Tableau Software, Inc.

Roger Hau

Justin Talbot

Daniel Cory

Teresa Lynn Roberts

Jiyoung Oh

The method receives a visual specification, which specifies a data source, visual variables, and data fields from the data source. Each visual variable is associated with data fields and each data field is either a dimension or a measure. From an object model of the data source, the method identifies a minimal subtree that includes all of the dimension data fields and constructs a query from the minimal subtree. The method executes the query against the data source to retrieve a set of tuples, each tuple comprising a unique ordered combination of data values for the dimension data fields. For each tuple, the method forms an extended tuple by appending aggregated data values corresponding to each measure data field. The method then builds and displays a data visualization according to the data fields in the extended tuples and according to the visual variables to which the data fields are associated.

Generating data visualizations according to an object model of selected data sources

The process receives a visual specification, which specifies data sources, visual variables, and data fields from the data sources. Each visual variable is associated with one or more data fields and each data field is either a dimension or a measure. For each measure m, the process identifies a set R(m) consisting of dimensions that are reachable from the measure by a sequence of many-to-one relationships in an object model for the data sources. For each distinct set R, the process forms a data field set S, consisting of each dimension in R and each measure m for which R(m)=R. For each set S and for each measure in the set S, the process aggregates values of the measure according to the dimensions in S. The process builds a data visualization according to the data fields in the set S and the visual variables they are associated with.

Using an object model of heterogeneous data to facilitate building data visualizations

The method receives a visual specification, which specifies a data source, visual variables, and data fields from the data source. Each visual variable is associated with data fields and each data field is a dimension or a measure. The method forms dimension tuples comprising distinct ordered combinations of data values for the dimensions D. For each measure, the method: forms a set S of the dimensions D plus dimensions from a primary key corresponding to the measure; retrieves intermediate tuples containing the fields in S and the measure, without aggregation; and aggregates the intermediate tuples according to the dimensions D. For each dimension tuple, the method forms an extended tuple by appending the aggregated data values corresponding to each measure field. The method then builds and displays a data visualization according to the extended tuples and the visual variables to which the data fields are associated.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Roger Hau