Uniform search, navigation and combination of heterogeneous data

• US 9,244,991 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ellis, Jason B., Hassanzadeh, Oktie, Ward, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mofiz, Apu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khoshnoodi, Fariborz
• Application Number:
  US13/968,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20150052125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 707/722, 707/724
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/26 Visual data mining; Browsing structured data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

A method and system for interfacing with an end user to search, navigate, and combine large numbers of heterogeneous data sources with varying data characteristics. End user entered search terms are received and the end user is then presented a guided exploration including search results and search result details. The end user is also presented with a guided combination including search result combination options and combination details. Both the guided exploration and guided combination render all data from the heterogeneous data sources in a uniform data format and both can culminate in saving selected results.

Claims

1. A method for unified search and navigation of heterogeneous data sources, the method comprising:

receiving a search keyword from a user interface, using a computer system configured to receive the search keyword;

searching a plurality of heterogeneous data sources utilizing the search keyword, using the computer system, wherein the plurality of heterogeneous data sources include data in a variety of data formats, and wherein the computer system forms an abstract of the variety of data formats of the heterogeneous data sources and presents the abstract of the variety of data formats in a uniform data format;

sending a first data set, in the uniform data format, to the user interface, wherein the first data set comprises a search result from searching the heterogeneous data sources;

receiving a first indicator from the user interface identifying a selected search result selected from the first data set;

sending a second data set in the uniform data format to the user interface, wherein the second data set comprises a data sample, and wherein the data sample corresponds to the selected search result selected from the first data set;

receiving a second indicator from the user interface identifying a selected data sample to save, wherein the selected data sample is selected from the second data set;

sending a third data set to the user interface, wherein the third data set comprises a named representation of the selected data sample;

receiving a plurality of third indicators from the user interface identifying a plurality of selected third data sets to combine;

sending a fourth data set to the user interface in the uniform data format, wherein the fourth data set comprises a guided combination option for the plurality of selected third data sets;

receiving a fourth indicator from the user interface identifying a selected guided combination option selected from the fourth data set to utilize in combining the plurality of selected third data sets;

sending a fifth data set to the user interface in the uniform data format, wherein the fifth data set comprises a combination data sample from the plurality of selected third data sets utilizing the selected guided combination option selected from the fourth data set;

receiving a fifth indicator from the user interface identifying a selected combination data sample to save, wherein the selected combination data sample is selected from the fifth data set; and

sending a sixth data set to the user interface, wherein the sixth data set comprises a named representation of the selected combination data sample.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second data set further comprises a guided data navigation suggestion, and wherein the guided data navigation suggestion corresponds to the selected search result selected from the first data set.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the third data sets selected comprise the sixth data sets.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth data set comprises combination options based on geospatial similarity among the plurality of selected third data sets.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth data set comprises combination options based on time period similarity among the plurality of selected third data sets.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth data set comprises combination options based on textual similarity among the plurality of selected third data sets.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the searching utilizes an inverted index of data values.

8. A computer program product for unified search and navigation of heterogeneous data sources, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, the program instructions comprising:

program instructions to receive a search keyword from a user interface;

program instructions to search a plurality of heterogeneous data sources utilizing the search keyword, wherein the plurality of heterogeneous data sources include data in a variety of data formats, and wherein the program instructions form an abstract of the variety of data formats of the heterogeneous data sources and present the abstract of the variety of data formats in a uniform data format;

program instructions to send a first data set, in the uniform data format, to the user interface, wherein the first data set comprises a search result from searching the heterogeneous data sources;

program instructions to receive a first indicator from the user interface identifying a selected search result selected from the first data set;

program instructions to send a second data set in the uniform data format to the user interface, wherein the second data set comprises a data sample, and wherein the data sample corresponds to the selected search result selected from the first data set;

program instructions to receive a second indicator from the user interface identifying a selected data sample to save, wherein the selected data sample is selected from the second data set;

program instructions to send a third data set to the user interface, wherein the third data set comprises a named representation of the selected data sample;

program instructions to receive a plurality of third indicators from the user interface identifying a plurality of selected third data sets to combine;

program instructions to send a fourth data set to the user interface in the uniform data format, wherein the fourth data set comprises a guided combination option for the plurality of selected third data sets;

program instructions to receive a fourth indicator from the user interface identifying a selected guided combination option selected from the fourth data set to utilize in combining the plurality of selected third data sets;

program instructions to send a fifth data set to the user interface in the uniform data format, wherein the fifth data set comprises a combination data sample from the plurality of selected third data sets utilizing the selected guided combination option selected from the fourth data set;

program instructions to receive a fifth indicator from the user interface identifying a selected combination data sample to save, wherein the selected combination data sample is selected from the fifth data set; and

program instructions to send a sixth data set to the user interface, wherein the sixth data set comprises a named representation of the selected combination data sample.

9. The computer program of claim 8, wherein the second data set further comprises a guided data navigation suggestion, and wherein the guided data navigation suggestion corresponds to the selected search result selected from the first data set.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the third data sets selected comprises the sixth data sets.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the fourth data set comprises combination options based on geospatial similarity among the plurality of selected third data sets.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the fourth data set comprises combination options based on time period similarity among the plurality of selected third data sets.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the fourth data set comprises combination options based on textual similarity among the plurality of selected third data sets.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the program instructions to search utilize an inverted index of data values.