Automatic generation of a dimensional model for business analytics from an object model for online transaction processing

• US 7,275,024 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Issued: 09/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yeh, Adam, Lo, Alvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ferris; Fred
• Application Number:
  US10/386,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20040181440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 700100-104, 702/1, 702/2, 702/6, 715/811, 703/17, 707/1, 707/10, 705/27, 705/39
• US Class Current: 703/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/288 Entity relationship models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

The present invention automatically generates a dimensional model from an object model. The relationships in the object model are used to infer foreign key relationships in the dimensional model.

Claims

1. A computer implemented dimensional model generation system having a tangible component, comprising:

a dimensional model generation component comprising a map system generating a data set schema based on mapping information and a model construction system, coupled to the map system, constructing a dimensional model based on the data set schema, the dimensional model generation component configured to receive, as inputs;

object model description information describing a relationship between entities in an object model;

a user-defined focal point of analysis identifying information in the object model as a focal point in the dimensional model; and

the mapping information indicative of a mapping between entities in the object model and a persistent data store;

the dimensional model generator being configured to automatically generate the dimensional model based on the inputs.

2. The dimensional model generation system of claim 1 wherein the map system comprises:

a map object generator generating map objects based on user-provided mapping information; and

a map walker traversing the map objects and creating the data set schema based on traversal of the map objects.

3. The dimensional model generation system of claim 2 wherein the map object generator is configured to retrieve relational database tables, having columns, based on the mapping information.

4. The dimensional model generation system of claim 3 wherein the map object generator is configured to generate table and column objects for tables and columns retrieved.

5. The dimensional model generation system of claim 4 wherein the map walker is configured to apply foreign key relationships tote table and column objects created based on the relationships described in the object model description information.

6. The dimensional model generation system of claim 5 wherein the map walker is configured to identify entities marked as focal points based on the focal point identifier.

7. The dimensional model generation system of claim 6 wherein the map walker is configured to generate a named query by traversing the foreign key relationships for table objects corresponding to the identified entities.

8. The dimensional model generation system of claim 7 wherein the map walker is configured to use the named query to construct a logical view in the data set schema.

9. The dimensional model generation system of claim 7 wherein the model construction system comprises:

a model generator generating the dimensional model from the data set schema.

10. The dimensional model generation system of claim 7 wherein the model construction system comprises:

a model materializer supporting an interface which, when invoked, materializes a specified dimensional model.

11. The dimensional model generation system of claim 2 wherein the map object generator comprises:

a mapper component configured to receive the mapping information and generate a serialized representation of the user provided mapping information; and

a map loader, coupled to the mapper, configured to generate the map objects based on the serialized representation of the mapping information.

12. The dimensional model generation system of claim 2 wherein the map walker is configured to generate the data set schema to represent tables and columns in the persistent data store that the entities described by the object model description information are mapped to.

13. A method, implemented at least in part by a machine, of generating a dimensional model from an object model that is mapped to a persistent data store, comprising:

automatically generating the dimensional model based on inputs including object description information indicative of relationships among objects in the object model, user-defined focal point information indicative of focal points of analysis in the object description information that is indicative of the object model, and mapping information indicative of mappings between objects in the object model and the persistent data store.

14. The method of claim 13 and further comprising, prior to automatically generating:

receiving the inputs as computer readable inputs.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein automatically generating comprises:

generating a data set schema based on the mapping information.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein automatically generating comprises:

constructing the dimensional model based on the data set schema.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein generating the data set schema comprises:

generating map objects based on the mapping information; and

traversing the map objects and creating the data set schema based on traversal of the map objects.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein generating map objects comprises:

retrieving relational database tables, having columns, based on the mapping information.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein generating map objects comprises:

generating table and column objects for tables and columns retrieved.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein traversing the map objects comprises:

applying foreign key relationships to the table and column objects created based on the relationships described in the object model description information.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein traversing the map objects comprises:

identifying entities marked as focal points based on the focal point identifier.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein traversing the map objects comprises:

generating a named query by traversing the foreign key relationships for table objects corresponding to the identified entities.

23. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause a computer to perform steps of:

receiving, as computer readable inputs, object description information indicative of relationships among objects in the object model, focal point information indicative of user-defined focal points analysis in the object model, indicated by the object description information and mapping information indicative of mappings between objects in the object model and the persistent data store; and

automatically generating and outputting the dimensional model based on the inputs.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23 wherein automatically generating comprises:

generating a data set schema based on the mapping information; and

constructing the dimensional model based on the data set schema.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24 wherein generating a data set schema comprises:

generating map objects based on the mapping information by retrieving relational database tables, having columns, based on the mapping information, generating table and column objects for tables and columns retrieved and applying foreign key relationships to the table and column objects created based on the relationships described in the object model description information; and

traversing the foreign key relationships and creating the data set schema based on traversal of the map objects.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25 wherein traversing the foreign key relationships comprises:

identifying entities marked as focal points based on the focal point identifier; and

generating a named query by traversing the foreign key relationships for table objects corresponding to the identified entities.