Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Aaron Stephen Meyers

Robert Alan Meyers

Jason David Carlson

Christopher Alan Hays

Brian L Welcker

Lisa Renee Mueller

Carolyn Khanh Chau

Eric Stephen Meyers

A data query and reporting method and system are provided. The method and system allow non-technical computer users to build and execute complex database queries. The method and system accommodate the need for a simple, easy-to-understand interactive and iterative means for generating and validating database queries. The method and system reduce the complexity and costs associated with retrieving useful information for organizations of all sizes, especially smaller businesses. The method and system support a robust security model, enabling organizations to protect sensitive data while providing broad data access.

Method and system for building a report for execution against a data store

A graphical user interface and method of use thereof that allows users to interact with an entity relationship model. The user interface includes zones that allow users to navigate among the entities, roles and fields to create queries that are run against the model. Clicking on an entity in the shows the available fields for the entity. Users can drag and drop entities and fields onto a design surface to quickly and easily build queries. Rules are applied when either an entity or a field is dropped onto the design surface based upon the item being dropped (either an entity or a field), the position of the drop and also the properties that are associated with the item. Entities may be grouped and filtered to sort and limit the results of the query. After query is run, the results may be displayed in a separate area to the user.

User interface mechanism to formulate complex query against an entity relationship model

A preferred path between two selected entities is determined. Initially, there is provided a representation of the data structure in the form of a plurality of entities having relations between them indicative of roles and the relations reflecting a cardinality of one of a one-to-one, one-to-many and a many-to-one relationship between the entities. A query is entered that provides an indication of a first selected entity and a second selected entity. A preferred path is selected through the entities and relations that couples the first selected entity to the second selected entity. The preferred path is selected from a plurality of paths as a function of the number of changes in cardinality along the plurality of paths and a indicator indicative of a preferred role relating two entities.

Traversing a relational model with preferred paths

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Provo, UT, United States of America

Aaron Stephen Meyers