Method for displaying a visual representation of mapping between a source schema and a destination schema emphasizing visually adjusts the objects such that they are visually distinguishable from the non-relevant and non-selected objects

• US 7,478,079 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Panditharadhya, Prasad Sripathi, Bhaskara, Udaya K., Czerwinski, Mary P., Robertson, George G., Churchill, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US11/035,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 3, 707100-1041, 715234-236, 715/239, 715/762, 715/828, 715/781, 715/840, 715/864, 715809-810, 715821-822, 715/830, 715/966
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/211 Schema design and management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/88 Mark-up to mark-up conversion conversion for visualization in web browsing G06F16/9577
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/966 Computer process, e.g. operation of computer

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide the ability to effectively visualize the mapping between two schemas, referred to herein as a source schema (or first schema) and a destination schema (or second schema), regardless of the size or complexity of the schemas and mappings. According to one aspect of the present invention a method for visually representing a mapping between a first schema and a second schema is provided. The method includes receiving a selection of an object, emphasizing the selected object and identifying a plurality of objects that are relevant to the selected object. The objects that are identified as being relevant to the selected object are also emphasized.

Claims

1. A method for visually representing a mapping between a source schema and a destination schema, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of a first object via a user interface of a computing device, wherein the object corresponds to the source schema and is a graphical representation of any schema element, link, or functoid that may be used in mapping two schemas;

emphasizing the first selected object from the source schema, wherein emphasizing visually adjusts the object such that it is visually distinguishable from the non-selected objects;

determining at least one second object corresponding to the destination schema that is associated with the selected object from the source schema at least one of a link or a functional object in the mapping between the source schema and the destination schema;

identifying a plurality of non-relevant objects that are not related to the second object; and

de-emphasizing the plurality of non-relevant objects;

emphasizing the at least one second object, generating data representative of a network of functional operations between the source schema and destination schema; and

displaying the mapping between the source schema and destination schema by the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein emphasizing the plurality of objects includes highlighting the plurality of objects.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a plurality of objects includes, identifying a path leading into the selected object, wherein the path includes at least one link and at least one element.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a plurality of objects includes, identifying a path leading out of the selected object, wherein the path includes at least one link and at least one element.

5. A method of displaying a visual representation of a mapping between a source schema and a destination schema, wherein the mapping between the source schema and the destination schema is graphically represented by a network of functional operations, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of an object via a user interface of a computing device, wherein the object is a graphical representation of any schema element, link, or functoid that may be used in mapping two schemas;

identifying a plurality of objects relevant to the selected object, wherein at least one of the relevant objects and the selected object is a source schema element, at least one of the relevant objects and the selected object is a destination schema element, and wherein the plurality of objects are determined to be relevant based on an association of the selected object and plurality of relevant objects by at least one of a link or a functional object in the mapping,

auto-scrolling the relevant objects and first schema to a center point with respect to the selected object and first schema, wherein the mapping includes at least one relevant object and the first schema, and the mapping is auto-scrolled to position the at least one relevant object and the first schema in a display; and

emphasizing each of the relevant objects and the selected object, wherein emphasizing visually adjusts the objects such that they are visually distinguishable from the non-relevant and non-selected objects.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein receiving a selection of an object includes receiving a selection of a schema element.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

graphically representing the at least one source schema element with a marker.

8. The method of claim7, wherein the marker is interactive.