Method and apparatus for data exploration

• US 8,244,728 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hopkins, Richard A., Jenkins, Kevin H., Tetlow, Philip D., Winter, Christopher C., Archer, Geraldine E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): HOCKER, JOHN P
• Application Number:
  US12/122,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 707/737, 707/736, 707999001-99901, 705/14.53, 705/14.54
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/288 Entity relationship models

Abstract

A method and apparatus for data exploration in a data processing system. An apparatus according to an embodiment includes: an analyzing component for analyzing a data model to identify a first and a second data entity and a relationship between the first and the second data entity; a generator component for creating a first and second atom data entity associated with the first and the second data entity; a generator component for creating a link data entity associated with the relationship between the first and second data entity; and an assignor component for assigning a behavior to one of the atom data entities or the link data entity, wherein the atom data entity exhibits a behavior associated with the link data entity and wherein the link data entity exhibits a behavior associated with one of the atom data entities.

Claims

1. An apparatus for data exploration in a data processing system, comprising:

an analyzing component for analyzing a data model to identify a first and a second data entity and a relationship between the first and the second data entity;

a generator component for creating a first and second atom data entity associated with the first and the second data entity, wherein the first and second atom data entity are representations of the first and second data entity respectively;

a generator component for creating a link data entity associated with the relationship between the first and second data entity, wherein the link data entity is a representation of the relationship;

an assignor component for assigning at least one behavior to one of the atom data entities or the link data entity, wherein the atom data entity exhibits at least one behavior associated with the link data entity and wherein the link data entity exhibits at least one behavior associated with one of the atom data entities, and wherein the at least one behavior comprises an attractor force indicating that at least one of the first or second atom data entity is attracted to at least one other atom data entity that is distinct from the first and second atom data entity; and

a personalization component for accessing a set of personalization settings for each of the first and second atom data entities and altering a look of the first and second atom data entities based on the settings.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one assigned behavior further comprises a positional force, or a repulsion force.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generator component further creates a third atom data entity and infers a link data entity from the first atom data entity or the second atom data entity to the third atom data entity.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generator component further creates a communication channel for each atom data entity.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the communication channel broadcasts positional coordinates to related atom data entities and link data entities.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the related atom data entity responds to broadcasts of positional coordinates by moving in a direction towards the broadcasting atom data entity.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the assignor component further comprises a component for assigning a map of patterns of types of atom data entities and link data entities which an atom data entity and a link data entity is to identify when receiving input from an external source or on creation of an active representation.

8. A method for data exploration in a data processing system, comprising:

analyzing a data model to identify a first and a second data entity and a relationship between the first and the second data entity;

creating a first and second atom data entity associated with the first and the second data entity, wherein the first and second atom data entity are representations of the first and second data entity respectively;

creating a link data entity associated with the relationship between the first and second data entity, wherein the link data entity is a representation of the relationship;

assigning at least one behavior to one of the atom data entities or the link data entity, wherein the atom data entity exhibits at least one behavior associated with the link data entity and wherein the link data entity exhibits at least one behavior associated with one of the atom data entities, and wherein the at least one behavior comprises an attractor force indicating that at least one of the first or second atom data entity is attracted to at least one other atom data entity that is distinct from the first and second atom data entity; and

accessing a set of personalization settings for each of the first and second atom data entities and altering a look of the first and second atom data entities based on the settings.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one assigned behavior further comprises a positional force, or a repulsion force.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising creating a third atom data entity and inferring a link data entity from the first atom data entity or the second atom data entity to the third atom data entity.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising creating a communication channel for each atom data entities.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the communication channel broadcasts positional coordinates to related atom data entities and link data entities.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the related atom data entity responds to broadcasts of positional coordinates by moving in a direction towards the broadcasting atom data entity.

14. A computer program product loadable into the internal memory of a digital computer, comprising software code portions for, when the product is run on a computer:

analyzing a data model to identify a first and a second data entity and a relationship between the first and the second data entity;

creating a first and second atom data entity associated with the first and the second data entity, wherein the first and second atom data entity are representations of the first and second data entity respectively;

creating a link data entity associated with the relationship between the first and second data entity, wherein the link data entity is a representation of the relationship; and

assigning at least one behavior to one of the atom data entities or the link data entity, wherein the atom data entity exhibits at least one behavior associated with the link data entity and wherein the link data entity exhibits at least one behavior associated with one of the atom data entities, and wherein the at least one behavior comprises an attractor force indicating that at least one of the first or second atom data entity is attracted to at least one other atom data entity that is distinct from the first and second atom data entity; and

accessing a set of personalization settings for each of the first and second atom data entities and altering a look of the first and second atom data entities based on the settings.