DEEP LINKING AND STATE PRESERVATION VIA A URL

• US 20160210334A1
• Filed: 01/15/2015
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Tsang, David, Prophete, Didier, Chakravarthy, Vijayasarathy
• Application Number:
  US14/598,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20160210334A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

The technology disclosed relates to a platform for ultra-fast, ad-hoc data exploration and faceted navigation on integrated, heterogeneous data sets. The disclosed apparatus and methods for deep linking and state preservation via a URL make it possible to share live data as rendered on a live dashboard, without saving a new state on a server every time data and dashboard elements are updated.

Claims

1. A method of sharing a state of a database search result and visualization, including:

accessing a visualization of a data set from an analytic data store wherein;

the data set is defined by a query against at least one analytic data store;

the data set is bound by a binding to at least one visualization widget; and

the visualization widget presents the data set in a chart or graph;

encoding in at least one URL parameter, including;

encoding the visualization widget or a reference to the visualization widget, wherein the visualization widget is bound to an analytic data store; and

encoding selector parameters from which the query is defined and the chart or graph is generated; and

transmitting a URL with the encoded URL parameter to a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the visualization of the data set includes multiple panels;

each panel declares a chart or table data visualization into which an associated data set returned by an associated query will be rendered by an associated visualization widget; and

at least some of the panels set a facet property, wherein the facet property links operation of data filtering controls among the panels, wherein selection of a data filter control in one panel causes the selected data filter control to be applied to additional panels that have the facet property set; and

further including encoding in the URL parameter, state information that defines the panels and the facet property of the panels.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the visualization widgets include control widgets;

each control widget is declared to have a control widget type selected from a group that includes at least list selector, range selector and date selector types;

each control widget selects a value or range of values of at least one associated dimension that is used to generate a query; and

further including encoding in the URL parameter, state information that represents selections made with the control widgets.

2. A method of recreating a state of a database search result and visualization from an encoded URL, including:

receiving at least one URL parameter that encodes;

a visualization widget or a reference to the visualization widget, wherein the visualization widget is bound to an analytic data store; and

selector parameters from which a query is defined and a chart or graph is generated;

decoding from the URL parameter;

decoded selector parameters, a decoded reference to the analytic data store, and a decoded visualization widget; and

using the decoded URL parameter to reproduce a visualization of a data set from the analytic data store, wherein;

the decoded selector parameters define the query that produces a data set from the analytic data store;

the data set is bound by a binding to the decoded visualization widget; and

the decoded visualization widget transforms the data set into a chart or graph visualization.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the visualization of the data set includes multiple panels;

further including decoding from the URL parameter, state information that defines the panels and a facet property of the panels;

wherein;

each panel declares a chart or table data visualization into which an associated data set returned by an associated query will be rendered by an associated visualization widget;

at least some of the panels set the facet property, wherein the facet property links operation of data filtering controls among the panels, wherein selection of a data filter control in one panel causes the selected data filter control to be applied to additional panels that have the facet property set; and

using the decoded URL parameter to reproduce the visualization with the panels and the facet property of the panels.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the visualization widgets include one or more control widgets;

further including decoding from the URL parameter, state information that represents selections made with the control widgets, wherein;

each control widget is declared to have a control widget type selected from a group that includes at least list selector, range selector and date selector types; and

each control widget selects a value or range of values of at least one associated dimension that is used to generate the query.

7. An apparatus for analyzing data and conveying analysis results comprising:

a computer including a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes computer program instructions causing the computer to implement a process including;

accessing a visualization of a data set from an analytic data store wherein;

the data set is defined by a query against at least one analytic data store;

the data set is bound by a binding to at least one visualization widget; and

the visualization widget presents the data set in a chart or graph; and

encoding in at least one URL parameter, including;

encoding the visualization widget or a reference to the visualization widget, wherein the visualization widget is bound to an analytic data store; and

encoding selector parameters from which the query is defined and the chart or graph is generated; and

transmitting a URL with the encoded URL parameter to a user.

