Systems, methods, and apparatuses for implementing a similar command with a predictive query interface

• US 9,336,533 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Cronin, Beau David, Obermeyer, Fritz Heinrich, Jonas, Eric Michael, Glidden, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Saeed, Usmaan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weinrich, Brian E.
• Application Number:
  US14/014,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20140280193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 707/776, 707/741
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/20 of structured data, e.g. relational data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2228 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2282 Tablespace storage structures; Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/244 Grouping and aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2445 Data retrieval commands; View definitions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24553 of query operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24556 Aggregation; Duplicate elimination
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24558 Binary matching operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2458 Special types of queries, e.g. statistical queries, fuzzy queries or distributed queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2465 Query processing support for facilitating data mining operations in structured databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/316 Indexing structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/18 for evaluating statistical data , e.g. average values, frequency distributions, probability functions, regression analysis forecasting specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 : Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 : Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 : of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 : Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 7/01 : Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 : Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 : Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for implementing a SIMILAR command with a predictive query interface including means for generating indices from a dataset of columns and rows, the indices representing probabilistic relationships between the rows and the columns of the dataset; storing the indices within a database of a host organization; exposing the database of the host organization via a request interface; receiving, at the request interface, a query for the database specifying a SIMILAR command term, a specified row as a parameter for the SIMILAR command term, and a specified column as a parameter for the SIMILAR command term; querying the database using the SIMILAR command term and passing the specified row and the specified column to generate a predictive record set; and returning the predictive record set responsive to the query, the predictive record set having a plurality of elements therein, each of the returned elements of the predictive record set including (i) a row identifier which corresponds to a row of the dataset assessed to be similar, according to a latent structure, to the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command term based on the specified column and (ii) a confidence indicator which indicates a likelihood of a latent relationship between the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command and the row identifier returned for the respective element. Other related embodiments are further disclosed.

Claims

1. A method in a host organization, the method comprising:

generating indices from a dataset of columns and rows, the indices representing probabilistic relationships between the rows and the columns of the dataset;

storing the indices within a database system of the host organization;

exposing the database system of the host organization via a request interface;

receiving, at the request interface, a query for the database system specifying a SIMILAR command term, a specified row as a parameter for the SIMILAR command term, and a specified column as a parameter for the SIMILAR command term;

querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term and passing the specified row and the specified column to generate a predictive record set;

returning the predictive record set responsive to the query, the predictive record set having a plurality of elements therein, each of the returned elements of the predictive record set including (i) a row identifier which corresponds to a row of the dataset assessed to be similar, according to a latent structure, to the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command term based on the specified column and (ii) a confidence indicator which indicates a likelihood of a latent relationship between the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command and the row identifier returned for the respective element; and

wherein returning the predictive record set responsive to the query further comprising returning one of;

(i) a most similar row compared to the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command term responsive to the query based on the predictive record set returned and a confidence indicator for each of the similar rows returned with the predictive record set;

(ii) a least similar row compared to the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command term responsive to the query based on the predictive record set returned and a confidence indicator for each of the similar rows returned with the predictive record set; and

(iii) a related product in a recommender system responsive to a search by an Internet user, wherein the related product corresponds to the one of the similar rows returned with the predictive record set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the column passed with the SIMILAR command term provides the context of the latent structure in which the specified row is to be assessed for similarity, according to the latent structure, to the similar rows returned by the elements of the predictive record set.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the row of the dataset assessed to be similar included with each element returned within the predictive record set is based further on a fraction of times the similar row occurs in a same row grouping as the specified row according to the column passed with the SIMILAR command term.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term and passing the specified row comprises passing in a row identifier for the specified row from the dataset or the indices.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term and passing the specified row comprises passing a complete row with the SIMILAR command term listing name=value pairs corresponding to all columns for other rows in the dataset or the indices.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein passing the complete row includes passing one or more null or blank values as the value in the name=value pairs.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term comprises the database system estimating mutual information based at least in part on the specified row to determine a measure of mutual dependence between the value of the specified row in the indices and a value of another row present within the indices and corresponding to the column specified.

8. The method of claim 1:

wherein the rows of the dataset correspond to a plurality of documents stored as records in the dataset from which the indices are generated;

wherein passing the specified row comprises passing one of the plurality of documents as the specified row; and

wherein querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term and passing the document as the specified row causes the database system to carry out a content based search using the document'"'"'s contents.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

passing a minimum confidence threshold with the SIMILAR command term; and

wherein returning the predictive record set comprises returning only the elements of the predictive record set having a confidence indicator in excess of the minimum confidence threshold.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

passing an optional COUNT term that, when provided, specifies a maximum quantity of elements to be returned within the predictive record set.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the elements of the predictive record set are returned ordered by descending order according to a confidence indicator for each of the elements of the predictive record set or are returned ordered by ascending order according to the confidence indicator for each of the elements of the predictive record set.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying one or more of the similar rows from the predictive record set generated responsive to the querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term based on a minimum confidence threshold for the similar rows; and

inputting the identified one or more of the similar rows into a second query specifying a GROUP command term to restrict a second predictive record set returned from the second query.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing the database system of the host organization comprises exposing a Predictive Query Language Application Programming Interface (PreQL API) directly to authenticated users, wherein the PreQL API is accessible to the authenticated users via a public Internet.

