Granted Patent B2

US 12,393,903 · App. 18/102,155 · Granted Aug 19, 2025

Inventors: Qianfan Wang (Seattle, WA); Qiang Kong (Seattle, WA)

Assignee: Tableau Software, LLC

G06Q10/067G06F3/0484

Abstract

Claims (86)

1. A method, comprising:

at a computer system in communication with a display and one or more input devices, the computer system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

displaying in a user interface, via the display, a data model that represents a plurality of relationships between a plurality of data objects, including a plurality of shortcuts, wherein:

each data object is represented by a node in the data model and each data relationship is represented by at least one edge of a plurality of edges in the data model;

the data model is generated based on stored schemas and is stored in a graph-based database;

a plurality of nodes represent data objects selected from a group consisting of databases, tables, columns, workbooks, workflows, and other entities; and

the plurality of shortcuts are generated based on one or more stored shortcut specifications that represent direct paths between respective nodes of the plurality of nodes;

detecting, via the one or more input devices, a user input corresponding to a request to delete a portion from the data model;

in response to the user input corresponding to the request to delete the portion from the data model, executing a query over the graph-based database;

in response to executing the query over the graph-based database, performing, via the one or more processors, operations including:

determining, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, a plurality of edges and a plurality of nodes to be deleted, wherein the plurality of edges and the plurality of nodes to be deleted are associated with the portion of the data model that is based on the data model;

determining, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, one or more critical edges from the plurality of edges to be deleted based on the data model, wherein each critical edge is associated with one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes to be deleted that are included in the portion of the data model and one or more other nodes that are exterior to the portion of the data model;

selectively, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, traversing the data model based on the one or more critical edges;

determining, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, one or more critical shortcuts based on the selective traversal and one or more shortcut specifications matching the one or more critical shortcuts, wherein the one or more critical shortcuts are associated with at least one critical edge; and

modifying, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, the data model by deleting critical shortcut that do not match the one or more shortcut specifications and deleting the portion of the data model, including the plurality of nodes and edges associated with the portion; and

displaying in the user interface, via the display, one or more undeleted portions of the modified data model.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more critical shortcuts further comprises:

comparing the portion of the data model to the one or more shortcut specifications, wherein the comparison evaluates one or more of a data type of a node, a relationship type of an edge, or a length of a path between two nodes; and

determining the one or more shortcut specifications matching the one or more critical shortcuts based on the comparison.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the data model to be deleted further comprises one or more graphlets that include respective subsets of the plurality of nodes.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing the one or more shortcut specifications, wherein the one or more shortcut specifications declare one or more criteria for generating shortcuts in the data model, wherein the one or more criteria include one or more of a path length, a node type, a data types, or an edge type.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more critical shortcuts based on the selective traversal further comprises:

determining one or more new shortcuts based on the one or more shortcut specifications matching the one or more critical shortcuts; and

including the one or more new shortcuts in the data model.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the one or more critical edges further comprises:

determining a flow direction associated with each of the plurality of edges; and

determining the one or more critical edges based on the flow direction associated with the portion of the one or more edges, wherein each critical edge is associated with an edge that is directed into the portion of the data model and another edge directed away from the portion of the data model.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operations further include modifying the data model by replacing a shortcut of the shortcuts that does not match the one or more shortcut specifications with another shortcut of the shorts that does match the one or more shortcut specifications based on the one or more undeleted portions of the modified data model.

8. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs configured for execution by the one or more processors, wherein the computer system is in communication with a display and one or more input devices, and the one or more programs comprising instructions for:

displaying in a user interface, via the display, a data model that represents a plurality of relationships between a plurality of data objects, including a plurality of shortcuts, wherein;

each data object is represented by a node in the data model and each data relationship is represented by at least one edge of a plurality of edges in the data model;

the data model is generated based on stored schemas and is stored in a graph-based database;

a plurality of nodes represent data objects selected from a group consisting of databases, tables, columns, workbooks, workflows, and other entities; and

the plurality of shortcuts are generated based on one or more stored shortcut specifications that represent direct paths between respective nodes of the plurality of nodes;

detecting, via the one or more input devices, a user input corresponding to a request to delete a portion from the data model;

in response to the user input corresponding to the request to delete the portion from the data model, executing a query over the graph-based database;

in response to executing the query over the graph-based database, performing, via the one or more processors, operations including:

determining, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, a plurality of edges and a plurality of nodes to be deleted, wherein the plurality of edges and the plurality of nodes to be deleted are associated with the portion of the data model that is based on the data model;

determining, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, one or more critical edges from the plurality of edges to be deleted based on the data model, wherein each critical edge is associated with one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes to be deleted that are included in the portion of the data model and one or more other nodes that are exterior to the portion of the data model;

selectively, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, traversing the data model based on the one or more critical edges;

determining, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, one or more critical shortcuts based on the selective traversal and one or more shortcut specifications matching the one or more critical shortcuts, wherein the one or more critical shortcuts are associated with at least one critical edge; and

modifying, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, the data model by deleting critical shortcuts that do not match the one or more shortcut specifications and deleting the portion of the data model, including the plurality of nodes and edges associated with the portion; and

displaying in the user interface, via the display, one or more undeleted portions of the modified data model in the user interface.

9. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein determining the one or more critical shortcuts further comprises:

comparing the portion of the data model to the one or more shortcut specifications, wherein the comparison evaluates one or more of a data type of a node, a relationship type of an edge, or a length of a path between two nodes; and

determining the one or more shortcut specifications matching the one or more critical shortcuts based on the comparison.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the portion of the data model to be deleted, further comprises, one or more graphlets that include respective subsets of the plurality of nodes.

11. The computer system of claim 8 , further comprising:

providing the one or more shortcut specifications, wherein the one or more shortcut specifications declare one or more criteria for generating shortcuts in the data model, wherein the one or more criteria include one or more of a path length, a node type, a data types, or an edge type.

12. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein determining the one or more critical shortcuts based on the selective traversal further comprises:

determining one or more new shortcuts based on the one or more shortcut specifications matching the one or more critical shortcuts; and

including the one or more new shortcuts in the data model.

13. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein determining the one or more critical edges further comprises:

determining a flow direction associated with each of the plurality of edges; and

determining the one or more critical edges based on the flow direction associated with the portion of the one or more edges, wherein each critical edge is associated with an edge that is directed into the portion of the data model and another edge directed away from the portion of the data model.

14. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for modifying the data model by replacing a shortcut of the shortcuts that does not match the one or more shortcut specifications with another shortcut of the shorts that does match the one or more shortcut specifications based on the one or more undeleted portions of the modified data model.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions that when executed by a computer system having one or more processors and in communication with a display and one or more input devices, cause the computer system to perform a method comprising:

displaying in a user interface, via the display, a data model that represents a plurality of relationships between a plurality of data objects, including a plurality of shortcuts, wherein:

each data object is represented by a node in the data model and each data relationship is represented by at least one edge of a plurality of edges in the data model;

the data model is generated based on stored schemas and is stored in a graph-based database;

a plurality of nodes represent data objects selected from a group consisting of databases, tables, columns, workbooks, workflows, and other entities; and

the plurality of shortcuts are generated based on one or more stored shortcut specifications that represent direct paths between respective nodes of the plurality of nodes;

detecting, via the one or more input devices, a user input corresponding to a request to delete a portion from the data model;

in response to the user input corresponding to the request to delete portion from the data model executing a query over the graph-based database;

in response to executing the query over the graph-based database, performing, via the one or more processors, operations including:

determining, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, a plurality of edges and a plurality of nodes to be deleted, wherein the plurality of edges and the plurality of nodes to be deleted are associated with the portion of the data model that is based on the data model;

determining, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, one or more critical edges from the plurality of edges to be deleted based on the data model, wherein each critical edge is associated with one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes to be deleted that are included in the portion of the data model and one or more other nodes that are exterior to the portion of the data model;

selectively, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, traversing the data model based on the one or more critical edges;

determining, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, one or more critical shortcuts based on the selective traversal and one or more shortcut specifications matching the one or more critical shortcuts, wherein the one or more critical shortcuts are associated with at least one critical edge; and

modifying, via the one or more processors and based on the query over the graph-based database, the data model by deleting critical shortcuts that do not match the one or more shortcut specifications and deleting the portion of the data model, including the plurality of nodes and edges associated with the portion; and

displaying in the user interface, via the display, one or more undeleted portions of the modified data model.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the one or more critical shortcuts further comprises:

comparing the portion of the data model to the one or more shortcut specifications, wherein the comparison evaluates one or more of a data type of a node, a relationship type of an edge, or a length of a path between two nodes; and

determining the one or more shortcut specifications matching the one or more critical shortcuts based on the comparison.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the portion of the data model to be deleted further comprises, one or more graphlets that include respective subsets of the plurality of nodes.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising:

providing the one or more shortcut specifications, wherein the one or more shortcut specifications declare one or more criteria for generating shortcuts in the data model, wherein the one or more criteria include one or more of a path length, a node type, a data types, or an edge type.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the one or more critical shortcuts based on the selective traversal, further comprises:

determining one or more new shortcuts based on the one or more shortcut specifications matching the one or more critical shortcuts; and

including the one or more new shortcuts in the data model.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the one or more critical edges further comprises:

determining a flow direction associated with each of the plurality of edges; and

determining the one or more critical edges based on the flow direction associated with the portion of the one or more edges, wherein each critical edge is associated with an edge that is directed into the portion of the data model and another edge directed away from the portion of the data model.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (161)