Visual Cues for Validating Database Table Object Models
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing data visualization applications struggle to generate appropriate visualizations from complex or multiple data sources, as it is unclear what type of visualization to create based on user selections, especially when relationships between data fields are not explicitly defined.
Innovation Solution
Constructing an object model that stores relationships between data fields, allowing the data visualization application to recommend additional fields and limit actions to prevent unusable combinations, while providing visual cues and affordances for users to build and validate the model.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an object model is constructed to store relationships between data fields, then the ability to generate appropriate visualizations from complex data sources is improved, but the complexity of the system increases due to the additional modeling layer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by constructing an object model in advance that stores relationships between data fields from multiple data sources. This pre-established model enables the system to automatically determine appropriate visualizations without requiring complex real-time analysis, thus improving adaptability while managing system complexity through upfront preparation.
2Ease of operation
If visual cues and affordances are provided to guide users in building object models, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to the additional interface elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses visual cues and affordances as intermediary elements that mediate between the user and the complex object model building process. These visual indicators guide users through the modeling process without requiring them to understand the underlying system complexity, thus improving ease of operation while the system internally manages the complexity through structured object models.
3Measurement precision
If the object model stores detailed relationships between data fields, then measurement precision of data relationships is improved, but loss of information increases due to the complexity of managing multiple relationships
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by breaking down complex data relationships into discrete object models that store specific relationships between data fields from different data sources. This segmentation allows precise tracking of individual relationships while organizing the information in a manageable structure, thus improving measurement precision of data relationships while reducing information management complexity through systematic organization.
Data Source
AI summary
In an object model region, related data object icons representing an object model are displayed. Each data object icon corresponds to a logical table and represents a combination of one or more physical tables. A first portion of a user input requesting to place a candidate data object icon in the object model region is detected. In response, and in accordance with a determination that there is a potential relationship between the candidate data object icon and a respective data object icon, a visual representation of a tentative relationship created between the candidate data object icon and the respective data object icon is displayed. A second portion of the user input that terminates the user input is detected. In response, the system creates a relationship in the data object model between the respective data object icon and the candidate data object icon that is added to the data object model.