Disambiguation with respect to multi-grained dimension coordinates

Abstract

Each of a plurality of dimension coordinates corresponding to a report query has a finer grain and a coarser grain. A subset of the dimension coordinates are dimension coordinates for which there is ambiguity as to what coarser grain value should be associated with the finer grain value. For every unique finer grain value of the dimension coordinates of the subset, it is determined what coarser grain value to associate with all dimension coordinates of the subset having that finer grain value. The determined coarser grain value is the coarser grain value of one of the dimension coordinates, of the subset, having that finer grain value. For each of the dimension coordinates of the plurality of dimension coordinates not in the subset, the coarser grain value associated with that dimension coordinate is the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate. A report is generated in view of the plurality of dimension coordinates and their associated coarser grain values.

1 . A computer-implemented method of processing a report query to a dimensional data model by processing a plurality of dimension coordinates that exist within the dimensional data model, wherein each of the plurality of dimension coordinates has a second particular grain (“finer grain”) that is finer than a first particular grain (“coarser grain”) and having a value at the finer grain (“finer grain value”) and at the coarser grain (“coarser grain value”), the report query specifying a dimension coordinate constraint to which the plurality of dimension coordinates correspond, the computer-implemented method being carried out by at least one computing device executing instructions from a computer-readable medium, the method comprising:
 for a temporal dimension having temporal characteristics of grain relationships including a subset of the plurality of dimension coordinates in which there is a time changing relationship of the grains over a time period of interest leading to-a potential ambiguity as to what coarser grain value to associate with a finer grain value in attributing facts at the finer grain value to the coarser grain value, 
 the fine grain value corresponding to a value at a person grain and the coarse grain value corresponds to a value at a team grain, wherein the disambiguation resolves an ambiguity regarding which team to associate with at least one person in an employee dimension of an organizational chart;
 wherein
 each of the dimension coordinates of the subset is such that there is at least one other dimension coordinate of the subset having a value at the finer grain value that is the same as the finer grain value of that dimension coordinate; and 
 the at least one other dimension coordinate also has a value at the coarser grain value that is different from the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate, 
 
 for every unique finer grain value of the dimension coordinates of the subset, by the at least one computing device, executing computer program instructions from the computer-readable medium to determine the coarser grain value to associate with all dimension coordinates of the subset having that finer grain value, wherein the determined coarser grain value is the coarser grain value of one of the dimension coordinates, of the subset, having that finer grain value such that the relationship is disambiguated by applying a disambiguation criterion to determine the association between coarser grain values when the finer grain value is associated with at least two different coarser grain values during the time period of interest; 
 
 wherein, for each of the dimension coordinates of the plurality of dimension coordinates not in the subset, the coarser grain value associated with that dimension coordinate is the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate; 
 the method further comprising by the at least one computing device, executing computer program instructions from the computer-readable medium to generate a report in view of the plurality of dimension coordinates and their associated coarser grain values. 
 
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the report query directly specifies the disambiguation criterion.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the report query indirectly specifies the disambiguation criterion.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising reporting at least one team metric for contributions of individual team members based on a disambiguated relationship between fine grain values at the person grain and coarse grain values at the team grain. 
     
     
         5 . A computer-implemented method of processing a report query to a dimensional data model by processing a plurality of dimension coordinates that exist within the dimensional data model, wherein each of the dimension coordinates has a second particular grain (“finer grain”) that is finer than a first particular grain (“coarser grain”) and having a value at the finer grain (“finer grain value”) and at the coarser grain (“coarser grain value”), the report query specifying constraints including dimension coordinate constraints and a time reporting range constraint, the plurality of dimension coordinates corresponding to the constraints specified by the report query, the computer-implemented method being carried out by at least one computing device_-executing instructions from a computer-readable medium, the method comprising:
 for each of a plurality of disambiguation time chambers, each disambiguation time chamber corresponding to a different non-overlapping time period of the time reporting range,
 for a temporal dimension having temporal characteristics of grain relationships including a subset of the plurality of dimension coordinates in which there is a time changing relationship of the grains over a time period of interest leading to a potential ambiguity as to what coarser grain value to associate with a finer grain value in attributing facts at the finer grain value to the coarser grain value,
 wherein
 each dimension coordinate of the subset is associated with the time period to which that disambiguation time chamber corresponds; 
 each of the dimension coordinates of the subset is such that there is at least one other dimension coordinate of the subset having a value at the finer grain value that is the same as the finer grain value of that dimension coordinate; and 
 the at least one other dimension coordinate also has a value at the coarser grain value that is different from the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate, 
 
 for every unique finer grain value of the dimension coordinates of the subset, by the at least one computing device, executing computer program instructions from the computer-readable medium to determine the coarser grain value to associate with all dimension coordinates of the subset having that finer grain value, wherein the determined coarser grain value is the coarser grain value of one of the dimension coordinates, of the subset, having that finer grain value so that the relationship is disambiguated by applying a disambiguation criterion to determine the association between coarser grain values when the finer grain value is associated with at least two different coarser grain values during the time period of interest; 
 wherein, for each of the dimension coordinates of the plurality of dimension coordinates associated with the time period to which that disambiguation time chamber corresponds but is not in the subset, the coarser grain value associated with that dimension coordinate is the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate; 
 
