Methods and systems of automatically geocoding a dataset for visual analysis

• US 8,306,971 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tableau Software Incorporated (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tableau Software Incorporated (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stolte, Christopher Richard, Mackinlay, Jock Douglas, Wesley, Richard Michael Grantham, Bunker, Ross Thomas, Dahl, Austin David
• Primary Examiner(s): Radtke, Mark Andrew X
• Application Number:
  US12/214,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20090319556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• Field of Search: 707/724
• US Class Current: 707/724
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/00 Maps; Plans; Charts; Diagrams, e.g. route diagram star maps G09B27/04; devices for holding or supporting maps A47B97/02; for computing purposes G06G1/14, G09B1/16; display boards G09F

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of generating a map view includes accessing a dataset having multiple records and multiple fields. One or more of the multiple fields are identified as geographical fields. Geographical codes are automatically associated with a first one of the identified geographical fields. A geographical map is generated for the dataset. Generating the geographical map includes generating a first plurality of marks on the geographical map. The first plurality of marks is positioned on the geographical map in accordance with the geographical codes associated with the first one of the identified geographical fields.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of generating a map view, comprising:

accessing a dataset having multiple records and multiple fields;

automatically, without user input, identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field, wherein the identifying includes taking a sample of values in at least one of the multiple fields and verifying that at least a predefined amount of the sample corresponds to geographical areas;

determining a level of the geographical field in a geographical hierarchy;

automatically, without user input, associating the geographical field with its corresponding level in the geographical hierarchy;

automatically, without user input, associating geographical coordinates with values of the geographical field; and

generating a geographical map for the dataset, including generating a first plurality of marks on the geographical map, wherein respective marks in the first plurality of marks are positioned on the geographical map in accordance with the geographical coordinates associated with the values and a level of detail corresponding to the level in the geographical hierarchy of the geographical field, wherein the level of detail is selected by a user.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein automatically identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field comprises:

querying a schema of the dataset for metadata specifying a geographical field.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the metadata is semantic metadata.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein querying the schema of the dataset for metadata specifying the geographical field comprises:

performing an Application Programming Interface (API) call.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein determining a level of the geographical field in a geographical hierarchy further comprises:

determining that the metadata specifying the geographical field corresponds to a level in a geographical hierarchy.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein automatically identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field further comprises:

verifying that the geographical field specified by the metadata has an expected data type and a width at least as wide as a specified minimum width.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the sample is a random sample.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein automatically identifying at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field comprises:

verifying that at least one of the multiple fields has an expected data type and a width at least as wide as a specified minimum width.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein

the geographical hierarchy has a plurality of levels;

and

the level of the geographical field corresponds to a level having a greatest level of detail of the plurality of levels.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

the geographical field has a detail numbers

corresponding to a highest detail number of a plurality of respective detail numbers.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein automatically associating geographical codes coordinates with values of the geographical field comprises:

adding location fields to the dataset, the location fields specifying map coordinates that correspond to respective values of the geographical field of respective records in the dataset.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the location fields include a latitude field and a longitude field.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein adding the location fields to the dataset comprises:

performing a join operation with a table that includes the location fields.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein

the map coordinates specified in the location fields added to the dataset correspond to geographical areas for the level in the geographical hierarchy.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein automatically associating geographical coordinates with values of the geographical field comprises:

adding location fields to a result set generated from the dataset, the location fields specifying map coordinates for respective records in the result set.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the result set is generated by querying the dataset.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the location fields include a latitude field and a longitude field.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein adding the location fields to the result set comprises:

performing a join operation with a table that includes the location fields.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein

the map coordinates specified in the location fields added to the result set correspond to geographical areas for the level in the geographical hierarchy.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein respective marks in the first plurality of marks have respective appearances that correspond to aggregations of data in one of the multiple fields for respective values in the geographical field.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the geographical field is a first geographical field, the method further comprising:

receiving a user request; and

in response to the user request;

removing the first plurality of marks from the geographical map;

automatically associating geographical codes coordinates with values of a second geographical field; and

generating a second plurality of marks on the geographical map, wherein respective marks of the second plurality of marks are positioned on the geographical map in accordance with the geographical coordinates associated with the second geographical field.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein:

respective marks in the first plurality of marks have respective appearances that correspond to aggregations of data in one of the multiple fields for respective values in the first geographical field; and

respective marks in the second plurality of marks have respective appearances that correspond to aggregations of data in one of the multiple fields for respective values in the second geographical field.

23. A system for generating a map view, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs configured for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising;

instructions to access a dataset having multiple records and multiple fields;

instructions to automatically identify at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field without user input, the instructions to identify being configured to take a sample of values in at least one of the multiple fields and verify that at least a predefined amount of the sample corresponds to geographical areas;

instructions to determine a level of the geographical field in a geographical hierarchy;

instructions to automatically associate the geographical field with its corresponding level in the geographical hierarchy without user input;

instructions to automatically associate geographical coordinates with values of the geographical field without user input; and

instructions to generate a geographical map for the dataset, including instructions to generate a first plurality of marks on the geographical map, wherein respective marks in the first plurality of marks are positioned on the geographical map in accordance with the geographical coordinates associated with the values and a level of detail corresponding to the level in the geographical hierarchy of the geographical field, wherein the level of detail is selected by a user.

24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for use in generating a map view, the one or more programs configured to be executed by a computer system and comprising:

instructions to access a dataset having multiple records and multiple fields;

instructions to automatically identify at least one of the multiple fields as a geographical field without user input, the instructions to identify being configured to take a sample of values in at least one of the multiple fields and verify that at least a predefined amount of the sample corresponds to geographical areas;

instructions to determine a level of the geographical field in a geographical hierarchy;

instructions to automatically associate the geographical field with its corresponding level in the geographical hierarchy without user input;

instructions to automatically associate geographical coordinates with values of the geographical field without user input; and

instructions to generate a geographical map for the dataset, including instructions to generate a first plurality of marks on the geographical map, wherein respective marks in the first plurality of marks are positioned on the geographical map in accordance with the geographical coordinates associated with values and a level of detail corresponding to the level in the geographical hierarchy of the geographical field, wherein the level of detail is selected by a user.