Schema Viewer Search for Data Analytics Platform

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Solution Overview

Problem

Analyzing data from multiple data sources is challenging due to the difficulty in accessing and combining information from various tables or databases, especially when users are unsure of the relationships between data objects, leading to aggregation errors and inefficient data visualization.

Innovation Solution

An object model is used to organize data sets, allowing users to leverage relationships between data sets by storing them as objects and classes, enabling flexible data visualization without the need to combine all data into a single set, and automatically determining join types based on user selections and object relationships.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If users access data from multiple tables or databases to build data visualizations, then data analysis capability is improved, but difficulty in finding or accessing the right data increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata analysis capabilityVSAvoiddifficulty in finding or accessing the right data
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a data field as an intermediary element that exists across multiple tables and databases. Data fields serve as common identifiers or reference points that users can search for and navigate through the object model to locate related data across different sources, thereby reducing the difficulty of finding the right data while maintaining multi-source analysis capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If users combine data from multiple tables using joins, then data visualization capability is improved, but complexity of specifying join types increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata visualization capabilityVSAvoidcomplexity of specifying join types
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the system to automatically determine join types based on the object model relationships and user selections. Instead of requiring users to manually specify join types, the system uses the predefined relationships between objects and data fields to automatically establish the appropriate joins, thereby reducing user complexity while maintaining visualization capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The object model pre-establishes relationships between tables and data fields before the user needs to perform analysis. These pre-defined relationships serve as a foundation that the system uses to automatically determine join types, eliminating the need for users to specify complex join parameters while still achieving accurate multi-table data combination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If users work with data from multiple objects without knowing relationships, then flexibility in data access is improved, but accuracy of data analysis decreases due to aggregation errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in data accessVSAvoidaccuracy of data analysis
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a search interface that provides feedback to users about the relationships between data fields and objects. When users search for or select data fields, the system displays information about their relationships to other objects and data fields, enabling users to understand the data structure and avoid aggregation errors while maintaining flexible access to multiple objects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS11232120B1Schema viewer searching for a data analytics platform
Publication Date: 2022.01.25 TABLEAU SOFTWARE INC
  • US11232120B1 patent drawing
  • US11232120B1 patent drawing
  • US11232120B1 patent drawing

AI summary

A method for analyzing data from data sources includes receiving user selection of a data source and displaying an interface that includes a schema region and a search box. Each data field in the schema region is associated with a respective system-defined object from the data source. The method also includes receiving user input in the search box. The user input includes a predefined contiguous string of characters specifying a search parameter. The method also includes, in response to the user input in the search box, filtering the data fields displayed in the schema region, thereby displaying only data fields whose data type matches the data type specified by the search parameter.