Method and System for Pivoting a Multidimensional Dataset

• US 20110055214A1
• Filed: 09/02/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Mui, Lik, Moon, Hui Sok, Xiao, Chen, Vandermolen, Douglas
• Granted Patent: US 8,751,544 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/737
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for visualizing a multi-dimensional dataset at a client device is disclosed. The client device displays a first view of a subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying dimension data of a first reference dimension attribute and metric data of a first metric attribute that corresponds to the respective first reference dimension data along a first axis. After receiving a user request to partition the metric data of the first metric attribute by a first pivot dimension attribute, the client device requests and receives dimension data of the first pivot dimension attribute and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute from a server system and displays a second view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the second axis.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for visualizing a multi-dimensional dataset, wherein the multi-dimensional dataset is characterized by a set of dimensions and a set of metric attributes, comprising:

at a client device having one or more processors and memory storing programs executed by the one or more processors, wherein the client device is connected to a server system through a network;

displaying a first view of a subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying dimension data of a first reference dimension attribute and metric data of a first metric attribute that corresponds to the respective first reference dimension data along a first axis;

receiving a user request to partition the metric data of the first metric attribute by a first pivot dimension attribute and display the partitioned metric data along a second axis that is different from the first axis;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving dimension data of the first pivot dimension attribute and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute from the server system; and

displaying a second view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the second axis.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user request to sort the dimension data and the metric data of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset in a predefined order of the partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute corresponding to one of the first pivot dimension data;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving sorted dimension data and sorted metric data of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset from the server system, wherein the sorted metric data includes the partitioned metric data after being sorted in the predefined order; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the sorted dimension data and the sorted metric data along the first axis in the predefined order.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user request to screen the dimension data and the metric data of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset in accordance with a user-specified filter;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving screened dimension data and screened metric data of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the screened dimension data and the screened metric data along the first axis.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user request to add metric data of a second metric attribute that is different from the first metric attribute;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving the metric data of the second metric attribute that is partitioned by the first pivot dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute and the partitioned metric data of the second metric attribute that correspond to the same first pivot dimension data along the first axis

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user request to replace metric data of the first metric attribute with metric data of a second metric attribute that is different from the first metric attribute;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving the metric data of the second metric attribute that is partitioned by the first pivot dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the partitioned metric data of the second metric attribute along the first axis

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user request to add a second pivot dimension attribute that is different from the first pivot dimension attribute;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving dimension data of the second pivot dimension attribute and the corresponding metric data of the first metric attribute that is partitioned by the first pivot dimension attribute and the second pivot dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the first pivot dimension data and the second pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the second axis.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user request to replace the first pivot dimension attribute with a second pivot dimension attribute that is different from the first pivot dimension attribute;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving dimension data of the second pivot dimension attribute and the corresponding metric data of the first metric attribute that is partitioned by the second pivot dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the second pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the second axis.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user request to add a second reference dimension attribute that is different from the first reference dimension attribute along the first axis;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving dimension data of the second reference dimension attribute and the corresponding metric data of the first metric attribute that is partitioned by the first reference dimension attribute and the second reference dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the first reference dimension data and the second reference dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the first axis.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a predefined amount of the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute to be displayed in the second view and information about the amount of the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute not to be displayed in the second view; and

displaying in the second view the information about the amount of the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute not to be displayed in the second view.

10. A client device for visualizing a multi-dimensional dataset, wherein the client device is connected to a server system through a network, and the multi-dimensional dataset is characterized by a set of dimensions and a set of metric attributes and managed by the server system, comprising:

one or more processors for executing programs; and

memory to store data and to store one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying a first view of a subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying dimension data of a first reference dimension attribute and metric data of a first metric attribute that corresponds to the respective first reference dimension data along a first axis;

receiving a user request to partition the metric data of the first metric attribute by a first pivot dimension attribute and display the partitioned metric data along a second axis that is different from the first axis;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving dimension data of the first pivot dimension attribute and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute from the server system; and

displaying a second view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the second axis.

11. The client device of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to sort the dimension data and the metric data of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset in a predefined order of the partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute corresponding to one of the first pivot dimension data;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving sorted dimension data and sorted metric data of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset from the server system, wherein the sorted metric data includes the partitioned metric data after being sorted in the predefined order; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the sorted dimension data and the sorted metric data along the first axis in the predefined order.

12. The client device of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to screen the dimension data and the metric data of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset in accordance with a user-specified filter;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving screened dimension data and screened metric data of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the screened dimension data and the screened metric data along the first axis.

