Defining a data dependency path through a body of related data

• US 7,076,493 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Metadata LLC
• Original Assignee: Metadata LLC
• Inventors: Myers, Jack E, Ravenelle, Rodney T, Peacock, Stephen W
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Application Number:
  US10/855,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20050278275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/749
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A data dependency path calculator for a semantic search engine is provided. A body of semantically related data is modeled according to a semantic data model. A user is presented a list of data elements from which they may select desired data elements. The system automatically calculates all of the possible paths through the database that may be used to retrieve meaningful data based on the selected data elements. The available data dependency paths are returned to the user for selection. The system further provides a type of data permission that allows restricted data elements to be used as a pass-through data element for relating, connecting and retrieving non-restricted data. Thus, a user can use restricted data to create data dependency paths to retrieve meaningful data.

Claims

1. A computer-assisted method for automatically calculating a data dependency path defining logically connected data usable to identify queried data, comprising steps of:

analyzing a data model stored in one or more computer readable media to identify a data view of the data model, said data model comprising a propositional structure representing a grammar having a plurality of parts of speech, said propositional structure having 28 predefined data relations comprising identifiers, modifiers, and descriptors related using predefined logical operators;

automatically creating the data dependency path based on the identified data view; and

a

storing data identifying the data dependency path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating step further comprises selecting data elements from the identified data view of the data model.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the creating step further comprises selecting a data perspective as a starting point for the data dependency path.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data perspective is selected from one of a plurality of data perspectives.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of data perspectives is ranked according to semantic prominence.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the semantic prominence is calculated by performing steps comprising:

selecting a potential data perspective;

determining how many selected data elements are directly related to the potential data perspective; and

ranking the potential data perspectives according to the number of directly related data elements.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the steps for calculating semantic prominence are performed for each potential data perspective.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising if two of the data elements from the data model have a similar name, displaying each similarly named data element and a description of each similarly named element prior to selecting data elements.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving a selection of one of the similarly named elements.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected data elements comprise a set of data elements about which the calculated data dependency path will return data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the data view comprises data located in a plurality of databases.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data view comprises of a set of data elements.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data view further comprises data relations in which the set of data elements participate.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the data dependency path is limited to the selected data view.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating step further comprises selecting one or more data relations in order to resolve a context ambiguity.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the selecting of the set of data relations limits possible calculated data dependency paths.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the creating step further comprises:

retrieving a data perspective indicative of the starting point of the data dependency path;

inspecting the data elements directly related to the data perspective;

if any of the data elements directly related to the data perspective is a selected data element adding the directly related data element to the data dependency path.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to creating the data dependency path;

defining a restricted permission type wherein data is restricted from a user; and

applying the restricted permission type to a first data element;

wherein the created data dependency path uses the first data element as a pass-through.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the restricted permission type prevents the user from viewing data for the first data element.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the creating step further comprises selecting data elements from the data model to be included in the data dependency path.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

defining an unrestricted permission type wherein data is not restricted from the user;

wherein the selected data elements are assigned the unrestricted permission type.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a set of parameters within the data dependency path; and

sending an alert if valid data matching the set of parameters is received into the data model.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the data dependency path is selected from a plurality of data dependency paths.

24. A computer readable medium containing computer-executable instructions for performing a method for automatically calculating a data dependency path defining logically connected data usable to identify queried data said method comprising steps of:

analyzing a data model stored in one or more computer readable media to identify a data view of the data model, said data model comprising a propositional structure representing a grammar having a plurality of parts of speech, said propositional structure having 28 predefined data relations comprising identifiers modifiers, and descriptors related using predefined logical operators;

automatically creating the data dependency path based on the identified data view; and

storing data identifying the data dependency path.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the creating step further comprises selecting data elements from the data model.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the creating step further comprises selecting a data perspective as a starting point for the data dependency path.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the data perspective is selected from one of a plurality of data perspectives.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein each of the plurality of data perspectives is ranked according to semantic prominence.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the semantic prominence is calculated by performing steps comprising:

selecting a potential data perspective;

determining how many selected data elements are directly related to the potential data perspective; and

ranking the potential data perspectives according to the number of directly related data elements.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the instructions further comprise repeating the steps for calculating semantic prominence for each potential data perspective.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the instructions further comprise, when two of the data elements from the data model have a similar name, displaying each similarly named data element and a description of each similarly named element prior to selecting data elements.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the instructions further comprise receiving a selection of one of the similarly named elements.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the selected data elements comprise a set of data elements about which the calculated data dependency path will return data.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the data view comprises data located in a plurality of databases.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the data view comprises a set of data elements.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 35, wherein the data view further comprises data relations in which the set of data elements participate.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the data dependency path is limited to the selected data view.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the creating step further comprises selecting a set of data relations in order to resolve a context ambiguity.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 38, wherein the selecting of the set of data relations limits possible calculated data dependency paths.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the creating step further comprises:

retrieving a data perspective indicative of the starting point of the data dependency path;

inspecting the data elements directly related to the data perspective;

if any of the data elements directly related to the data perspective is a selected data element adding the directly related data element to the data dependency path.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions further comprise:

prior to creating the data dependency path;

defining a restricted permission type wherein data is restricted from a user; and

applying the restricted permission type to a first data element;

wherein the created data dependency path uses the first data element as a pass-through.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein the restricted permission type prevents the user from viewing data for the first data element.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein the creating step further comprises selecting data elements from the data model to be included in the data dependency path.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, wherein the instructions further comprise:

defining an unrestricted permission type wherein data is not restricted from the user;

wherein the selected data elements are assigned the unrestricted permission type.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the instructions further comprise:

defining a set of parameters within the data dependency path; and

sending an alert if valid data matching the set of parameters is received into the data model.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 45, wherein the data dependency path is selected from a plurality of data dependency paths.