Business intelligence based social network with virtual data-visualization cards

Abstract

A method for sharing business intelligence information includes creating a plurality of data visualization cards from business intelligence data in response to create requests from a plurality of user accounts. Each data visualization card is associated with the user account that requested its creation. Data visualization cards are also associated with user accounts that did not request their creation in response to collect requests from those user accounts. A social network is created amongst the user accounts using the data visualization cards such that user accounts associated with data visualization cards created from common business intelligence data are linked. A first data visualization card that was created in response to a create request from a first user account may then be provided to a second user account in response to determining that the first user account and the second user account are linked in the social network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a non-transitory memory storing business intelligence data; and   one or more hardware processors coupled to the memory and operable to read instructions from the memory to perform the steps of:
 creating a first data visualization card in response to a create request received from a first user account, wherein the first data visualization card includes at least one first data visualization card parameter; 
 publishing the first data visualization card by retrieving and providing a first subset of the business intelligence data for display according to the at least one first data visualization card parameter such that a graphical representation of the first subset of business intelligence data is provided for display to one or more user accounts by the first data visualization card; 
 receiving a collect request for the first data visualization card from a second user account that is different from the first user account and, in response, associating the first data visualization card with the second user account; and 
 retrieving and providing a second subset of the business intelligence data for display according to the at least one first data visualization card parameter such that a graphical representation of the second subset of business intelligence data is provided for display to the second user account by the first data visualization card, wherein the second subset of the business intelligence data includes updated business intelligence data relative to the first subset of the business intelligence data. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are operable to read instructions from the memory to perform the further step of:
 retrieving and providing a third subset of the business intelligence data for display according to the at least one first data visualization card parameter such that a graphical representation of the third subset of business intelligence data is provided for display to the second user account by the first data visualization card, wherein the third subset of the business intelligence data includes updated business intelligence data relative to the second subset of the business intelligence data.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are operable to read instructions from the memory to perform the further steps of:
 receiving a user information input from the second user account that is associated with the first data visualization card and, in response, associating the user information input with the first data visualization card; and   retrieving and providing the second subset of the business intelligence data for display according to the at least one first data visualization card parameter such that a graphical representation of the second subset of business intelligence data is provided for display to the first user account by the first data visualization card, wherein the first data visualization card also displays the user information input.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are operable to read instructions from the memory to perform the further steps of:
 creating a second data visualization card in response to a create request received from a third user account, wherein the second data visualization card includes at least one second data visualization card parameter that provides for the retrieval of the second subset of business intelligence data; and   sending a collect suggestion for the second data visualization card to the second user account based on the at least one second data visualization card parameter in the second data visualization card providing for the retrieval of the second subset of business intelligence data that is also retrieved based on the at least one first data visualization card parameter in the first data visualization card.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first data visualization card is associated with the first user account in response to the create request, and wherein the one or more hardware processors are operable to read instructions from the memory to perform the steps of:
 creating a second data visualization card in response to a create request received from a third user account;   receiving a collect request for second data visualization card from the first user account and, in response, associating the second data visualization card with the first user account; and   sending a collect suggestion for the second data visualization card to the second user account based on the first data visualization card being associated with both the first user account and the second user account, along with the second data visualization card being associated with the first user account.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first data visualization card parameter includes one or more business intelligence data parameters that define the business intelligence data that is retrieved from the non-transitory memory, and one or more data visualization parameters that define how the business intelligence data is displayed. 
     
