Apparatus and method for generating queries and reports

• US 7,899,837 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Cacheux, Grégoire Jean Antoine, Allerton, Mark, Polo-Malouvier, Ricardo, Vergnory-Mion, Gilles
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Tim T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Engelskirchen; Jeremy D
• Application Number:
  US11/537,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/759
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP

Abstract

A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to extract data model object information and report data values from data model objects in at least one semantic abstraction to define indexed fields. A search query is received. The search query is applied against the indexed fields to define matching data model objects and matching report data values. A proposed abstract query with at least one matching data model object and a corresponding semantic abstraction is generated.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions to:

extract data model object information from data model objects in at least one semantic abstraction, wherein the data model object information includes a data model object name, a data model object identifier and a semantic abstraction identifier;

extract from report data results, a report data value and data model object identifier, wherein the data model object identifier corresponds to a data model object name associated with the data model object information, and wherein the report data results are from a report with information automatically retrieved from a data source, where the information is structured in accordance with a report schema;

define indexed fields including fields specifying a data model object name, a data model object identifier, a semantic abstraction identifier and a report data value;

receive a search query;

apply the search query against the indexed fields to define matching data model objects and matching report data values; and

generate a proposed abstract query comprising at least one matching data model object and a corresponding semantic abstraction.

2. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 wherein the proposed abstract query additionally comprises a query filter with at least one matching report data value.

3. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 wherein the search query is received from a user.

4. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 wherein the search query is generated automatically.

5. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to execute the proposed abstract query against at least one data source to generate a default report.

6. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 5 wherein the default report has a user specified report format.

7. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to store the indexed fields in a database.

8. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 wherein the proposed abstract query comprises a proposed business intelligence query.

9. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 1 further comprising executable instructions to return a list with matching data model object names and identifiers, and matching report data values.

10. A computer readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions to:

extract data model object information for data model objects in at least one semantic abstraction, to define a first set of indexed fields including a data model object name, a data model object identifier and a semantic abstraction identifier;

extract report data values from data model objects in report data results to define a second set of indexed fields including a report data value and a data model object name associated with a data model object name in the first set of indexed fields, wherein the report data results are from a report with information automatically retrieved from a data source, where the information is structured in accordance with a report schema;

apply search terms in a search query against the first and second sets of indexed fields;

retrieve a first list of search query results with matching data model objects and corresponding semantic abstractions;

retrieve a second list of search query results with matching report data values and corresponding data model objects and semantic abstractions; and

generate a proposed abstract query with a semantic abstraction from the first list and at least one matching data model object of the semantic abstraction.

11. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 10 wherein the proposed abstract query additionally comprises a query filter with at least one matching report data value from the second list.

12. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 10 wherein the executable instructions to generate additionally comprise executable instructions to:

group data model object identifiers from the first list by semantic abstraction identifier;

rank semantic abstraction identifiers from the first list according to at least one ranking criterion;

generate a first proposed abstract query with a top ranked semantic abstraction identifier from the first list, and at least one matching data model object identifier corresponding to the top ranked semantic abstraction identifier; and

generate a second proposed abstract query with a second ranked semantic abstraction identifier from the first list, and at least one matching data model object identifier corresponding to the second ranked semantic abstraction identifier.

13. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 12 wherein the at least one ranking factor is the number of matching data model objects for each semantic abstraction.

14. The computer readable storage medium according to claim 12 wherein the at least one ranking factor is the number of matching data model objects that are measures.