Dimension Member Sliding for Non-Hierarchical OLAP Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Navigation in multidimensional databases is limited to hierarchical structures, making it difficult for users to navigate dimensions in patterns that are not hierarchical, such as moving across parallel periods in a time dimension, which requires multiple button clicks.
Innovation Solution
The method of dimension member sliding allows users to navigate dimensions in a non-hierarchical pattern by using a bar slider to update the data view, decomposing the selected hierarchy into a matrix, determining next leaf node members, rebuilding the hierarchy, and merging similar cells to create a new hierarchy, enabling navigation across dimensions with a single button click.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If hierarchical navigation is used in multidimensional databases, then the data structure is organized and maintained systematically, but users cannot navigate dimensions in non-hierarchical patterns efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the hierarchical navigation process into two independent parts: (1) maintaining the hierarchical data structure for systematic organization, and (2) implementing non-hierarchical navigation patterns through dimension member sliding. This allows the system to preserve structured data storage while enabling flexible user navigation patterns that are not constrained by hierarchy levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new navigation dimension by allowing users to slide along dimension members in any direction and pattern, independent of the hierarchical structure. Users can navigate from any member to any other member in a single operation, adding a new degree of freedom to navigation that transcends the traditional hierarchical constraint.
2Productivity
If users navigate through hierarchical levels using multiple button clicks, then the hierarchical structure is respected, but the response time and user efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary computation by pre-calculating and storing the path between dimension members in the multidimensional array. When a user initiates a non-hierarchical navigation request, the system can directly access the pre-computed path information, eliminating the need to traverse hierarchical levels step-by-step and significantly reducing navigation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables users to skip intermediate hierarchical levels by allowing direct navigation between any two dimension members. Instead of requiring users to click through each hierarchical level sequentially, the system allows users to 'rush through' the hierarchy by directly accessing the target member through dimension member sliding, dramatically reducing the number of operations required.
3Adaptability or versatility
If non-hierarchical navigation is implemented with dimension member sliding, then navigation flexibility is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mediator mechanism in the form of a multidimensional array that stores pre-computed path information between dimension members. This intermediary structure allows the system to handle complex non-hierarchical navigation requests by simply querying the pre-computed paths, rather than implementing complex real-time calculation algorithms, thus managing system complexity while enabling navigation flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A dimension member of a report is slid to produce a new view of the report that corresponds to the slid dimension. The dimension member sliding allows navigation of a dimension of the data by members in a pattern that is not hierarchical. The view of the report corresponds to a hierarchy tree that is decomposed into a matrix. The next dimension members are determined using the matrix and the dimensionally slid view of the report is generated.