13. The client device of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to add metric data of a second metric attribute that is different from the first metric attribute;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving the metric data of the second metric attribute that is partitioned by the first pivot dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute and the partitioned metric data of the second metric attribute that correspond to the same first pivot dimension data along the first axis

14. The client device of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to replace metric data of the first metric attribute with metric data of a second metric attribute that is different from the first metric attribute;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving the metric data of the second metric attribute that is partitioned by the first pivot dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the partitioned metric data of the second metric attribute along the first axis

15. The client device of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to add a second pivot dimension attribute that is different from the first pivot dimension attribute;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving dimension data of the second pivot dimension attribute and the corresponding metric data of the first metric attribute that is partitioned by the first pivot dimension attribute and the second pivot dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the first pivot dimension data and the second pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the second axis.

16. The client device of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to replace the first pivot dimension attribute with a second pivot dimension attribute that is different from the first pivot dimension attribute;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving dimension data of the second pivot dimension attribute and the corresponding metric data of the first metric attribute that is partitioned by the second pivot dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the second pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the second axis.

17. The client device of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to add a second reference dimension attribute that is different from the first reference dimension attribute along the first axis;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving dimension data of the second reference dimension attribute and the corresponding metric data of the first metric attribute that is partitioned by the first reference dimension attribute and the second reference dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the first reference dimension data and the second reference dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the first axis.

18. The client device of claim 10, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a predefined amount of the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute to be displayed in the second view and information about the amount of the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute not to be displayed in the second view; and

displaying in the second view the information about the amount of the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute not to be displayed in the second view.

19. A computer readable-storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by one or more processors of a client device for visualizing a multi-dimensional dataset, wherein the client device is connected to a server system through a network, and the multi-dimensional dataset is characterized by a set of dimensions and a set of metric attributes and managed by the server system, the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

displaying a first view of a subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying dimension data of a first reference dimension attribute and metric data of a first metric attribute that corresponds to the respective first reference dimension data along a first axis;

receiving a user request to partition the metric data of the first metric attribute by a first pivot dimension attribute and display the partitioned metric data along a second axis that is different from the first axis;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving dimension data of the first pivot dimension attribute and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute from the server system; and

displaying a second view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the second axis.

20. The computer readable-storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to sort the dimension data and the metric data of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset in a predefined order of the partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute corresponding to one of the first pivot dimension data;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving sorted dimension data and sorted metric data of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset from the server system, wherein the sorted metric data includes the partitioned metric data after being sorted in the predefined order; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the sorted dimension data and the sorted metric data along the first axis in the predefined order.

21. The computer readable-storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to screen the dimension data and the metric data of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset in accordance with a user-specified filter;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving screened dimension data and screened metric data of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the screened dimension data and the screened metric data along the first axis.

22. The computer readable-storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to add metric data of a second metric attribute that is different from the first metric attribute;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving the metric data of the second metric attribute that is partitioned by the first pivot dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute and the partitioned metric data of the second metric attribute that correspond to the same first pivot dimension data along the first axis

23. The computer readable-storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to replace metric data of the first metric attribute with metric data of a second metric attribute that is different from the first metric attribute;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving the metric data of the second metric attribute that is partitioned by the first pivot dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the partitioned metric data of the second metric attribute along the first axis

24. The computer readable-storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to add a second pivot dimension attribute that is different from the first pivot dimension attribute;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving dimension data of the second pivot dimension attribute and the corresponding metric data of the first metric attribute that is partitioned by the first pivot dimension attribute and the second pivot dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the first pivot dimension data and the second pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the second axis.

25. The computer readable-storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to add a second reference dimension attribute that is different from the first reference dimension attribute along the first axis;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving dimension data of the second reference dimension attribute and the corresponding metric data of the first metric attribute that is partitioned by the first reference dimension attribute and the second reference dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the first reference dimension data and the second reference dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the first axis.

26. The computer readable-storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a user request to replace the first reference dimension attribute with a second reference dimension attribute that is different from the first reference dimension attribute along the first axis;

in response to the user request, requesting and receiving dimension data of the second reference dimension attribute and the corresponding metric data of the first metric attribute that is partitioned by the second reference dimension attribute from the server system; and

displaying a third view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset, including displaying the second reference dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute along the first axis.

27. The computer readable-storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving a predefined amount of the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute to be displayed in the second view and information about the amount of the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute not to be displayed in the second view; and

displaying in the second view the information about the amount of the first pivot dimension data and the corresponding partitioned metric data of the first metric attribute not to be displayed in the second view.

28. A computer-implemented method for visualizing a multi-dimensional dataset, wherein the multi-dimensional dataset has a set of dimensions and a set of metric attributes, comprising:

at a client device having one or more processors and memory storing programs executed by the one or more processors;

displaying a first view of a subset of the multi-dimensional dataset to a user in accordance with a predefined data visualization scheme, wherein the data visualization scheme includes one or more predefined dimensions and one or more predefined metric attributes;

receiving a user selection of one of the set of dimensions, wherein the user-selected dimension is not one of the one or more predefined dimensions;

updating the predefined data visualization scheme with the user-selected dimension; and

replacing the first view with a second view of the subset of the multi-dimensional dataset in accordance with the updated data visualization scheme.