Generating data queries using a graphical selection tree

• US 9,563,657 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2009
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Martins, Joao Sousa
• Primary Examiner(s): OBISESAN, AUGUSTINE KUNLE
• Application Number:
  US12/350,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20090177988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,952 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP

Abstract

The disclosure relates to data retrieval in an enterprise system through use of a graphical selection tree. An exemplary device to implement and display such a selection tree includes one or more processors, and also a data selection component and a query engine that are each executable by the one or more processors. The data selection component, when operable, receives, within a graphical user interface (GUI), user input to select a predefined data metric, and displays, within the GUI, a selection tree containing graphical branches associated with a data dimension, wherein each branch corresponding to a data attribute within the data dimension. The query engine generates, for each branch in the selection tree that is selected, a data query to request data of the selected data metric that matches the data attribute corresponding to the selected branch. The query engine also is capable of sending each generated data query to a data storage system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a selection of a first sub-branch of a parent branch of a graphical selection tree, wherein;

the parent branch of the graphical selection tree is associated with a data dimension,

the first sub-branch is associated with a generic data attribute associated with the parent branch of the graphical selection tree,

a second sub-branch is added as a sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree after the selection of the first sub-branch, and

the second sub-branch is a specific instance of the generic data attribute associated with the parent branch of the graphical selection tree;

responsive to the selection of the first sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree, automatically selecting, by the computing device and without receiving user input to select the second sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree, the second sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree; and

generating, by the computing device, a query to request, from a data storage system, data for each selected data metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to one of a plurality of selected sub-branches, wherein the plurality of selected sub-branches includes the automatically selected second sub-branch.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input to navigate through and select one or more of the branches in the graphical selection tree; and

sending the generated query to the data storage system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the query to request data for each selected data metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to one of the plurality of selected sub-branches further comprises generating, for the selected sub-branch, the query that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to the selected sub-branch and that further matches the data attribute corresponding to the parent branch.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the generated query to the data storage system within a batch query command.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the generated query to an enterprise server of the data storage system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input to select a view type for one or more data views in a graphical dashboard window, the view type being associated with types of branches that are included within the graphical selection tree; and

displaying the one or more data views within the graphical dashboard window of the selected view type.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input to navigate through and select one or more of the branches in the graphical selection tree by checking one or more checkboxes, each checkbox being associated with a branch in the graphical selection tree.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the parent branch comprises a graphically expandable/collapsible branch within the graphical selection tree, the method further comprising receiving user input to navigate through and select one or more sub-branches of the parent branch in the graphical selection tree by navigating through the graphically expandable/collapsible parent branch within the graphical selection tree.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

upon receipt of user input to navigate through the graphically expandable/collapsible parent branch within the graphical selection tree, sending to the data storage system a request for displayable values of one or more sub-branches of the navigated parent branch;

receiving, from the data storage system, the displayable values corresponding to the request; and

displaying the displayable values received from the data storage system of the one or more sub-branches of the navigated parent branch.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree comprises a sub-branch named “

others”

.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the query to request, from the data storage system, data for each selected data metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to one of the plurality of selected sub-branches comprises generating the query to request, from the data storage system, data of a first selected data metric and a second selected second data metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to the selected sub-branch.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data dimension comprises a first data dimension, the method further comprising:

displaying a plurality of branches in the graphical selection tree associated with a second data dimension, each branch corresponding to a data attribute within the second data dimension;

receiving user input to navigate through and select one or more of the branches in the graphical selection tree associated with the second data dimension;

for each branch associated with the second data dimension that is selected, generating a query to request, from the data storage system, data for each selected data metric that matches the data attribute corresponding to the selected branch; and

sending each generated data query to the data storage system.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the graphical selection tree within a graphical user interface (GUI);

for each branch in the graphical selection tree that is selected, receiving a data response from the data storage system containing data of the selected metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to the selected branch, wherein the data response includes data of the selected metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to the automatically selected second sub-branch; and

updating the GUI to include the data of the selected metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to the selected branch.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

displaying each data response in a graphical dashboard window to update one or more real-time data views within the graphical dashboard window that is continuously updated over time to provide a current snapshot of a current state of the data of the selected data metric;

responsive to a change in the current state of the data of the selected data metric, receiving on the computing device a stream of data that includes the current state of the data of the selected data metric; and

updating the graphical dashboard window to provide the received current state of the data of the selected data metric.

