Navigating an index to access a subject multi-dimensional database

• US 7,269,786 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2000
• Issued: 09/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Robinson, Gary, Malloy, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Campbell; Joshua D.
• Application Number:
  US09/565,132
• Time in Patent Office: 2,686 Days
• Field of Search: 715/503, 715/504, 715/904, 715/554, 715/954, 715/968, 707/4, 707/1, 707/7
• US Class Current: 715/212
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/26 Visual data mining; Browsing structured data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A technique for navigating an index to access a subject multi-dimensional database stored on a data store connected to the computer. Initially, a deviations spreadsheet comprising cells is displayed. Then, upon user selection of a cell in the deviations spreadsheet, the selected cell is displayed in the subject multi-dimensional database.

Claims

1. A method of accessing a subject multi-dimensional database stored on a data store connected to a computer, the method comprising:

displaying a deviations spreadsheet comprising cells, the deviations spreadsheet containing a dense view of data from an index database;

upon user selection of a cell in the deviations spreadsheet, displaying a cell corresponding to the selected cell in the subject multi-dimensional database.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the deviations spreadsheet is displayed in response to user selection of the deviations spreadsheet.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selection of the deviations spreadsheet launches spreadsheet software.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the spreadsheet software works in conjunction with one or more OLAP spreadsheet add-ins.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the deviations spreadsheet comprises deviation data for one or more members of the subject multi-dimensional database.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

requesting user selection of an index.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, requesting login data from a user.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving, in response to the request, user selection of a subject multi-dimensional database, a username, and a password.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a link dialog window.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising user selection of a linked partition.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising supporting navigation from the cell in the subject multi-dimensional database with one or more OLAP spreadsheet add-ins.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the deviations spreadsheet comprises the dense view of data from a sparse index multi-dimensional database indexing a top N deviations, wherein the to N deviations includes one or more deviations.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the deviations spreadsheet ranks data based on deviation values.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

linking to the subject multi-dimensional database.

15. An apparatus for accessing a subject multi-dimensional database, comprising:

a computer having at least one data store coupled thereto, wherein the at least one data store stores a subject multi-dimensional database and an index database indexing deviations of cells of the subject multi-dimensional database from a model; and

one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for displaying a deviations spreadsheet comprising cells, the deviations spreadsheet containing a dense view of data from the index database and, upon user selection of a cell in the deviations spreadsheet, displaying a cell corresponding to the selected cell in the subject multi-dimensional database.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the deviations spreadsheet is displayed in response to user selection of the deviations spreadsheet.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the selection of the deviations spreadsheet launches spreadsheet software.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the spreadsheet software works in conjunction with one or more OLAP spreadsheet add-ins.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the deviations spreadsheet ranks data based on deviation values.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the deviations spreadsheet comprises deviation data for one or more members of the subject multi-dimensional database.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising linking to the subject multi-dimensional database.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising, requesting user selection of the index database.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising, requesting login data from a user.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising receiving, in response to the request, user selection of a subject multi-dimensional database, a username, and a password.

25. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising displaying a link dialog window.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising user selection of a linked partition.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising supporting navigation from the cell in the subject multi-dimensional database with one or more OLAP spreadsheet add-ins.

28. The system of claim 15, wherein the deviations spreadsheet comprises the dense view of data from a sparse index multi-dimensional database indexing a top N deviations, wherein the top N deviations includes one or more deviations.

29. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to access a subject multi-dimensional database stored on a data store connected to the computer, comprising:

displaying a deviations spreadsheet comprising cells, the deviations spreadsheet containing a dense view of data from an index database; and

upon user selection of a cell in the deviations spreadsheet, displaying a cell corresponding to the selected cell in the subject multidimensional database.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the deviations spreadsheet is displayed in response to user selection of the deviations spreadsheet.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 30, wherein the selection of the deviations spreadsheet launches spreadsheet software.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 31, wherein the spreadsheet software works in conjunction with one or more OLAP spreadsheet add-ins.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the deviations spreadsheet comprises ranking data.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the deviations spreadsheet comprises deviation data for one or more members of the subject multi-dimensional database.

35. The article of manufacture of claim 29, further comprising linking to the subject multi-dimensional database.

36. The article of manufacture of claim 29, further comprising, requesting user selection of an index.

37. The article of manufacture of claim 29, further comprising, requesting login data from a user.

38. The article of manufacture of claim 37, further comprising receiving, in response to the request, user selection of a subject multi-dimensional database, a username, and a password.

39. The article of manufacture of claim 29, further comprising displaying a link dialog window.

40. The article of manufacture of claim 39, further comprising user selection of a linked partition.

41. The article of manufacture of claim 29, further comprising supporting navigation from the cell in the subject multi-dimensional database with one or more OLAP spreadsheet add-ins.

42. The article of manufacture of claim 29, wherein the deviations spreadsheet comprises the dense view of data from a sparse index multi-dimensional database indexing a top N deviations, wherein the top N deviations includes one or more deviations.