IP Library Granted Patent US 6,996,569
Granted Patent B1
US 6,996,569 · App. 10/120,192 · Granted Feb 7, 2006

Systems and methods for custom grouping of data

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,996,569
App. No.
10/120,192
Granted
Feb 7, 2006
Kind
B1
Abstract

A system and method for creating a custom grouping of data in a database. A custom group object is created, a plurality of custom group elements are defined, each of the custom group elements being a subset of the custom group object and being defined by a different filter, each one of the different filters representing a logical expression of qualifications based on the data or a derived calculation of the data. Each of the different filters is resolved against the data or a subset of the data, and the plurality of custom group elements are grouped into a consolidated result set which in not naturally existing in the data structure.

Claims (33)

1. A method of providing a custom group for generating data from a database, the data having a data structure, the method comprising:

creating a custom group object comprising one or more custom group elements;

defining each of the custom group elements being by at least one filter, each of the filters representing a logical expression of qualifications based on the data, a derived calculation of the data, or both, at least one of the filters being or having been created by a user;

resolving each of the custom group element filters against the data; and

grouping the plurality of custom group elements into a consolidated result set which is not naturally existing in the data structure, the consolidated result set comprising the custom grouping.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the custom group element returns the aggregated result of a function applied over the filtered data set.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the custom group element returns a set of unaggregated elements equal to the filtered data set.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the custom group element is defined by a metric and a range.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein one filter of the different filters uses an algorithm to determine what data passes the one filter.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the custom group object may be used in a report whereby a user may define a custom group object for use in a report to generate groupings without altering the database.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein a report may comprise a custom grouping previously defined and stored for retrieval by users.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the custom grouping is defined as part of defining a report to be process against the database.

9. A system for grouping data that is stored in a database, the data having a data structure, the system comprising:

a data storage device that stores the data; and

a processor that enables a user to create a custom group object comprising one or more custom group elements and define each of the custom group elements being by at least one filter, each of the filters representing a logical expression of qualifications based on the data, a derived calculation of the data, or both, at least one of the filters being or having been created by the user; and

wherein the processor resolves each of the custom group element filters against the data and groups the plurality of custom group elements into a consolidated result set which is not naturally existing in the data structure, the consolidated result set comprising the custom grouping.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the custom group element returns the aggregated result of a function applied over the filtered data set.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the custom group element returns a set of unaggregated elements equal to the filtered data set.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the custom group element is defined by a metric and a range.

13. The system of claim 9 , wherein one filter of the different filters uses an algorithm to determine what data passes the one filter.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the custom group object may be used in a report whereby a user may define a custom group object for use in a report to generate groupings without altering the database.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein a report may comprise a custom grouping previously defined and stored for retrieval by users.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the custom grouping is defined as part of defining a report to be process against the database.

17. A recording medium storing processor readable program instructions for causing a processor to group data that is stored in a database, the data having a data structure, the instructions enabling a processor to perform the steps of:

creating a custom group object comprising one or more custom group elements;

defining each of the custom group elements being by at least one filter, each of the filters representing a logical expression of qualifications based on the data, a derived calculation of the data, or both, at least one of the filters or being or having been created by the user;

resolving each of the custom group element filters against the data; and

grouping the plurality of custom group elements into a consolidated result set which is not naturally existing in the data structure, the consolidated result set comprising the custom grouping.

18. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the custom group element returns the aggregated result of a function applied over the filtered data set.

19. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the custom group element returns a set of unaggregated elements equal to the filtered data set.

20. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the custom group element is defined by a metric and a range.

21. The medium of claim 17 , wherein one filter of the different filters uses an algorithm to determine what data passes the one filter.

22. The medium of claim 17 , wherein the custom group object may be used in a report whereby a user may define a custom group object for use in a report to generate groupings without altering the database.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2011
From: MICROSTRATEGY INCORPORATED
To: REPORTING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 027360/0704 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 15, 2002
From: FOOTHILL CAPITAL CORPORATION
To: MICROSTRATEGY INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 013389/0567 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 11, 2002
From: BEDELL, JEFFREY A.; JHAVERI, ASHUTOSH K.; YUAN, JUN; FENG, XUN; LI, BENJAMIN Z.; HURWOOD, WILLIAM; WANG, XINYI
To: MICROSTRATGEGY INCORPORATED.
Reel/Frame 013086/0123 →