Multi-Level Interface Client for Business Intelligence Data Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for accessing and integrating data from business intelligence systems into business productivity clients are inefficient, requiring technical expertise and proprietary interfaces, and often result in formatting issues and document corruption when exporting and importing data.
Innovation Solution
A multi-level interface client system that allows business productivity clients to access and update data from business intelligence systems directly, using a graphical user interface, application programming interface, productivity client adapter layer, and kernel layer, enabling native access and refreshing of reports while preserving formatting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If OLAP systems are used to query databases and generate reports, then business information can be analyzed effectively, but technical expertise is required and the systems are proprietary and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a reporting service as an intermediary layer between the OLAP system and productivity clients. This service exposes standardized query interfaces that allow users to access business intelligence data without needing to learn proprietary OLAP interfaces or programming languages, thus resolving the contradiction between analysis capability and ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables multiple types of clients (productivity clients, mobile devices, web browsers) to access the same business intelligence reporting system through a universal standardized interface. This eliminates the need for separate proprietary clients for different platforms, making the system accessible to a broader user base without sacrificing analytical capabilities
2Loss of information
If reports are exported from OLAP systems to productivity clients, then information can be conveyed to business managers, but formatting issues and document corruption occur
Solution Approach 1:
The reporting service acts as an intermediary that generates reports in standardized formats natively supported by productivity clients. This eliminates the need for export/import operations that cause formatting issues, as the reports are created directly in the target format with proper formatting from the source
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the output format parameter of the reporting system to produce reports in formats native to productivity clients (such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint) rather than proprietary OLAP formats. This parameter change eliminates formatting conversion issues and document corruption while maintaining information integrity
3Ease of operation
If OLAP clients are installed on desktop computers, then direct access to business intelligence systems is enabled, but installation is not universal among business employees
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the business intelligence reporting system accessible through multiple client types including productivity clients, mobile devices, and web browsers. This multi-platform approach ensures universal access across all business employees regardless of their device or platform preferences, while maintaining direct access to the intelligence system through standardized interfaces
4Ease of operation
If data is exported from OLAP systems to productivity clients, then reports can be used in familiar applications, but the process requires accessing both systems and is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The reporting service serves as an intermediary that allows productivity clients to query the OLAP system directly through standardized interfaces. This eliminates the inefficient export/import process by enabling direct report generation in the productivity client's native format, improving efficiency while maintaining ease of use in familiar applications
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-level interface client for business productivity clients such as spreadsheet, word processor, presentation, database and email clients. The multi-level interface client provides backend functionality permitting a business intelligence server, such as an OLAP system to be accessed directly from the productivity client. Reports displayed in the documents native to the productivity client can be updated directly in the client by executing operations on the business intelligence server through the interface client. Layout and formatting information specific to the client is stored as persistence information by interface client in the productivity client document file and is used to refresh the displayed report in the file without a loss of formatting or layout properties.