 
 the method further comprising by the at least one computing device, executing computer program instructions from the computer-readable medium to generate a report in view of the plurality of dimension coordinates and their associated coarser grain values; 
 wherein the fine grain value corresponding to a value at a person grain and the coarse grain value corresponds to a value at a team grain, wherein the disambiguation resolves an ambiguity regarding which team to associate with at least one person in an employee dimension of an organizational chart. 
 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the report query directly specifies the disambiguation criterion.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the report query indirectly specifies the disambiguation criterion.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , further comprising reporting at least one team metric for contributions of individual team members based on a disambiguated relationship between fine grain values at the person grain and coarse grain values at the team grain. 
     
     
         9 . A computer program product having computer program instructions stored on a computer readable medium which are operable to cause at least one computing device to:
 issue a report query for a dimensional data model having a plurality of dimension coordinates that exist within the dimensional data model, wherein each of the plurality of dimension coordinates has a second particular grain (“finer grain”) that is finer than a first particular grain (“coarser grain”) and having a value at the finer grain (“finer grain value”) and at the coarser grain (“coarser grain value”), the report query specifying a dimension coordinate constraint to which the plurality of dimension coordinates correspond;   receiving, in response to the report query, a report in view of the plurality of dimension coordinates and their associated coarser grain values, the report processed to:   for a temporal dimension having temporal characteristics of grain relationships including a subset of the plurality of dimension coordinates in which there is a time changing relationship of the grains over a time period of interest leading to-a potential ambiguity as to what coarser grain value to associate with a finer grain value in attributing facts at the finer grain value to the coarser grain value,
 wherein
 each of the dimension coordinates of the subset is such that there is at least one other dimension coordinate of the subset having a value at the finer grain value that is the same as the finer grain value of that dimension coordinate; and 
 the at least one other dimension coordinate also has a value at the coarser grain value that is different from the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate, 
 
 the report processed to determine the coarser grain value to associate with all dimension coordinates of the subset having that finer grain value, wherein the determined coarser grain value is the coarser grain value of one of the dimension coordinates, of the subset, having that finer grain value such that the relationship is disambiguated by applying a disambiguation criterion to determine the association between coarser grain values when the finer grain value is associated with at least two different coarser grain values during the time period of interest; 
   wherein, for each of the dimension coordinates of the plurality of dimension coordinates not in the subset, the coarser grain value associated with that dimension coordinate is the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-program product of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the report query directly specifies the disambiguation criterion.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-program product of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the report query indirectly specifies the disambiguation criterion.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-program product of  claim 9 , wherein the fine grain value corresponding to a value at a person grain and the coarse grain value corresponds to a value at a team grain, wherein the disambiguation resolves an ambiguity regarding which team to associate with at least one person in an employee dimension of an organizational chart. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-program product of  claim 12 , further comprising reporting at least one team metric for contributions of individual team members based on a disambiguated relationship between fine grain values at the person grain and coarse grain values at the team grain. 
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 at least one computing device having computer program instructions stored on a computer readable medium which are operable to cause the at least one computing device to:   process a report query for a dimensional data model having a plurality of dimension coordinates that exist within the dimensional data model, wherein each of the plurality of dimension coordinates has a second particular grain (“finer grain”) that is finer than a first particular grain (“coarser grain”) and having a value at the finer grain (“finer grain value”) and at the coarser grain (“coarser grain value”), the report query specifying a dimension coordinate constraint to which the plurality of dimension coordinates correspond;   generate, in response to the report query, a report in view of the plurality of dimension coordinates and their associated coarser grain values, the report being processed to:   for a temporal dimension having temporal characteristics of grain relationships including a subset of the plurality of dimension coordinates in which there is a time changing relationship of the grains over a time period of interest leading to-a potential ambiguity as to what coarser grain value to associate with a finer grain value in attributing facts at the finer grain value to the coarser grain value,
 wherein
 each of the dimension coordinates of the subset is such that there is at least one other dimension coordinate of the subset having a value at the finer grain value that is the same as the finer grain value of that dimension coordinate; and 
 the at least one other dimension coordinate also has a value at the coarser grain value that is different from the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate, 
 
 the report processed to determine the coarser grain value to associate with all dimension coordinates of the subset having that finer grain value, wherein the determined coarser grain value is the coarser grain value of one of the dimension coordinates, of the subset, having that finer grain value such that the relationship is disambiguated by applying a disambiguation criterion to determine the association between coarser grain values when the finer grain value is associated with at least two different coarser grain values during the time period of interest; 
   wherein, for each of the dimension coordinates of the plurality of dimension coordinates not in the subset, the coarser grain value associated with that dimension coordinate is the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the report query directly specifies the disambiguation criterion.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the report query indirectly specifies the disambiguation criterion.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising at least one relational database to store fact data. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising a fact collection query generator to process the report query and generate a fact collection query presented to a dimensionally modeled fact collection. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the dimensionally modeled fact collection is implemented by at least one relational database. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising a report generator. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the fine grain value corresponding to a value at a person grain and the coarse grain value corresponds to a value at a team grain, wherein the disambiguation resolves an ambiguity regarding which team to associate with at least one person in an employee dimension of an organizational chart. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising reporting at least one team metric for contributions of individual team members based on a disambiguated relationship between fine grain values at the person grain and coarse grain values at the team grain. 
     
