Flexible interactive data visualization enabled by dynamic attributes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10929414-B2
Application number	US-201816002729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2018
Priority date	Jul 13, 2016
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

A method and system are provided for interactive data visualization. The method includes dynamically determining, responsive to a user request directed to at least one of default categories identified by analyzing a data source used with an initial user query, pre-set values for categorical portions and numerical portions of vocabularies for user selection using data analytics on the data source. The method also includes providing the user with a capability to specify other values for the portions. The method additionally includes dynamically generating multiple sub-queries to the data source for the pre-set values and at least one of the other values specified by the user for the portions. The method further includes generating a data visualization of combined result sets for the multiple sub-queries and displaying the data visualization.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for interactive data visualization, comprising:
dynamically determining, by a hardware processor responsive to a user request directed to at least one of default categories identified by analyzing a data source used with an initial user query, pre-set values for categorical portions and numerical portions of vocabularies for user selection using data analytics on the data source;
providing, by a user interface, the user with a capability to specify other values for the categorical portions and the numerical portions of the vocabularies;
dynamically generating, by the hardware processor, multiple sub-queries to the data source for the pre-set values and at least one of the other values specified by the user for the categorical portions and numerical portions of the vocabularies; and
generating, by the hardware processor, a data visualization of combined result sets for the multiple sub-queries and displaying the data visualization on a display device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the multiple sub-queries is out of the data context of the initial query by involving data attributes or vocabulary words uninvolved in the initial query.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the multiple sub-queries is out of the data context of the initial query by involving a new data source.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising accessing, by the hardware processor, a constrained natural language dictionary comprising the vocabularies, wherein the vocabularies are configured to reference pre-built data mappings, the pre-built data mappings being configured to enable user access to data subsets of the data source using the vocabularies and computer generated metadata of the vocabularies to augment the constrained natural language dictionary.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said accessing step comprises generating the constrained natural language dictionary responsive to the initial query.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein said accessing step comprises configuring the constrained natural language dictionary responsive to the initial query.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein said accessing step is performed as part of said determining step.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising prompting the user with additional categories of nearest semantic proximity for further querying of the data source.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said prompting step comprises identifying and suggesting to the user, other vocabularies in the constrained natural language dictionary within a semantic proximity threshold to the vocabularies in the list.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said identifying step is performed using a predetermined existing lexical database for a set of vocabularies that include the vocabularies and the other vocabularies.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the semantic proximity threshold is based on at least one selected from the group of a semantic distance, a related word, a related concept, usage statistics.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a validation process and sending a notification to the user when an update to the values specified by the user is required and when a new data source has no overlap with the data source; and
adding the new data source to a data source registry and enabling access to the new data source, responsive to a positive result for the validation process.

13. A computer program product for interactive data visualization, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a method comprising:
dynamically determining, by a hardware processor responsive to a user request directed to at least one of default categories identified by analyzing a data source used with an initial user query, pre-set values for categorical portions and numerical portions of vocabularies for user selection using data analytics on the data source;
providing, by a user interface, the user with a capability to specify other values for the categorical portions and the numerical portions of the vocabularies;
dynamically generating, by the hardware processor, multiple sub-queries to the data source for the pre-set values and at least one of the other values specified by the user for the categorical portions and numerical portions of the vocabularies; and
generating, by the hardware processor, a data visualization of combined result sets for the multiple sub-queries and displaying the data visualization on a display device.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the multiple sub-queries is out of the data context of the initial query by involving data attributes or vocabulary words uninvolved in the initial query.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the multiple sub-queries is out of the data context of the initial query by involving a new data source.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 , further comprising accessing, by the hardware processor, a constrained natural language dictionary comprising the vocabularies, wherein the vocabularies are configured to reference pre-built data mappings, the pre-built data mappings being configured to enable user access to data subsets of the data source using the vocabularies and computer generated metadata of the vocabularies to augment the constrained natural language dictionary.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , further comprising prompting the user with additional categories of nearest semantic proximity for further querying of the data source.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein said prompting step comprises identifying and suggesting to the user, other vocabularies in the constrained natural language dictionary within a semantic proximity threshold to the vocabularies in the list.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein said identifying step is performed using a predetermined existing lexical database for a set of vocabularies that include the vocabularies and the other vocabularies.

20. A system for interactive data visualization, comprising:
a hardware processor, configured to:
dynamically determine, responsive to a user request directed to at least one of default categories identified by analyzing a data source used with an initial user query, pre-set values for categorical portions and numerical portions of vocabularies for user selection using data analytics on the data source;
dynamically generate multiple sub-queries to the data source for the pre-set values and at least one of other values specified by the user for the categorical portions and numerical portions of the vocabularies; and
generate a data visualization of the combined result sets;

a display device configured to display the data visualization; and
a user interface configured to provide the user with a capability to specify the other values for the categorical portions and the numerical portions of the vocabularies.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Ashtiani Behrooz
• Khatibi Mitra
• Lau Diana
• Li Jin
• Ng Joanna W

Classifications

• G06F16/2428

  Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms (G06F16/2423 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F40/12

  Use of codes for handling textual entities · CPC title

• G06F16/248 Primary

  Presentation of query results · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/04847

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title