8. A system including the apparatus of claim 7 and further including:

a second computer including a second processor;

a memory coupled to the second processor, wherein the memory includes computer program instructions causing the second computer to implement a process including;

receiving the URL parameter;

decoding from the URL parameter;

decoded selector parameters, a decoded reference to the analytic data store and a decoded visualization widget; and

using the decoded URL parameter to reproduce a visualization of a data set from the analytic data store.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further including computer program instructions causing the computer to implement a process wherein:

the visualization of the data set includes multiple panels;

each panel declares a chart or table data visualization into which an associated data set returned by an associated query will be rendered by an associated visualization widget;

at least some of the panels set a facet property, wherein the facet property links operation of data filtering controls among the panels, wherein selection of a data filter control in one panel causes the selected data filter control to be applied to additional panels that have the facet property set; and

further including encoding in the URL parameter, state information that defines the panels and the facet property of the panels.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, further including computer program instructions causing the computer to implement a process wherein:

the visualization of the data set includes control widgets;

each control widget is declared to have a control widget type selected from a group that includes at least list selector, range selector and date selector types;

each control widget selects a value or range of values of at least one associated dimension that is used to generate a query; and

further including encoding in the URL parameter, state information that represents selections made with the control widgets.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further including computer program instructions causing the computer to implement a process wherein:

the visualization of the data set includes multiple panels;

decodes from the URL parameter, state information that defines the panels and a facet property of the panels;

wherein;

each panel declares a chart or table data visualization into which an associated data set returned by an associated query will be rendered by an associated visualization widget;

at least some of the panels set a facet property, wherein the facet property links operation of data filtering controls among the panels, wherein selection of a data filter control in one panel causes the selected data filter control to be applied to additional panels that have the facet property set; and

uses the decoded URL parameter to reproduce the visualization of the data set from the panels and the facet property of the panels.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, further including computer program instructions causing the computer to implement a process wherein:

the visualization widgets include one or more control widgets;

further including decoding from the URL parameter, state information that represents selections made with the control widgets, wherein;

each control widget is declared to have a control widget type selected from a group that includes at least list selector, range selector and date selector types; and

each control widget selects a value or range of values of at least one associated dimension that is used to generate the query.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable memory including computer program instructions that cause a computer system to:

access a visualization of a data set from an analytic data store wherein;

the data set is defined by a query against at least one analytic data store;

the data set is bound by a binding to at least one visualization widget; and

the visualization widget presents the data set in a chart or graph; and

encode in at least one URL parameter, to;

encode the visualization widget or a reference to the visualization widget, wherein the visualization widget is bound to an analytic data store; and

encode selector parameters from which the query is defined and the chart or graph is generated; and

transmit a URL with the encoded URL parameter to a user.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 13, further including computer program instructions that cause a computer system to:

receive at least one URL parameter that encodes;

a visualization widget or a reference to the visualization widget, wherein the visualization widget is bound to an analytic data store; and

selector parameters from which a query is defined and the chart or graph is generated;

decode from the URL parameter;

decoded selector parameters, a decoded reference to the analytic data store, and a decoded visualization widget; and

use the decoded URL parameter to reproduce the visualization of the data set from the analytic data store, wherein;

the decoded selector parameters define the query that produces the data set from the analytic data store;

the data set is bound by a binding to the decoded visualization widget; and

the decoded visualization widget transforms the data set into a chart or graph visualization.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 13, wherein:

the visualization of the data set includes multiple panels;

each panel declares a chart or table data visualization into which an associated data set returned by an associated query will be rendered by an associated visualization widget;

at least some of the panels set a facet property, wherein the facet property links operation of data filtering controls among the panels, wherein selection of a data filter control in one panel causes the selected data filter control to be applied to additional panels that have the facet property set; and

further including computer program instructions that cause a computer system to encode in the URL parameter, state information that defines the panels and the facet property of the panels.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 13, wherein:

the visualization widgets include control widgets;

each control widget is declared to have a control widget type selected from a group that includes at least list selector, range selector and date selector types;

each control widget selects a value or range of values of at least one associated dimension that is used to generate a query; and

further including encoding in the URL parameter, state information that represents selections made with the control widgets.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14 wherein:

the visualization of the data set includes multiple panels;

each panel declares a chart or table data visualization into which an associated data set returned by an associated query will be rendered by an associated visualization widget; and

at least some of the panels set a facet property, wherein the facet property links operation of data filtering controls among the panels, wherein selection of a data filter control in one panel causes the selected data filter control to be applied to additional panels that have the facet property set; and

further including computer program instructions that cause a computer system to decode from the URL parameter, state information that defines the panels and a facet property of the panels; and

use the decoded URL parameter to reproduce the visualization of the data set from the panels and the facet property of the panels.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable memory of claim 14, wherein:

the visualization widgets include one or more control widgets;

further including computer program instructions that cause a computer system to decode from the URL parameter, state information that represents selections made with the control widgets, wherein;

each control widget is declared to have a control widget type selected from a group that includes at least list selector, range selector and date selector types; and

each control widget selects a value or range of values of at least one associated dimension that is used to generate the query.