Database query system and method

• US 20040024770A1
• Filed: 03/21/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sg Gaming, Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Compudigm International Ltd.
• Inventors: Cardno, Andrew John
• Granted Patent: US 7,158,968 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2448 for particular applications; for extensibility, e.g. user defined types
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

The invention provides a data visualization system comprising a data value memory in which is maintained a finite set of data values; a retrieval component configured to retrieve a set of data values from the data value memory; a display component configured to display a representation of each of the set of the retrieved data values centered on respective data points; and a contour generator configured to generate and display a contoured representation around each data point, such that each data point is displayed as a local maximum. The invention further provides a data visualization system in which a display component is configured to display a graphical representation of a set of retrieved data values based at least partly on display parameters included in a database query expression. The invention also provides related methods and computer programs.

Claims

1. A data visualization system comprising:

a finite set of discrete data values maintained in computer memory;

a retrieval component configured to retrieve a set of data values from computer memory;

a display component configured to display a representation of each of the set of the retrieved data values centered on respective data points; and

a contour generator configured to generate and display a contoured representation around each data point, such that each data point is displayed as a local maximum.

2. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the retrieval component is configured to receive a database query expression and to retrieve the set of data values from computer memory using the database query expression.

3. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the database query expression includes display parameters.

4. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the display component is configured to display the representation based at least partly on the display parameters.

5. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the contour generator is configured to generate and display the contoured representation based at least partly on the display parameters.

6. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the data values are maintained in an interaction database of interaction data representing interactions between customers and merchants, the retrieval component configured to retrieve the set of data values in the form of data representing interactions between customers and merchants.

7. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the merchant operates from one or more commercial premises, the display component further configured to display a graphical spatial representation of the premises of the merchant.

8. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a plurality of graphical spatial representations stored in computer memory, the display component configured to select a graphical spatial representation to display based at least partly on the display parameters.

9. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the display component is further configured to optionally display a line graph representing the set of retrieved data, the line graph defined at least partly by the display parameters.

10. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the display component is further configured to optionally display a histogram representing the set of retrieved data, the histogram defined at least partly by the display parameters.

11. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 3 wherein the display component is further configured to optionally display a pie chart representing the set of retrieved data, the pie charts defined at least partly by the display parameters.

12. A data visualization system comprising:

a finite set of discrete data values maintained in computer memory;

a retrieval component configured to receive a database query expression and to retrieve a set of data values from computer memory using the database query expression;

a display component configured to display a graphical representation of each of the set of the retrieved data values centered on respective data points based at least partly on display parameters included in the database query expression; and

a contour generator configured to generate and display a contoured representation around each data point, such that each data point is displayed as a local maximum.

13. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the display component is configured to optionally display a line graph representing the set of retrieved data, the line graph defined at least partly by the display parameters.

14. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the display component is configured to optionally display a histogram representing the set of retrieved data defined at least partly by the display parameters.

15. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 12 wherein the display component is configured to optionally display a pie chart representing the set of retrieved data defined at least partly by the display parameters.

16. A method of data visualization comprising the steps of:

maintaining in computer memory a finite set of discrete data values;

retrieving from computer memory a set of data values;

displaying a representation of each of the set of retrieved data values centered on respective data points; and

generating and displaying a contoured representation around each data point, such that each data point is displayed as a local maximum.

17. A method of data visualization as claimed in claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

receiving a database query expression; and

retrieving the set of data values from computer memory using the database query expression.

18. A method of data visualization as claimed in claim 17 wherein the database query expression includes display parameters.

19. A method of data visualization as claimed in claim 18 further comprising the step of displaying the representation based at least partly on the display parameters.

20. A method of data visualization as claimed in claim 19 further comprising the steps of generating and displaying the contoured representation based at least partly on the display parameters.

21. A method of data visualization as claimed in claim 18 further comprising the steps of:

maintaining the data values in an interaction database of interaction data representing interactions between customers and merchants; and

retrieving the set of data values in the form of data representing interactions between customers and merchants.