14. The method of claim 1:

wherein exposing the database system of the host organization comprises exposing a web form directly to authenticated users, wherein the web form is accessible to the authenticated users via a public Internet;

wherein the host organization generates a latent structure query for submission to the database system based on input from the web form; and

wherein querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term comprises querying the database system using the latent structure query via a Predictive Query Language Application Programming Interface (PreQL API) within the host organization, the PreQL API being indirectly exposed to authenticated users through the web form.

15. The method of claim 1:

wherein querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term comprises executing a Predictive Query Language (PreQL) structured query against the database for the SIMILAR command term; and

wherein the method further comprises executing one or more additional PreQL structured queries against the database system, each of the one or more additional PreQL structured queries specifying at least one command selected from the group of PreQL commands comprising;

PREDICT, RELATED, SIMILAR, and GROUP.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the dataset from an authenticated subscriber and subsequently receiving the query for the database system from the authenticated subscriber; and

processing the dataset on behalf of the authenticated subscriber to generate the indices.

17. The method of claim 1:

wherein each of the plurality of rows in the dataset corresponds to an entity;

wherein each of the plurality of columns corresponds to a characteristic for the entities; and

wherein a point of intersection between each respective row and each of the plurality of columns forms a cell to store a value at the point of intersection.

18. A method in a host organization, the method comprising:

generating indices from a dataset of columns and rows, the indices representing probabilistic relationships between the rows and the columns of the dataset;

storing the indices within a database system of the host organization;

exposing the database system of the host organization via a request interface;

receiving, at the request interface, a query for the database system specifying a SIMILAR command term, a specified row as a parameter for the SIMILAR command term, and a specified column as a parameter for the SIMILAR command term;

querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term and passing the specified row and the specified column to generate a predictive record set;

returning the predictive record set responsive to the query, the predictive record set having a plurality of elements therein, each of the returned elements of the predictive record set including (i) a row identifier which corresponds to a row of the dataset assessed to be similar, according to a latent structure, to the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command term based on the specified column and (ii) a confidence indicator which indicates a likelihood of a latent relationship between the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command and the row identifier returned for the respective element; and

wherein querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term comprises passing a PreQL query to the database system, the PreQL query having a query syntax of;

(i) the SIMILAR command term as a required term,

(ii) a ROW term as a required term, the ROW term specifying the row to be passed with the SIMILAR command term,

(ii) a COLUMN term as a required term, the COLUMN term specifying the column to be passed with the SIMILAR command term, and

(iv) an optional FROM term specifying one or more tables, datasets, data sources, and/or indices to be queried when the optional FROM term is specified and wherein a default value is used for the one or more tables, datasets, data sources, and/or indices to be queried when the optional FROM term is not specified.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the query syntax for the PreQL query further provides one or more of:

an optional CONFIDENCE term that, when provided, specifies the minimum acceptable confidence indicator to be returned with the predictive record set;

an optional COUNT term that, when provided, specifies a maximum quantity of elements to be returned within the predictive record set; and

an optional ORDER BY term that, when provided, specifies whether the elements of the predictive record are to be returned in ascending or descending order according to a confidence indicator for each of the elements returned with the predictive record set.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term comprises passing a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) structured query to the database system, the JSON structured query having a query syntax of:

the SIMILAR command term as a required term;

an optional one or more tables, datasets, data sources, and/or indices to be queried or a default value for the one or more tables, datasets, data sources, and/or indices to be queried when not specified;

the row to be passed with the SIMILAR command term;

the column to be passed with the SIMILAR command term;

an optional specification of a minimum acceptable confidence to be returned with the predictive record set according to a confidence indicator;

an optional specification of a maximum quantity of elements to be returned within the predictive record set; and

an optional specification of whether the elements of the predictive record are to be returned in ascending or descending order according to a confidence indicator for each of the elements returned with the predictive record set.