15. A computer-readable memory having instructions embodied therein that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:

receive a selection of a first sub-branch of a parent branch of a graphical selection tree, wherein;

the parent branch of the graphical selection tree is associated with a data dimension,

the first sub-branch is associated with a generic data attribute associated with the parent branch of the graphical selection tree,

the second sub-branch is added as a sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree after the selection of the first sub-branch, and

the second sub-branch is a specific instance of the generic data attribute associated with the parent branch of the graphical selection tree;

responsive to the selection of the first sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree, automatically select, without receiving user input to select the second sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree, the second sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree; and

generate a query to request, from a data storage system, data for each selected data metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to one of a plurality of selected sub-branches, wherein the plurality of selected sub-branches includes the automatically selected second sub-branch.

16. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

display the graphical selection tree within a graphical user interface (GUI);

for each branch in the graphical selection tree that is selected, receive a data response from the data storage system containing data of the selected metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to the selected branch, wherein the data response includes data of the selected metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to the automatically selected second sub-branch; and

update the GUI to include the data of the selected metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to the selected branch.

17. The computer-readable memory of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to:

display each data response in a graphical dashboard window to update one or more real-time data views within the graphical dashboard window that is continuously updated over time to provide a current snapshot of a current state of the data of the selected data metric;

responsive to a change in the current state of the data of the selected data metric, receive a stream of data that includes the current state of the data of the selected data metric; and

update the graphical dashboard window to provide the received current state of the data of the selected data metric.

18. A device comprising:

one or more processors;

a data selection component executable by the one or more processors to;

receive a selection of a first sub-branch of a parent branch of a graphical selection tree, wherein;

the parent branch of the graphical selection tree is associated with a data dimension,

the first sub-branch is associated with a generic data attribute associated with the parent branch of the graphical selection tree,

a second sub-branch is added as a sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree after the selection of the first sub-branch, and

the second sub-branch is a specific instance of the generic data attribute associated with the parent branch of the graphical selection tree; and

automatically select, responsive to the selection of the first sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree and without receiving user input to select the second sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree, the second sub-branch of the parent branch of the graphical selection tree; and

a query engine executable by the one or more processors to generate a query to request, from a data storage system, data for each selected data metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to one of a plurality of selected sub-branches, wherein the plurality of selected sub-branches includes the automatically selected second sub-branch.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein:

the data selection component is further operable to receive user input to navigate through and select one or more of the branches in the graphical selection tree; and

the query engine is further operable to send the generated query to a data storage system.

20. The device of claim 18, wherein generating the query to request data for each selected data metric that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to one of the plurality of selected sub-branches further comprises generating, for the selected sub-branch, the query that matches the specific instance of the generic data attribute corresponding to the selected sub-branch and that further matches the data attribute corresponding to the parent branch.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the data selection component is further operable to receive user input to select a view type for one or more data views in a graphical dashboard window, the view type being associated with types of branches that are included within the graphical selection tree, the device further comprising a data display component executable by the one or more processors to display the one or more data views within the graphical dashboard window of the selected view type.

22. The device of claim 18, further comprising a data display component executable by the one or more processors to display the graphical selection tree within a graphical user interface (GUI),

wherein the query engine is further executable to receive, for each branch in the graphical selection tree that is selected, a data response from the data storage system containing data of the selected metric that matches the data attribute corresponding to the selected branch, wherein the data response includes data of the selected metric that matches the data attribute corresponding to the automatically selected second sub-branch, and

wherein the data display component is further executable to update the GUI to include the data of the selected metric that matches the data attribute corresponding to the selected branch.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein:

the data display component is further executable to display each data response in a graphical dashboard window to update one or more real-time data views within the graphical dashboard window that is continuously updated over time to provide a current snapshot of a current state of the data of the selected data metric;

the query engine is further executable to receive, responsive to a change in the current state of the data of the selected data metric, a stream of data that includes the current state of the data of the selected data metric; and

the data display component is further executable to update the graphical dashboard window to provide the received current state of the data of the selected data metric.