     
         23 . A computer implemented method, comprising:
 issuing a report query for a dimensional data model having a plurality of dimension coordinates that exist within the dimensional data model, wherein each of the plurality of dimension coordinates has a second particular grain (“finer grain”) that is finer than a first particular grain (“coarser grain”) and having a value at the finer grain (“finer grain value”) and at the coarser grain (“coarser grain value”), the report query specifying a dimension coordinate constraint to which the plurality of dimension coordinates correspond;   receiving, in response to the report query, a report in view of the plurality of dimension coordinates and their associated coarser grain values, the report processed to:   for a temporal dimension having temporal characteristics of grain relationships including a subset of the plurality of dimension coordinates in which there is a time changing relationship of the grains over a time period of interest leading to-a potential ambiguity as to what coarser grain value to associate with a finer grain value in attributing facts at the finer grain value to the coarser grain value,
 wherein
 each of the dimension coordinates of the subset is such that there is at least one other dimension coordinate of the subset having a value at the finer grain value that is the same as the finer grain value of that dimension coordinate; and 
 the at least one other dimension coordinate also has a value at the coarser grain value that is different from the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate, 
 
 the report processed to determine the coarser grain value to associate with all dimension coordinates of the subset having that finer grain value, wherein the determined coarser grain value is the coarser grain value of one of the dimension coordinates, of the subset, having that finer grain value such that the relationship is disambiguated by applying a disambiguation criterion to determine the association between coarser grain values when the finer grain value is associated with at least two different coarser grain values during the time period of interest; 
   wherein, for each of the dimension coordinates of the plurality of dimension coordinates not in the subset, the coarser grain value associated with that dimension coordinate is the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate.   
     
     
         24 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the report query directly specifies the disambiguation criterion.   
     
     
         25 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the report query indirectly specifies the disambiguation criterion.   
     
     
         26 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23 , wherein the fine grain value corresponding to a value at a person grain and the coarse grain value corresponds to a value at a team grain, wherein the disambiguation resolves an ambiguity regarding which team to associate with at least one person in an employee dimension of an organizational chart. 
     
     
         27 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 26 , further comprising reporting at least one team metric for contributions of individual team members based on a disambiguated relationship between fine grain values at the person grain and coarse grain values at the team grain. 
     
     
         28 . A system, comprising:
 at least one computing device having computer program instructions stored on a computer readable medium which are operable to cause the at least one computing device to:   issue a report query for a dimensional data model having a plurality of dimension coordinates that exist within the dimensional data model, wherein each of the plurality of dimension coordinates has a second particular grain (“finer grain”) that is finer than a first particular grain (“coarser grain”) and having a value at the finer grain (“finer grain value”) and at the coarser grain (“coarser grain value”), the report query specifying a dimension coordinate constraint to which the plurality of dimension coordinates correspond;   receive, in response to the report query, a report in view of the plurality of dimension coordinates and their associated coarser grain values, the report processed to:   for a temporal dimension having temporal characteristics of grain relationships including a subset of the plurality of dimension coordinates in which there is a time changing relationship of the grains over a time period of interest leading to-a potential ambiguity as to what coarser grain value to associate with a finer grain value in attributing facts at the finer grain value to the coarser grain value,
 wherein
 each of the dimension coordinates of the subset is such that there is at least one other dimension coordinate of the subset having a value at the finer grain value that is the same as the finer grain value of that dimension coordinate; and 
 the at least one other dimension coordinate also has a value at the coarser grain value that is different from the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate, 
 
 the report processed to determine the coarser grain value to associate with all dimension coordinates of the subset having that finer grain value, wherein the determined coarser grain value is the coarser grain value of one of the dimension coordinates, of the subset, having that finer grain value such that the relationship is disambiguated by applying a disambiguation criterion to determine the association between coarser grain values when the finer grain value is associated with at least two different coarser grain values during the time period of interest; 
   wherein, for each of the dimension coordinates of the plurality of dimension coordinates not in the subset, the coarser grain value associated with that dimension coordinate is the coarser grain value of that dimension coordinate.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein the fine grain value corresponding to a value at a person grain and the coarse grain value corresponds to a value at a team grain, wherein the disambiguation resolves an ambiguity regarding which team to associate with at least one person in an employee dimension of an organizational chart. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , further comprising reporting at least one team metric for contributions of individual team members based on a disambiguated relationship between fine grain values at the person grain and coarse grain values at the team grain.