Data perturbation of non-unique values

• US 8,504,598 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Information Resources Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Information Resources Incorporated
• Inventors: West, John Randall
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M
• Application Number:
  US12/020,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20080263065A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,017 Days
• Field of Search: 707/736, 707/741, 707/750, 707/999.003, 707/999.005, 707/954, 707/607, 704/9, 715/231, 715/739, 705/10
• US Class Current: 707/954
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24556 Aggregation; Duplicate elimination
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

In embodiments of the present invention, improved capabilities are described for perturbing non-unique values may comprise finding the non-unique values in a data table, perturbing the non-unique values to render unique values, and using the non-unique values as an identifier for a data item.

Claims

1. A method for performing an aggregating query based on distinctness of data values in a target dimension by ensuring uniqueness of each data item in the target dimension, the method comprising:

finding a non-unique value in a dimension of a data table of the relational database, wherein the data table includes a fact table and the dimension contains numeric values;

perturbing the non-unique value by a small amount to render a perturbed instance of the non-unique value that is unique in the dimension of the data table;

replacing the non-unique value with the perturbed instance;

repeating the above steps to provide a perturbed data table consisting of unique values in the dimension; and

performing an aggregating query of the perturbed data table in the relational database using an SQL DISTINCT command in place of a join command.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the data table includes sales data collected at a point of sale.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the data table includes information collected from a panel of consumers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data table includes survey data from a consumer survey.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the data table includes data from a loyalty program.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the data table includes data related to a sales projection.

7. A computer program product for performing an aggregating query based on distinctness of data values in a target dimension by ensuring uniqueness of each data item in the target dimension, the computer program product comprising computer executable code embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps of:

finding a non-unique value in a dimension of a data table of the relational database, wherein the data table includes a fact table;

perturbing the non-unique value by a small amount to render a perturbed instance of the non-unique value that is unique in the dimension of the data table;

replacing the non-unique value with the perturbed instance;

repeating the above steps to provide a perturbed data table consisting of unique values in a dimension; and

performing an aggregating query of the perturbed data table in the relational database using an SQL DISTINCT command in place of a join command.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the data table includes sales data collected at a point of sale.

9. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the data table includes information collected from a panel of consumers.

10. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the data table includes survey data from a consumer survey.

11. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the data table includes data from a loyalty program.

12. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein the data table includes data related to a sales projection.