Computer systems and methods for automatically viewing multidimensional databases

• US 9,600,528 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2012
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tableau Software Incorporated (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tableau Software Incorporated (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mackinlay, Jock Douglas, Stolte, Christopher Richard, Hanrahan, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Radtke, Mark A
• Assistant Examiner(s): STITT, ERIK V
• Application Number:
  US13/352,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20120117453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/764, 715/850
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2379 Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2393 Updating materialised views
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

A method for automatically forming the clearest and most useful visual plot for a given dataset of tuples. A best view type is selected for a view that includes a subsequently added new field. The visual plot is populated with the data in the view and then automatically rendered for the user. A dataset that is retrieved from a storage is analyzed to identify all the data types found in the dataset, and to determine the best view type to assign to the dataset'"'"'s views. The visual plot is then populated with the data according to this best view type, and is automatically rendered for the user.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for generating a graphical representation of a dataset, comprising:

at a computer having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors;

displaying a graphical user interface window including a schema display region and a data visualization region that is distinct from the schema display region, wherein the schema display region includes a plurality of displayed data fields from the dataset;

receiving, via the graphical user interface window, a temporal sequence of user selections from the displayed data fields in the schema display region, the temporal sequence of user selections having a particular temporal order of data types; and

in response to receiving the sequence of user selections from the displayed data fields;

determining a view type for visualizing a portion of the dataset based on the particular temporal order of data types; and

generating a graphical representation of the portion of the dataset in the data visualization region in accordance with the determined view type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the view type is selected from the group consisting of text table, scatter plot, bar chart, Gantt plot, line graph, and circle graph.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data types are selected from the group consisting of ordinal, independent quantitative, and dependent quantitative.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data types are selected from the group consisting of measure, date dimension, and non-date dimension.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the view type is further based on a set of user preferences, the set of user preferences including a preferred view type for the particular order of data types.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the view type is further based on views previously selected by the user while generating prior graphical representations, the previously selected views corresponding to data types of the displayed data fields selected by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the view type is further based on computed cardinalities of one or more of the user-selected data fields.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the graphical representation includes selecting a mark type.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the view type comprises:

identifying a plurality of alternative view types based on the user-selected data fields;

computing a rank for each of the alternative view types based on the user-selected data fields and their associated data types; and

selecting an alternative view type with highest rank as the view type for generating the graphical representation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the view type comprises:

identifying a plurality of alternative view types based on the user-selected data fields;

displaying a list of the alternative view types in the graphical user interface;

receiving user selection of a first alternative view type; and

designating the first alternative view type as the view type for generating the graphical representation.

11. A computer system for generating a graphical representation of a dataset, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs stored in the memory for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising instructions for;

displaying a graphical user interface window including a schema display region and a data visualization region that is distinct from the schema display region, wherein the schema display region includes a plurality of displayed data fields from the dataset;

receiving, via the graphical user interface window, a temporal sequence of user selections from the displayed data fields in the schema display region, the temporal sequence of user selections having a particular temporal order of data types; and

in response to receiving the sequence of user selections from the displayed data fields;

determining a view type for visualizing a portion of the dataset based on the particular temporal order of data types; and

generating a graphical representation of the portion of the dataset in the data visualization region in accordance with the determined view type.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions for determining the view type comprise instructions for determining the view type based in part on a set of user preferences, the set of user preferences including a preferred view type for the particular order of data types.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein determining the view type is further based on views previously selected by the user while generating prior graphical representations, the previously selected views corresponding to data types of the displayed data fields selected by the user.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions for determining the view type comprise instructions for determining the view type based in part on computed cardinalities of one or more of the user-selected data fields.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions for determining the view type comprise instructions for:

identifying a plurality of alternative view types based on the user-selected data fields;

computing a rank for each of the alternative view types based on the user-selected data fields and their associated data types; and

selecting an alternative view type with highest rank as the view type for generating the graphical representation.

16. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the instructions for determining the view type comprise instructions for:

identifying a plurality of alternative view types based on the user-selected data fields;

displaying a list of the alternative view types in the graphical user interface;

receiving user selection of a first alternative view type; and

designating the first alternative view type as the view type for generating the graphical representation.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured for execution by a computer system that includes one or more processors and memory, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

displaying a graphical user interface window including a schema display region and a data visualization region that is distinct from the schema display region, wherein the schema display region includes a plurality of displayed data fields from the dataset;

receiving, via the graphical user interface window, a temporal sequence of user selections from the displayed data fields in the schema display region, the temporal sequence of user selections having a particular temporal order of data types; and

in response to receiving the sequence of user selections from the displayed data fields;

determining a view type for visualizing a portion of the dataset based on the particular temporal order of data types; and

generating a graphical representation of the portion of the dataset in the data visualization region in accordance with the determined view type.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions for determining the view type comprise instructions for determining the view type based in part on computed cardinalities of one or more of the user-selected data fields.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions for determining the view type comprise instructions for:

identifying a plurality of alternative view types based on the user-selected data fields;

computing a rank for each of the alternative view types based on the user-selected data fields and their associated data types; and

selecting an alternative view type with highest rank as the view type for generating the graphical representation.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the instructions for determining the view type comprise instructions for:

identifying a plurality of alternative view types based on the user-selected data fields;

displaying a list of the alternative view types in the graphical user interface;

receiving user selection of a first alternative view type; and

designating the first alternative view type as the view type for generating the graphical representation.