21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor in a host organization, the instructions cause the host organization to perform operations comprising:

generating indices from a dataset of columns and rows, the indices representing probabilistic relationships between the rows and the columns of the dataset;

storing the indices within a database system of the host organization;

exposing the database system of the host organization via a request interface;

receiving, at the request interface, a query for the database system specifying a SIMILAR command term, a specified row as a parameter for the SIMILAR command term, and a specified column as a parameter for the SIMILAR command term;

querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term and passing the specified row and the specified column to generate a predictive record set;

returning the predictive record set responsive to the query, the predictive record set having a plurality of elements therein, each of the returned elements of the predictive record set including (i) a row identifier which corresponds to a row of the dataset assessed to be similar, according to a latent structure, to the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command term based on the specified column and (ii) a confidence indicator which indicates a likelihood of a latent relationship between the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command and the row identifier returned for the respective element; and

wherein returning the predictive record set responsive to the query further comprising returning one of;

(i) a most similar row compared to the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command term responsive to the query based on the predictive record set returned and a confidence indicator for each of the similar rows returned with the predictive record set;

(ii) a least similar row compared to the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command term responsive to the query based on the predictive record set returned and a confidence indicator for each of the similar rows returned with the predictive record set; and

(iii) a related product in a recommender system responsive to a search by an Internet user, wherein the related product corresponds to the one of the similar rows returned with the predictive record set.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term comprises passing a PreQL query to the database system, the PreQL query having a query syntax of:

the SIMILAR command term as a required term;

a ROW term as a required term, the ROW term specifying the row to be passed with the SIMILAR command term;

a COLUMN term as a required term, the COLUMN term specifying the column to be passed with the SIMILAR command term; and

an optional FROM term specifying one or more tables, datasets, data sources, and/or indices to be queried when the optional FROM term is specified and wherein a default value is used for the one or more tables, datasets, data sources, and/or indices to be queried when the optional FROM term is not specified.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein querying the database system using the SIMILAR command term comprises passing a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) structured query to the database system, the JSON structured query having a query syntax of:

the SIMILAR command term as a required term;

an optional one or more tables, datasets, data sources, and/or indices to be queried or a default value for the one or more tables, datasets, data sources, and/or indices to be queried when not specified;

the row to be passed with the SIMILAR command term;

the column to be passed with the SIMILAR command term;

an optional specification of a minimum acceptable confidence to be returned with the predictive record set according to a confidence indicator;

an optional specification of a maximum quantity of elements to be returned within the predictive record set; and

an optional specification of whether the elements of the predictive record set are to be returned in ascending or descending order according to a confidence indicator for each of the elements returned with the predictive record set.

24. A system to operate within a host organization, the system comprising:

a processor to execute instructions stored in memory of the system;

an analysis engine to generate indices from a dataset of columns and rows, the indices representing probabilistic relationships between the rows and the columns of the dataset;

a predictive database system to store the indices;

a request interface to expose the predictive database system;

the request interface to receive a query for the predictive database system specifying a SIMILAR command term, a specified row as a parameter for the SIMILAR command term, and a specified column as a parameter for the SIMILAR command term;

a query interface to query the predictive database system using the SIMILAR command term and passing the specified row and the specified column to generate a predictive record set; and

the request interface to further return the predictive record set responsive to the query, the predictive record set having a plurality of elements therein, each of the returned elements of the predictive record set including (i) a row identifier which corresponds to a row of the dataset assessed to be similar, according to a latent structure, to the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command term based on the specified column and (ii) a confidence indicator which indicates a likelihood of a latent relationship between the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command and the row identifier returned for the respective element; and

wherein request interface is to further return one of;

(i) a most similar row compared to the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command term responsive to the query based on the predictive record set returned and a confidence indicator for each of the similar rows returned with the predictive record set;

(ii) a least similar row compared to the specified row passed with the SIMILAR command term responsive to the query based on the predictive record set returned and a confidence indicator for each of the similar rows returned with the predictive record set; and

(iii) a related product in a recommender system responsive to a search by an Internet user, wherein the related product corresponds to the one of the similar rows returned with the predictive record set.

25. The system of claim 24:

wherein the predictive database system is to execute as an on-demand cloud based service at the host organization for one or more subscribers; and

wherein the system further comprises an authenticator to verify client devices are associated with a subscriber and to further verify authentication credentials for the respective subscriber.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the request interface exposes a Predictive Query Language Application Programming Interface (PreQL API) directly to authenticated users, wherein the PreQL API is accessible to the authenticated users via a public Internet.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the query interface is to pass a Predictive Query Language (PreQL) structured query to the predictive database system to execute the query, the PreQL structured query having a query syntax of:

the SIMILAR command term as a required term;

a ROW term as a required term, the ROW term specifying the row to be passed with the SIMILAR command term;

a COLUMN term as a required term, the COLUMN term specifying the column to be passed with the SIMILAR command term; and

an optional FROM term specifying one or more tables, datasets, data sources, and/or indices to be queried when the optional FROM term is specified and wherein a default value is used for the one or more tables, datasets, data sources, and/or indices to be queried when the optional FROM term is not specified.

28. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a web-server to implement the request interface;

wherein the web-server is to receive as input, a plurality of access requests from one or more client devices from among a plurality of customer organizations communicably interfaced with the host organization via a network;

a multi-tenant database system with predictive database functionality to implement the predictive database system; and

wherein each customer organization is an entity selected from the group consisting of;

a separate and distinct remote organization, an organizational group within the host organization, a business partner of the host organization, or a customer organization that subscribes to cloud computing services provided by the host organization.