     
         7 . A method, comprising:
 creating, by a system provider device, a first data visualization card in response to a create request received from a first user account, wherein the first data visualization card includes at least one first data visualization card parameter;   publishing, by the system provider device, the first data visualization card by retrieving and providing a first subset of business intelligence data for display according to the at least one first data visualization card parameter such that a graphical representation of the first subset of business intelligence data is provided for display to one or more user accounts by the first data visualization card;   receiving, by the system provider device, a collect request for the first data visualization card from a second user account that is different from the first user account and, in response, associating the first data visualization card with the second user account; and   retrieving and providing, by the system provider device, a second subset of business intelligence data for display according to the at least one first data visualization card parameter such that a graphical representation of the second subset of business intelligence data is provided for display to the second user account by the first data visualization card, wherein the second subset of the business intelligence data includes updated business intelligence data relative to the first subset of the business intelligence data.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 retrieving and providing, by the system provider device, a third subset of business intelligence data for display according to the at least one first data visualization card parameter such that a graphical representation of the third subset of business intelligence data is provided for display to the second user account by the first data visualization card, wherein the third subset of the business intelligence data includes updated business intelligence data relative to the second subset of the business intelligence data.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the system provider device, a user information input from the second user account that is associated with the first data visualization card and, in response, associating the user information input with the first data visualization card; and   retrieving and providing, by the system provider device, the second subset of the business intelligence data for display according to the at least one first data visualization card parameter such that a graphical representation of the second subset of business intelligence data is provided for display to the first user account by the first data visualization card, wherein the first data visualization card also displays the user information input.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the system provider device from the first user account, a share request for the first data visualization card that is directed to the second user account, wherein the collect request for the first data visualization card is received from the second user account subsequent to providing the share request to the second user account.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:
 creating, by the system provider device, a second data visualization card in response to a create request received from a third user account, wherein the second data visualization card includes at least one second data visualization card parameter that provides for the retrieval of the second subset of business intelligence data; and   sending, by the system provider device, a collect suggestion for the second data visualization card to the second user account based on the at least one second data visualization card parameter in the second data visualization card providing for the retrieval of the second subset of business intelligence data that is also retrieved based on the at least one first data visualization card parameter in the first data visualization card.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first data visualization card is associated with the first user account in response to the create request, and the method further comprises:
 creating, by the system provider device, a second data visualization card in response to a create request received from a third user account;   receiving, by the system provider device, a collect request for second data visualization card from the first user account and, in response, associating the second data visualization card with the first user account; and   sending, by the system provider device, a collect suggestion for the second data visualization card to the second user account based on the first data visualization card being associated with both the first user account and the second user account, along with the second data visualization card being associated with the first user account.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one first data visualization card parameter includes one or more business intelligence data parameters that define the business intelligence data that is retrieved from the non-transitory memory, and one or more data visualization parameters that define how the business intelligence data is displayed. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, in response to execution by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform a method comprising:
 creating a first data visualization card in response to a create request received from a first user account, wherein the first data visualization card includes at least one first data visualization card parameter;   publishing the first data visualization card by retrieving and providing a first subset of business intelligence data for display according to the at least one first data visualization card parameter such that a graphical representation of the first subset of business intelligence data is provided for display to one or more user accounts by the first data visualization card;   receiving a collect request for the first data visualization card from a second user account that is different from the first user account and, in response, associating the first data visualization card with the second user account; and   retrieving and providing a second subset of business intelligence data for display according to the at least one first data visualization card parameter such that a graphical representation of the second subset of business intelligence data is provided for display to the second user account by the first data visualization card, wherein the second subset of the business intelligence data includes updated business intelligence data relative to the first subset of the business intelligence data.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
 retrieving and providing a third subset of business intelligence data for display according to the at least one first data visualization card parameter such that a graphical representation of the third subset of business intelligence data is provided for display to the second user account by the first data visualization card, wherein the third subset of the business intelligence data includes updated business intelligence data relative to the second subset of the business intelligence data.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a user information input from the second user account that is associated with the first data visualization card and, in response, associating the user information input with the first data visualization card; and   retrieving and providing the second subset of the business intelligence data for display according to the at least one first data visualization card parameter such that a graphical representation of the second subset of business intelligence data is provided for display to the first user account by the first data visualization card, wherein the first data visualization card also displays the user information input.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the user information input includes at least one of a user comment, a user provided document, a user provided web link, a user forum discussion, and a user blog link. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
 creating a second data visualization card in response to a create request received from a third user account, wherein the second data visualization card includes at least one second data visualization card parameter that provides for the retrieval of the second subset of business intelligence data; and   sending a collect suggestion for the second data visualization card to the second user account based on the at least one second data visualization card parameter in the second data visualization card providing for the retrieval of the second subset of business intelligence data that is also retrieved based on the at least one first data visualization card parameter in the first data visualization card.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the first data visualization card is associated with the first user account in response to the create request, and wherein the method further comprises:
 creating a second data visualization card in response to a create request received from a third user account;   receiving a collect request for second data visualization card from the first user account and, in response, associating the second data visualization card with the first user account; and   sending a collect suggestion for the second data visualization card to the second user account based on the first data visualization card being associated with both the first user account and the second user account, along with the second data visualization card being associated with the first user account.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving a collect request for the first data visualization card from a third user account that is different from the first user account and the second user account and, in response, associating the first data visualization card with the third user account; and   creating a social network that includes the first user account, the second user account, and the third user account based on the association of the first data visualization card with each of the first user account, the second user account, and the third user account.