22. A method of data visualization as claimed in claim 21 wherein the merchant operates from one or more commercial premises, the method further comprising the step of displaying a graphical spatial representation of the premises of the merchant.

23. A method of data visualization as claimed in claim 22 further comprising the steps of:

maintaining a plurality of graphical spatial representations in computer memory; and

selecting a graphical spatial representation to display based at least partly on the display parameters.

24. A method of data visualization as claimed in claim 18 further comprising the step of displaying a line graph representing the set of retrieved data, the line graph defined at least partly by the display parameters.

25. A method of data visualization as claimed in claim 18 further comprising the step of displaying a histogram representing the set of retrieved data, the histogram defined at least partly by the display parameters.

26. A method of data visualization as claimed in claim 18 further comprising the step of displaying a pie chart representing the set of retrieved data, the pie chart defined at least partly by the display parameters.

27. A method of data visualization comprising the steps of:

maintaining in computer memory a finite set of data values;

receiving a database query expression;

retrieving a set of data values from computer memory using the database query expression;

displaying a graphical representation of each of the set of the retrieved data values centered on respective data points based at least partly on display parameters included in the database query expression; and

generating and displaying a contoured representation around each data point, such that each data point is displayed as a local maximum.

28. A method of data visualization as claimed in claim 27 further comprising the step of displaying a line graph representing the set of retrieved data, the line graph defined at least by the display parameters.

29. A data visualization system as claimed in claim 27 further comprising the step of displaying a histogram representing the set of retrieved data defined at least partly by the display parameters.

30. A method of data visualization as claimed in claim 27 further comprising the step of displaying a pie chart representing the set of retrieved data defined at least partly by the display parameters.

31. A data visualization computer program comprising:

a finite set of discrete data values maintained in computer memory;

a retrieval component configured to retrieve a set of data values from computer memory;

a display component configured to display a representation of each of the set of the retrieved data values centered on respective data points; and

a contour generator configured to generate and display a contoured representation around each data point, such that each data point is displayed as a local maximum.

32. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 31 wherein the retrieval component is configured to receive a database query expression and to retrieve the set of data values from computer memory using the database query expression.

33. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 32 wherein the database query expression includes display parameters.

34. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 33 wherein the display component is configured to display the representation based at least partly on the display parameters.

35. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 34 wherein the contour generator is configured to generate and display the contoured representation based at least partly on the display parameters.

36. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 33 wherein the data values are maintained in an interaction database of interaction data representing interactions between customers and merchants, the retrieval component configured to retrieve the set of data values in the form of data representing interactions between customers and merchants.

37. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 36 wherein the merchant operates from one or more commercial premises, the display component further configured to display a graphical spatial representation of the premises of the merchant.

38. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 37 further comprising a plurality of graphical spatial representations stored in computer memory, the display component configured to select a graphical spatial representation to display based at least partly on the display parameters.

39. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 33 wherein the display component is further configured to optionally display a line graph representing the set of retrieved data, the line graph defined at least partly by the display parameters.

40. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 33 wherein the display component is further configured to optionally display a histogram representing the set of retrieved data, the histogram defined at least partly by the display parameters.

41. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 33 wherein the display component is further configured to optionally display a pie chart representing the set of retrieved data, the pie chart defined at least partly by the display parameters.

46. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 31 embodied on a computer readable medium.

42. A data visualization computer program comprising:

a finite set of discrete data values maintained in computer memory;

a retrieval component configured to receive a database query expression and to retrieve a set of data values from computer memory using the database query expression;

a display component configured to display a graphical representation of each of the set of the retrieved data values centered on respective data points based at least partly on display parameters included in the database query expression; and

a contour generator configured to generate and display a contoured representation around each data point, such that each data point is displayed as a local maximum.

43. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 42 wherein the display component is configured to optionally display a line graph representing the set of retrieved data, the line graph defined at least partly by the display parameters.

44. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 42 wherein the display component is configured to optionally a histogram representing the set of retrieved data defined at least partly by the display parameters.

45. A data visualization computer program as claimed in claim 42 wherein the display component is configured to optionally display a pie chart representing the set of retrieved data defined at least partly by the display parameters.