Multimedia inspection database system (MIDaS) for dynamic run-time data evaluation

• US 8,650,211 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2011
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vasudevan Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vasudevan Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Vasudevan, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleurantin, Jean B
• Application Number:
  US13/300,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 707/736, 707/769, 707/770, 707/805, 707/756, 715/700, 715/737, 715/743, 715/762, 715/782
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/254 Extract, transform and load [ETL] procedures, e.g. ETL data flows in data warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/444 Spatial browsing, e.g. 2D maps, 3D or virtual spaces
• 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 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

An object-oriented system provides a comprehensive and integrated tool to manage, operate, analyze and inspect structures by providing 3-D visualization of the structures, a database interface, connectivity with one or more databases, a data display and analysis capabilities. The structural model is stored as an object-oriented, serialized file as a series of objects, including primitives, coordinates, object names, group names and other object identifiers. The system integrates various types of data, including tabulated textual data, annotated engineering drawings, photographic records, graphical plots, audio and videotaped records, from different tables and databases. Data are displayed to the user based on queries that the user submits to the system, which queries are evaluated at run-time. As a result, the user achieves unparalleled flexibility in data analysis and evaluation.

Claims

1. A non-transitory data storage medium containing instructions which, when executed, cause one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

a. accessing a plurality of databases, at least two of which are incompatible, wherein each of the plurality of databases contains live source data and associated metadata;

b. retrieving at least a portion of the associated metadata from each of the plurality of databases;

c. storing the portion of the associated metadata in a dimensional format within a metadata repository;

d. receiving user login credentials corresponding to a user;

e. identifying one or more access codes corresponding to the user login credentials, each identified access code providing access to one or more of the plurality of databases;

f. receiving a data retrieval request through a graphical user interface in response to user input, and in response to receiving the data retrieval request;

i. using the portion of the associated metadata to search the live source data in the plurality of databases, wherein the use of the associated metadata to search the live source data occurs only if the one or more identified access codes provides access to one or more of the plurality of databases;

ii. retrieving source data responsive to the data retrieval request, wherein the retrieved source data includes live source data; and

iii. dynamically assembling a slice of an OLAP cube using at least a portion of the retrieved source data, wherein at least a portion of the dynamically assembling is performed without accessing a repository of warehoused;

g. displaying a representation of the slice of the OLAP cube on the graphical user interface, wherein the operations further comprise;

h. receiving, from the graphical user interface in response to user input, a request to modify a portion of the displayed representation of the slice of the OLAP cube; and

i. in response to receiving the request to modify;

i. directly updating one or more of the plurality of databases consistent with the request to modify; and

ii. directly updating the slice of the OLAP cube consistent with the request to modify.

2. The data storage medium of claim 1 wherein the user login credentials provide access to a central server, and wherein the central server is in communication with the plurality of databases.

3. The data storage medium of claim 1 wherein the metadata repository further comprises metadata-based correlation parameters.

4. The data storage medium of claim 3 wherein the metadata-based correlation parameters are used to identify the one or more access codes that correspond to the user login credentials.

5. The data storage medium of claim 1 wherein when the one or more identified access codes do not provide access to all responsive source data, no responsive source data is retrieved.

6. The data storage medium of claim 1 wherein when the one or more identified access codes do not provide access to all responsive source data, only a subset of the responsive source data is retrieved, and wherein the one or more identified access codes provide access to the subset of the responsive source data.

7. The data storage medium of claim 1 wherein the user login credentials only provide access to a subset of the responsive source data accessed by the one or more identified access codes.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

a. accessing a plurality of databases, at least two of which are incompatible with one another, wherein each of the plurality of databases contains live source data and associated metadata, and wherein the accessing is executed by at least one or more processors;

b. retrieving at least a portion of the associated metadata from each of the plurality of incompatible databases;

c. storing the portion of the associated metadata in a dimensional format within a metadata repository;

d. receiving user login credentials corresponding to a user;

e. identifying one or more access codes corresponding to the user login credentials, each identified access code providing access to one or more of the plurality of databases;

f. receiving a data retrieval request through a graphical user interface in response to user input, and in response to receiving the data;

i. using the portion of the associated metadata to search the live source data in the plurality of databases, wherein the use of the associated metadata to search the live source data occurs only if the one or more identified access codes provides access to one or more of the plurality of databases;

ii. retrieving source data responsive to the data retrieval request, wherein the retrieved source data includes live source data; and

iii. dynamically assembling an OLAP view for at least a portion of the retrieved source data, wherein at least a portion of the dynamically assembling is performed without accessing a repository of warehoused;

g. displaying a representation of the OLAP view on the graphical user interface;

h. receiving, from the graphical user interface in response to user input, a request to modify a portion of the displayed representation of the OLAP view; and

i. in response to receiving the request to modify;

i. directly updating one or more of the plurality of databases consistent with the request to modify; and

ii. directly updating information in the OLAP view consistent with the request to modify.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the user login credentials provide access to a central server, and wherein the central server is in communication with the plurality of incompatible databases.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the metadata repository further comprises metadata-based correlation parameters.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the metadata-based correlation parameters are used to identify the one or more access codes that correspond to the user login credentials.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein when the one or more identified access codes do not provide access to all responsive source data, no responsive source data is retrieved.

13. The data storage medium of claim 8 wherein when the one or more identified access codes do not provide access to all responsive source data, only a subset of the responsive source data is retrieved, and wherein the one or more identified access codes provide access to the subset of the responsive source data.

14. The data storage medium of claim 8 wherein the user login credentials only provide access to a subset of the responsive source data accessed by the one or more identified access codes.

15. A data storage medium containing instructions which, when executed, cause one or more computers to perform operations comprising:

a. accessing a plurality of databases, at least two of which are incompatible, wherein each of the plurality of databases contains live source data and associated metadata;

b. retrieving at least a portion of the associated metadata from each of the plurality of databases;

c. storing the portion of the associated metadata in a dimensional format within a metadata repository;

d. receiving user login credentials corresponding to a user;

e. identifying one or more access codes corresponding to the user login credentials, each identified access code providing access to one or more of the plurality of databases;

f. receiving a data retrieval request through a graphical user interface in response to user input, and, in response to receiving the data retrieval request;

i. using the portion of the associated metadata to search the live source data in the plurality of databases, wherein the use of the associated metadata to search the live source data occurs only if the one or more identified access codes provides access to one or more of the databases;

ii. retrieving source data responsive to the data retrieval request, wherein the retrieved source data includes live source data; and

iii. dynamically assembling a multidimensional view of at least a portion of the retrieved source data, wherein at least a portion of the dynamically assembling is performed without accessing a persistent repository of warehoused data, wherein the multidimensional view includes at least three dimensions; and

g. displaying a representation of at least a portion of the responsive source data in the assembled multidimensional view on the graphical user interface.

16. The data storage medium of claim 15 wherein the user login credentials provide access to a central server, and wherein the central server is in communication with the plurality of databases.

17. The data storage medium of claim 15 wherein the metadata repository further comprises metadata-based correlation parameters.

18. The data storage medium of claim 17 wherein the metadata-based correlation parameters are used to identify the one or more access codes that correspond to the user login credentials.

19. The data storage medium of claim 15 wherein when the one or more identified access codes do not provide access to all responsive source data, no responsive source data is retrieved.

20. The data storage medium of claim 15 wherein when the one or more identified access codes do not provide access to all responsive source data, only a subset of the responsive source data is retrieved, and wherein the one or more identified access codes provide access to the subset of the responsive source data.

21. The data storage medium of claim 15 wherein the user login credentials only provide access to a subset of the responsive source data accessed by the one or more identified access codes.