Presenting data in response to an incomplete query
View Patent ↗Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for executing a database query based on an incomplete query. An example system configured to practice the method receives a web request, wherein a uniform resource locator (URL) of the web request provides an argument, and extracts the argument from the URL as a parameter for a database query. The system identifies an unspecified parameter in the database query, and selects a likely value for the unspecified parameter. Then the system executes the database query using the parameter and the likely value, and incorporates at least part of the query result in a web page served in response to the web request. The system can cache the web request and the likely value for the unspecified parameter for later use.
1. A system comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
receiving a web request, wherein a uniform resource locator (URL) of the web request provides an argument and a user account identifier identifying a user account;
extracting the argument from the URL as a parameter for a database query;
identifying a plurality of unspecified parameters in the database query;
selecting a plurality of likely values for the plurality of unspecified parameters based on at least one of a predefined rule, a heuristic, an analysis of a statistical model, or information contained in the web request;
executing the database query, in the identified user account, using the parameter and the plurality of likely values for the plurality of unspecified parameters to yield a query result;
incorporating at least part of the query result in a web page served in response to the web request.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the parameter is one of a data type, a data category, a time window, a priority, or a database.
3. The system of claim 1 , the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing additional instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the method further comprising:
requesting additional information, needed to select the plurality of likely values for the plurality of unspecified parameters, from a user who made the web request.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of likely values for the plurality of unspecified parameters is selected further based on a data source associated with the database query.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the statistical model is based on at least one of past user input, user feedback, or log data.
6. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving a web request, wherein a uniform resource locator (URL) of the web request provides an argument and a user account identifier identifying a user account;
extracting the argument from the URL as a parameter for a database query;
identifying an unspecified parameter in the database query; selecting, via a processor, a likely value for the unspecified parameter based on at least one of a predefined rule, a heuristic, an analysis of a statistical model, or information contained in the web request;
executing the database query, in the identified user account, using the parameter and the likely value for the unspecified parameter to yield a query result; and
incorporating at least part of the query result in a web page served in response to the web request.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the argument is one of a data type, a data category, a time window, a priority, a graph type, a chart type, a table type, or a database.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the likely value for the unspecified parameter is selected further based on a data source associated with the database query.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the data source is one of a production system, a logging system, an analytics system, or an external source.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the statistical model is based on at least one of past user input, user feedback, or log data.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising selecting a presentation structure for the query result within the web page, wherein the presentation structure comprises at least one of a number of a statistical graphical representation, a type of the statistical graphical representation, a layout of the statistical graphical representation, or whether to stack the statistical graphical representation.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the statistical graphical representation is one of a graph, a chart, a table, or a list.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising caching the web request and the likely value for the unspecified parameter for later use.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the query result includes additional data related to the web request but not specifically requested through the web request.
15. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the query result is incorporated in the web page in such a way that more relevant data is presented in a more visible way than less relevant data.
16. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the web page provides a dashboard interface.
17. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , wherein the URL of the web request provides a plurality of arguments, the method further comprising;
extracting each of the plurality of arguments from the URL as parameters for the database query.
18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions for causing a computer to perform a method comprising:
receiving a web request, wherein a uniform resource locator (URL) of the web request provides a plurality of arguments and a user account identifier identifying a user account;
extracting the plurality of arguments from the URL as a plurality of parameters for a database query;
identifying an unspecified parameter in the database query;
selecting a likely value for the unspecified parameter based on at least one of a predefined rule, a heuristic, an analysis of a statistical model, or information contained in the web request; executing the database query, in the identified user account, using the plurality of parameters and the likely value for the unspecified parameter to yield a query result;
incorporating at least part of the query result in a web page served in response to the web request.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions further cause the computer to perform the method comprising:
selecting a presentation structure for the query result within the web page, wherein the presentation structure comprises at least one of a number of a statistical graphical representation, a type of the statistical graphical representation, a layout of the statistical graphical representation, or whether to stack the statistical graphical representation, wherein the statistical graphical representation is one of a graph, a chart, a table, or a list.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the query result is incorporated in the web page in such a way that more relevant data is presented in a more visible way than less relevant data.