Query Interface for Accessing Inaccessible Supplemental Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users often encounter 'dark data' – data relevant to their queries that is inaccessible due to location or access restrictions, making it difficult to retrieve supplemental query data.
Innovation Solution
A computer system processes user queries, identifies inaccessible data elements, and generates a user interface displaying steps to access these elements, allowing users to retrieve the data by interacting with the interface and providing necessary credentials or workflow inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If data is stored in multiple different databases, then data availability and completeness are improved, but user access difficulty increases due to location obscurity and access restrictions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that acts as a mediator between users and multiple databases. This system discovers data across different databases, determines accessibility, and presents unified access interfaces to users, thereby resolving the contradiction between data availability across multiple sources and ease of user access.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where accessibility information about data elements is continuously discovered and updated. When users query for data, the system provides feedback about which additional data elements are available but inaccessible, and guides users through access workflows, transforming the contradiction into a manageable process.
2Ease of operation
If accessibility information about data elements is provided, then user guidance and access ease are improved, but interface complexity and information overload increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing accessibility information selectively rather than universally. The system determines which data elements are inaccessible and provides targeted guidance only for those specific elements, rather than overwhelming users with information about all data elements. This localized approach maintains ease of operation while controlling interface complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments accessibility information into distinct categories and provides it in a structured manner through the user interface. By dividing the information about inaccessible data elements into manageable segments with specific access workflows, the system improves guidance without creating overwhelming complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are directed to providing access to supplemental query data that is relevant to a data query. In one scenario, a computer system receives an input indicating that a data query is to be processed, where the input provides various search criteria. The computer system then generates the data query according to the search criteria in the received input. The computer system further sends the data query to a second computer system which is configured to process the data query and receives the results of the data query. The results indicate that additional data elements relevant to the search criteria have been identified. The computer system then displays an indication of various steps that are to be taken in order to access the identified additional data elements.