Analytic data focus representations for visualization generation in an information processing system

• US 9,483,520 B1
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Emc IP Holding Company LLC (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Reiner, David S., Dietrich, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Stevens, Robert
• Application Number:
  US14/132,669
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 707/736
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957

Abstract

An analytics controller is configured for communication with one or more data sources. The analytics controller comprises an analytic data focus representation module and a visualization generator coupled to the analytic data focus representation module, with the analytic data focus representation module being configured to derive a plurality of analytic data focus representations from the one or more data sources, and the visualization generator being configured to generate visualizations based at least in part on the analytic data focus representations. At least one of the analytic data focus representation module and the visualization generator may be further configured to establish a plurality of linkages with each such linkage associating one or more of the representations with one or more of the visualizations. The analytics controller may be part of a data management system implemented using one or more processing devices of a processing platform.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an analytics controller configured for communication with one or more data sources;

wherein the analytics controller comprises;

an analytic data focus representation module; and

a visualization generator coupled to the analytic data focus representation module;

the analytic data focus representation module being configured to derive a plurality of analytic data focus representations from the one or more data sources;

the visualization generator being configured to generate visualizations based at least in part on the analytic data focus representations;

wherein the analytic data focus representations comprise respective intermediate, multidimensional and updatable representations bridging the one or more data sources with the visualizations, and describing multiple informational dimensions of a corresponding set of one or more informational elements;

wherein at least one of the analytic data focus representation module and the visualization generator is configured to establish a plurality of linkages with each such linkage associating one or more of the analytic data focus representations with one or more of the visualizations;

wherein the analytic data focus representation module is configured for;

responding to a change in a specification of a given one of the analytic data focus representations by accessing the one or more data sources from which the given analytic data focus representation is derived;

responding to a change in a specification of a given one of the analytic data focus representations by implementing corresponding changes in one or more of the visualizations linked to the given analytic data focus representation;

responding to a change in a specification of a given one of the visualizations by implementing corresponding changes in one or more of the analytic data focus representations linked to the given visualization; and

responding to a change in at least one of the specification of the given analytic data focus representation and the specification of the given visualization by altering at least one of the plurality of linkages associating one or more of the analytic data focus representations with one or more of the visualizations;

wherein the analytics controller is implemented using at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory; and

wherein the apparatus communicates with one or more other processing devices over at least one network.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a data management system that incorporates the analytics controller.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the visualizations comprise one or more generalized tag cloud visualizations.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the visualization generator is further configured to determine at least one characteristic of a given visualization element of the generalized tag cloud visualization based on the multiple informational dimensions of the corresponding set of one or more-informational elements of at least one of the analytic data focus representations.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein a given one of the multiple informational dimensions includes one of a classification, a clustering, a derivation, an observed metric and a computable metric of the set of one or more informational elements.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the multiple informational dimensions do not include a frequency of occurrence of the set of one or more informational elements in said one or more data sources.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said at least one characteristic of the given visualization element of the tag cloud visualization comprises one or more of an orientation of the visualization element, a color of the visualization element, a font of the visualization element, and a distance of the visualization element from one or more other visualization elements.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the visualization generator is further configured to determine at least one characteristic of a given visualization element of the generalized tag cloud visualization based on a processor implemented logic function of one or more sets of one or more informational elements of at least one of the analytic data focus representations.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one informational element of at least one of the analytic data focus representations is determined based on a processor implemented logic function of one or more other informational elements of the same analytic data focus representation(s) or one or more other analytic data focus representations.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one informational element of at least one of the analytic data focus representations is determined based on a processor implemented logic function of one or more other informational elements of the one or more data sources.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a given one of the analytic data focus representations incorporates one or more of lineage, provenance and traceability information relating to at least one of the one or more data sources from which it is derived and the one or more visualizations with which it is associated.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a given one of the analytic data focus representations serves as a data source for at least one other analytic data focus representation.

13. An information processing system comprising the apparatus of claim 1.

14. A method comprising:

deriving a plurality of analytic data focus representations from one or more data sources;

generating visualizations based at least in part on the analytic data focus representations; and

establishing a plurality of linkages with each such linkage associating one or more of the analytic data focus representations with one or more of the visualizations;

wherein the analytic data focus representations comprise respective intermediate, multidimensional and updatable representations bridging the one or more data sources with the visualizations, and describing multiple informational dimensions of a corresponding set of one or more informational elements;

wherein deriving a plurality of analytic data focus representations comprises;

responding to a change in a specification of a given one of the analytic data focus representations by accessing the one or more data sources from which the given analytic data focus representation is derived;

responding to a change in the specification of the given one of the analytic data focus representations by implementing corresponding changes in one or more of the visualizations linked to the given analytic data focus representation;

responding to a change in a specification of a given one of the visualizations by implementing corresponding changes in one or more of the analytic data focus representations linked to the given visualization; and

responding to a change in at least one of the specification of the given analytic data focus representation and the specification of the given visualization by altering at least one linkage associating one or more of the analytic data focus representations with one or more of the visualizations; and

wherein the deriving, generating and establishing are performed by at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory, and communicating with one or more other processing devices over at least one network.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein a given one of the multiple informational dimensions includes one of a classification, a clustering, a derivation, an observed metric and a computable metric of the set of one or more informational elements.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein a given one of the analytic data focus representations incorporates one or more of lineage, provenance and traceability information relating to at least one of the one or more data sources from which it is derived and the one or more visualizations with which it is associated.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein a given one of the analytic data focus representations serves as a data source for at least one other analytic data focus representation.

18. An article of manufacture comprising a processor-readable storage medium having encoded therein executable code of one or more software programs, wherein the one or more software programs when executed cause at least one processing device comprising a processor coupled to a memory to:

derive a plurality of analytic data focus representations from one or more data sources;

generate visualizations based at least in part on the analytic data focus representations; and

establish a plurality of linkages with each such linkage associating one or more of the analytic data focus representations with one or more of the visualizations;

wherein the analytic data focus representations comprise respective intermediate, multidimensional and updatable representations bridging the one or more data sources with the visualizations, and describing multiple informational dimensions of a corresponding set of one or more informational elements;

wherein deriving a plurality of analytic data focus representations comprises;

responding to a change in a specification of a given one of the analytic data focus representations by accessing the one or more data sources from which the given analytic data focus representation is derived;

responding to a change in the specification of the given one of the analytic data focus representations by implementing corresponding changes in one or more of the visualizations linked to the given analytic data focus representation;

responding to a change in a specification of a given one of the visualizations by implementing corresponding changes in one or more of the analytic data focus representations linked to the given visualization; and

responding to a change in at least one of the specification of the given analytic data focus representation and the specification of the given visualization by altering at least one linkage associating one or more of the analytic data focus representations with one or more of the visualizations; and

wherein the at least one processing device communicates with one or more other processing devices over at least one network.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18 wherein a given one of the multiple informational dimensions includes one of a classification, a clustering, a derivation, an observed metric and a computable metric of the set of one or more informational elements.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 18 wherein a given one of the analytic data focus representations incorporates one or more of lineage, provenance and traceability information relating to at least one of the one or more data sources from which it is derived and the one or more visualizations with which it is associated.