Incremental Visualization for Structured Data in an Enterprise-level Data Store

• US 20130268520A1
• Filed: 04/04/2012
• Published: 10/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Fisher, Danyel A., Drucker, Steven M., Knig, Arnd Christian
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,936 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/723
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results

Abstract

The subject disclosure is directed towards simulating query execution to provide incremental visualization for a global data set. A data store may be configured for searching at least a portion of a global data set being stored at an enterprise-level data store. In response to a user-issued query, partial query results are provided to a front-end interface for display to the user. The front-end interface also provides statistical information corresponding to the partial query results in relation to the global data set, which may be used to determine when a current set of query results becomes acceptable as a true/accurate estimate.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, a method performed at least in part on at least one processor, comprising, simulating query execution to provide incremental visualization for a global data set, including, processing parameter data for configuring the global data set for searching, executing operations on at least a portion of the global data set in response to a query, providing partial results in accordance with the parameter data, and providing statistical information, corresponding to the partial results, in relation to the global data set.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the statistical information further comprises computing uncertainty statistical data for the partial results, and displaying the uncertainty statistical data via an interface.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring user interactions with interface elements associated with presenting at least a portion of the partial results.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the operations further comprising transforming a visually formulated query into the operations associated with searching a data store.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the operations further comprising executing a distributed query for searching the portion of the global data set that is maintained by virtual storage machines.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the statistical information further comprises producing confidence bound indicia associated with the partial results, rendering a visual representation on an interface element comprising the partial results and the statistical information, and coupling the visual representation with the confidence bound indicia.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising updating the partial results with incremental data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the partial results further comprises calibrating presentation of the partial results after modifying the parameter data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the partial results further comprises generating virtual response data for each storage machine of an emulated enterprise-level data store.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying a representative sample for the structured enterprise data within the global data set.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the partial results further comprises emulating an enterprise-level data store comprising the global data set.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the simulation mechanism is further configured to instruct the front-end interface to generate a set of interface elements for expressing a progression of visual representations.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the simulation mechanism is further configured to control incremental visualizations associated with the current set of query results based upon parameter data.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the simulation mechanism is further configured to generate an approximate full query result using the at least one sample.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the simulation mechanism is further configured to estimate a confidence bound based upon the current set of results.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the simulation mechanism is further configured to modify a sample size associated with the global data set.

2. The method of claim further comprises presenting a visual representation associated with the partial results and the statistical information via an interface.

13. In a computing environment, a system comprising, at least one processor, a memory communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and including components configured to execute on the at least one processor and comprising, a simulation mechanism configured to operate between a front-end interface and a back-end data store, the front-end interface configured to communicate queries to the simulation mechanism, the back-end data store configured to store structured data representing at least one sample of a global data set, the simulation mechanism further configured to interpret the queries and instruct the back-end data store to produce incremental data, and the front-end interface further configured to produce a visual representation of a current set of query results comprising the incremental data.

19. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which in response to execution by a computer, cause the computer to perform steps comprising:

rendering interface elements for a computer display;

selecting a mode for displaying a progression of visual representations via the interface elements while iterating a query execution simulation;

capturing user activity data corresponding to the progression of visual representations;

building a prediction model by correlating the user activity data with iterations of an uncertainty estimate associated with a current set of results; and

deploying the prediction model to an enterprise-level data store.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 19 having further computer-executable instructions, which in response to execution by the computer, cause the computer to perform further steps comprising:

configure a data store to emulate an enterprise-level data store comprising structured enterprise data.