Online modifications of dimension structures in multidimensional processing

• US 6,418,427 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Decode Genetics Ehf.
• Original Assignee: Decode Genetics Ehf.
• Inventors: Gudbjartsson, Hakon, Egilsson, Agust Sverrir
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Veillard, Jacques
• Application Number:
  US09/475,695
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/10, 707/100, 707/102, 707/103
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A method/operator is disclosed that modifies dimension structures and relations during processing in a multidimensional data cube. The online “blowup” operator disclosed uses one or more hierarchical structures to expand a hypercube in order to reveal internal connections between attributes in relations associated with the hypercube. The operator is generic and may be applied to any dimension using hierarchical structures to guide the process. Furthermore, it is applicable to any data warehouse design. The methods enable a user, performing multidimensional analysis, to view, online, internal connections between attributes when going from one level to another in the hierarchical structures. Such as when comparing complex health related statistics for individuals across different age periods or for individuals versus their ancestors. The methods disclosed, facilitate OLAP for more complex data than current designs do.

Claims

1. A method for modifying dimension structures and relations in multidimensional processing, comprising:

(a) determining relations for processing, each relation having a respective domain,

(b) associating the domains of said relations with dimensions in a hypercube representation,

(c) associating one or more hierarchical structures with at least one of the dimensions in said hypercube,

(d) designating hierarchical structures and a common level of said hierarchical structures associated with a dimension in said hypercube,

(e) modifying the dimension structure of said hypercube by adding new instances of the dimensions in said hypercube, repeatedly for each hierarchical structure designated,

(f) modifying the set of relations associated with the hypercube by adding new relations, for processing, representing parts of the original relations but associated with corresponding said new instances of the dimensions, and

(g) relating the designated dimension and the new instances of the designated dimension by adding binary relations, for processing, representing parts of the graphs of the designed hierarchical functions above and on the level designated,

thereby implementing a blowup operator for said hypercube representation.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

(a) repeatedly applying said blowup operator and/or other operators that otherwise modify and/or add relations for processing in the hypercube and/or modify the dimension structure in the hypercube,

(b) determining join criteria and join operators for the dimensions in the modified hypercube,

(c) determining calculated relations for the modified hypercube, and

(d) composing related values from the relations associated with said modified hypercube into points in said modified hypercube using said join criteria, said join operators and said calculated relations.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

(a) designating said hierarchical structures and level by associating a metadata/macro description with said dimension, and where said metadata/macro description initiates and controls a sequence of operations including, repeatedly applying said blowup operator and/or other operators that otherwise modify and/or add relations for processing in the hypercube and/or modify the dimension structure in the hypercube,

(b) determining join criteria and join operators for the dimensions in the modified hypercube,

(c) determining calculated relations for the modified hypercube, and

(d) composing related values from the relations associated with said modified hypercube into points in said modified hypercube using said join criteria, said join operators and said calculated relations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said relations contain, inter alia, heterogeneous information including disease/health data about individuals, genotype readings and/or readings about environmental factors and/or said hierarchical structures contain information about genealogical records or classification of attributes used in association with health related records about individuals.

5. A system for modifying dimension structures and relations in multidimensional processing, the system comprising:

(a) means for determining relations for processing,

(b) means for associating the domains of said relations with dimensions in a hypercube representation,

(c) means for associating one or more hierarchical structures with at least a one of the dimensions in said hypercube,

(d) means for designating hierarchical structures and a common level of said hierarchical structures associated with a dimension in said hypercube,

(e) means for modifying the dimension structure of said hypercube by adding new instances of the dimensions in said hypercube, repeatedly for each hierarchical structure designated,

(f) means for modifying the set of relations associated with the hypercube by adding new relations, for processing, representing parts of the original relations but associated with corresponding said new instances of the dimensions, and

(g) means for relating the designated dimension and the new instances of the designated dimension by adding binary relations, for processing, representing parts of the graphs of the designed hierarchical functions above and on the level designated,

thereby implementing a blowup operator in a system for processing multidimensional hypercube representations.

6. The system of claim 5, further including,

(a) means for repeatedly applying said blowup operator and/or other operators that otherwise modify and/or add relations for processing in the hypercube and/or modify the dimension structure in the hypercube,

(b) means for determining join criteria and join operators for the dimensions in the modified hypercube,

(c) means for determining calculated relations for the modified hypercube, and

(d) means for composing related values from the relations associated with said modified hypercube into points in said modified hypercube using said join criteria, said join operators and said calculated relations.

7. The system of claim 5, further including:

(a) means for designating said hierarchical structures and level by associating a metadata/macro description with said dimension, and where said metadata/macro description initiates and controls a sequence of operations including, repeatedly applying said blowup operator and/or other operators that otherwise modify and/or add relations for processing in the hypercube and/or modify the dimension structure in the hypercube,

(b) means for determining join criteria and join operators for the dimensions in the modified hypercube,

(c) means for determining calculated relations for the modified hypercube, and

(d) means for composing related values from the relations associated with said modified hypercube into points in said modified hypercube using said join criteria, said join operators and said calculated relations.

8. The system of claim 5, further including means for having said relations contain, inter alia, heterogeneous information including disease/health data about individuals, genotype readings and/or readings about environmental factors and/or said hierarchical structures contain information about genealogical records or classification of attributes used in association with health related records about individuals.