Alert Summary Aggregation for Search Query Data Analysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Modern data centers face challenges in processing and presenting large volumes of machine-generated data due to its unstructured nature, making it difficult to apply semantic meaning and perform efficient indexing and searching operations.

Innovation Solution

A data aggregation and analysis system that performs real-time indexing and executes searches, using a late-binding schema to extract values from data items, and provides an alerting mechanism to trigger actions based on defined conditions, with the ability to present alert summaries rather than individual instances, allowing users to drill down into underlying data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If individual alert instances are presented to users, then complete information is provided, but user attention is分散 and critical alerts are difficult to identify

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidalert identification efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential information from individual alert instances by creating consolidated alert summaries that aggregate multiple instances. These summaries present key information at a higher level while allowing users to access detailed individual instances when needed, thus extracting only the most critical information for initial review.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple individual alert instances into consolidated alert summaries that group related alerts together. This combining approach allows users to view multiple alert instances as a unified overview, improving efficiency by reducing the number of separate items users must evaluate individually while preserving access to complete information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Ease of operation

If alert summaries are presented to users, then alert identification efficiency is improved, but detailed information about individual instances becomes less accessible

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealert identification efficiencyVSAvoiddetail accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a nested structure where alert summaries contain aggregated information at one level, and individual alert instances are nested within or accessible from these summaries. Users first encounter the outer summary level for quick assessment, then can drill down into the inner individual instance details when needed, creating a multi-level information hierarchy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary aggregation of alert instances into summaries before user review, preparing consolidated information in advance. This preliminary action allows users to immediately see the most critical aggregated information without having to process individual instances separately, improving initial alert identification efficiency while maintaining access to details.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If all alert instances are displayed, then complete data is available, but processing and presentation time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata completenessVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts essential characteristics from multiple alert instances to create condensed summaries that represent the core information. By taking out only the most relevant aggregated data for initial display, the system reduces processing and presentation time while maintaining data completeness through accessible individual instances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by initially presenting only aggregated alert summaries rather than all individual instances. This partial presentation approach reduces immediate processing and display time requirements, allowing the system to handle large volumes of alerts efficiently while preserving the ability to access complete detailed information when users need it.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11755635B2Presentation and sorting of summaries of alert instances triggered by search queries
Publication Date: 2023.09.12 CISCO TECHNOLOGY INC
  • US11755635B2 patent drawing
  • US11755635B2 patent drawing
  • US11755635B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Systems and methods for presenting and sorting summaries of alerts triggered by search queries in data aggregation and analysis systems. An example method may comprise: causing, by one or more processing devices, one or more alert summaries to be displayed, each alert summary corresponding to an alert and representing one or more instances of the alert, the alert defined by a search query and a triggering condition; wherein an instance of the alert corresponds to a particular dataset that (i) is generated by executing the search query over time-series data falling within a particular time range in a set of time ranges over which the search query has been instructed to search, and (ii) satisfies the triggering condition for the alert; wherein an alert summary includes an indication of at least one of: a total count of alert instances generated by the alert, or a count of alert instances generated by the alert that have not been viewed by a user.