Database visualization and searching

• US 7,565,374 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2006
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Limberger, Tobias
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US11/351,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20060190442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/440, 345/589, 345/593, 345/645, 345/650, 345/676, 707/6, 707/10, 707/102, 707/104.1, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 715/201, 715/205, 715/235, 715/272, 715/700, 715/716, 715/738, 715/763
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

In providing visualization of entries of a database for browsing meta data types may be provided, and meta data of each type may be associated with each database entry. The meta data types may describe different properties of the respective database entries. Three meta data types may be selected and mapped to a different one of three axes spanning a three dimensional space. Database entries may be displayed in the three dimensional space at coordinates given by the respective meta data of the three selected meta data types, thereby grouping related database entries generally in proximity to each other and unrelated database entries generally spaced apart.

Claims

1. A method for providing visualization of entries of a database for browsing, comprising:

providing meta data types and associating meta data of each type with each database entry, the meta data types describing different properties of the respective database entries including one or more of time, place, topic and confidentiality;

selecting three meta data types and using a processor to map each of the selected meta data types onto a different one of three axes spanning a three dimensional space;

displaying database entries in the three dimensional space by a scatter plot at coordinates given by the respective meta data of the three selected meta data types;

grouping related database entries generally in proximity to each other and unrelated database entries generally spaced apart such that the database entries that are related in time, place, topic and confidentiality are grouped generally in proximity to each other, the related database entries each forming at least one entity of database entries that is displayed as a graphical entity within the three dimensional space;

selecting a fourth meta data type and using the processor to map the fourth meta data type as a graphical property to indicate a relative age of the database entries;

enabling browsing of the displayed database entries in the three dimensional space for selection of one or more of the database entries;

enabling viewing of a database entry in response to a selection of one of the displayed database entries; and

enabling selection and viewing of one or more additional database entries based on a visually inferred relatedness of the database entries from the groupings of the database entries.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical entity displayed within the three dimensional space includes a scatter plot grouping.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the database entries are graphically marked by one or more of a color, shape or interconnecting lines.

4. The method claim 1, wherein database entries adjacent in time are interconnected by lines to form a time-ordered interconnected string of database entries.

5. The method claim 1, wherein the fourth meta data type is selected and the database entries are graphically represented in the three dimensional space with the graphical property that varies as a function of the respective meta data of the fourth meta data type, the graphical property including one or more of a color, shape, size, or transparency.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

monitoring a browsing of the database entries; and

deleting database entries that are infrequently browsed.

7. A computer program product comprising a processor and a storage medium, the storage medium storing a computer code that upon execution on the processor causes the processor to:

select three types of meta data and use the processor to map each of the selected meta data types onto a different one of three axes spanning a three dimensional space, each type describing a different property associated with a plurality of database entries, where the database entries are stored within a database in association with meta data of different types including one or more of time, place, topic and confidentiality;

display the database entries in the three dimensional space by a scatter plot at coordinates corresponding to meta data of the three selected meta data types;

group related database entries generally in proximity to each other and unrelated database entries generally spaced apart such that the database entries that are related in time, place, topic and confidentiality are grouped generally in proximity to each other, the related database entries each forming at least one entity of database entries that is displayed as a graphical entity within the three dimensional space;

select a fourth meta data type and use the processor to map the fourth meta data type as a graphical property to indicate a relative age of the database entries;

enable browsing of the displayed database entries in the three dimensional space for selection of one or more of the database entries;

enable viewing of a database entry in response to a selection of one of the displayed database entries; and

receive a selection of a further database entry from within a selected graphical entity based on a visually inferred relatedness of the database entries from the groupings of the database entries.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the execution of the computer code causes the processor to:

provide the related database entries within the graphical entity with based on one or more of a distance or direction within the three dimensional space; and

receive the selection of the further database entry based on the provided distance or direction.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein database entries associated to the selected graphical entity are displayed as a time-ordered line-interconnected string.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the execution of the computer code causes the processor to:

provide the related database entries within the graphical entity; and

receive the selection of the further database entry based on a position of the database entry in a string of the graphical entity.

11. A system comprising:

a browsable database with database entries and meta data types, wherein meta data of each type is associated with each database entry, the meta data types describing different properties of the respective database entries including one or more of time, place, topic and confidentiality;

selection logic operable to select three meta data types and further operable to cause a processor to map each of the selected meta data types onto a different one of three axes spanning a three dimensional space; and

display logic operable to display database entries in the three dimensional space by a scatter plot at coordinates given by the respective meta data of the three selected meta data types, thereby grouping related database entries generally in proximity to each other and unrelated database entries generally spaced apart such that the database entries that are related in time, place, topic and confidentiality are grouped generally in proximity to each other, the related database entries each forming at least one entity of database entries that is displayed as a graphical entity within the three dimensional space;

wherein the selection logic is further operable to select a fourth meta data type and further operable to cause the processor to map the fourth meta data type as a graphical property to indicate a relative age of the database entries, and

wherein the display logic is further operable to;

enable browsing of the displayed database entries in the three dimensional space for selection of one or more of the database entries,

enable viewing of a database entry in response to a selection of one of the displayed database entries, and

enable selection and viewing of one or more additional database entries based on a visually inferred relatedness of the database entries from the groupings of the database entries.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the graphical entity has associated database entries graphically marked as being included in the graphical entity.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the database entries are graphically marked using one or more of a color, shape, and interconnecting lines.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the display logic is operable to graphically represent at least one of the database entries in the three dimensional space with the graphical property that varies as a function of the at least one database entry'"'"'s respective meta data of the fourth meta data type.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the graphical property includes one or more of a color, shape, size and transparency.

16. The system of claim 11, comprising monitor logic operable to:

monitor which database entries are browsed by a user;

assess the frequency of browsing; and

delete database entries that are browsed infrequently.