tables exist in the list of data tables for placement of corresponding tiles in the database map, repeat the generate, compute, and select operations until no more data tables exists in the list of data tables for placement of corresponding tiles in the database map. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification