Graph Visualization Tools With Summary Visualization For Very Large Labeled Graphs

Abstract

Techniques herein visually simplify and summarize property graphs. In an embodiment, a computer loads an original graph that contains original vertices interconnected by original edges. Each original vertex contains vertex properties, each original edge contains edge properties. Based on the vertex properties of the original vertices and the edge properties of the original edges, the computer generates and displays a simplified graph that contains simplified vertices that each represents multiple original vertices, and simplified edges that each represents multiple original edges. Responsive to an interactive selection of a particular simplified vertex or edge of the simplified graph, the computer displays a statistical summary based on the multiple original vertices represented by the particular simplified vertex, or the multiple original edges represented by the particular simplified edge.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 loading an original graph that contains original vertices interconnected by original edges, wherein:
 each original vertex of the original vertices contains one or more vertex properties, and 
 each original edge of the original edges contains one or more edge properties; 
   generating, based on the vertex properties of the original vertices and the edge properties of the original edges, a simplified graph that contains:
 at least one simplified vertex that represents multiple original vertices, and 
 at least one simplified edge that represents multiple original edges; 
   displaying the simplified graph;   displaying, responsive to an interactive selection of a particular simplified vertex of the simplified graph or a particular simplified edge of the simplified graph, a first statistical summary based on one of:
 the multiple original vertices represented by the particular simplified vertex, or 
 the multiple original edges represented by the particular simplified edge; 
   wherein the method is performed by one or more computers.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 loading the original graph comprises:
 receiving first data from first data source, and 
 receiving second data from second data source; 
 
 the at least one simplified vertex comprises:
 a first simplified vertex that represents the first data, and 
 a second simplified vertex that represents the second data. 
 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein generating the simplified graph comprises:
 displaying a first representation of the first data that shows attribute names and attribute types that are common to data items within the first data; 
 displaying a second representation of the second data that shows attribute names and attribute types that are common to data items within the second data; 
 receiving at least one of:
 a first selection in the first representation of an attribute name that cross-references the second data, or 
 a second selection of the first representation and the second representation as related. 
 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein generating the simplified graph further comprises displaying, responsive to receiving a third selection of the first representation, a second statistical summary of the first data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein displaying the second statistical summary comprises displaying at least one of: a histogram, a geographic map, a pie chart, a line chart, a minimum, a maximum, an average, a median, a list of frequent values, a list of distinct values. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first data source is a file, a database, a relational table, or a resource description framework (RDF) triplestore, a simple API for XML (SAX) parser, or a stream parser. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  wherein:
 the first data source is a first database, and 
 the second data source is a second database. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein displaying the first statistical summary comprises displaying at least one of: a histogram, a geographic map, a pie chart, a line chart, a minimum, a maximum, an average, a median, a list of frequent values, a list of distinct values. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein displaying the simplified graph comprises visually magnifying at least one of:
 a simplified vertex of the at least one simplified vertex based on a count of the multiple original vertices represented by the simplified vertex, or 
 a simplified edge of the at least one simplified edges based on a count of the multiple original edges represented by the simplified edge. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving a request to perform at least one of:
 split a particular simplified vertex into multiple simplified vertices based on at least one attribute name and at least one predicate, or 
 split a particular simplified edge into multiple simplified edges based on at least one attribute name and at least one predicate. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving a request to perform at least one of:
 merge a plurality of simple vertices into a new simple vertex, or 
 merge a plurality of simple edges into a new simple edge. 
 
     
     
         12 . One or more non-transient computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause:
 loading an original graph that contains original vertices interconnected by original edges, wherein:
 each original vertex of the original vertices contains one or more vertex properties, and 
 each original edge of the original edges contains one or more edge properties; 
   generating, based on the vertex properties of the original vertices and the edge properties of the original edges, a simplified graph that contains:
 at least one simplified vertex that represents multiple original vertices, and 
 at least one simplified edge that represents multiple original edges; 
   displaying the simplified graph;   displaying, responsive to an interactive selection of a particular simplified vertex of the simplified graph or a particular simplified edge of the simplified graph, a first statistical summary based on one of:
 the multiple original vertices represented by the particular simplified vertex, or 
 the multiple original edges represented by the particular simplified edge. 
   
     
     
         13 . The one or more non-transient computer-readable media of  claim 12  wherein:
 loading the original graph comprises:
 receiving first data from first data source, and 
 receiving second data from second data source; 
 
 the at least one simplified vertex comprises:
 a first simplified vertex that represents the first data, and 
 a second simplified vertex that represents the second data. 
 
 
     
     
         14 . The one or more non-transient computer-readable media of  claim 13  wherein generating the simplified graph comprises:
 displaying a first representation of the first data that shows attribute names and attribute types that are common to data items within the first data; 
 displaying a second representation of the second data that shows attribute names and attribute types that are common to data items within the second data; 
 receiving at least one of:
 a first selection in the first representation of an attribute name that cross-references the second data, or 
 a second selection of the first representation and the second representation as related. 
 
 
     
     
         15 . The one or more non-transient computer-readable media of  claim 14  wherein generating the simplified graph further comprises displaying, responsive to receiving a third selection of the first representation, a second statistical summary of the first data. 
     
     
         16 . The one or more non-transient computer-readable media of  claim 15  wherein displaying the second statistical summary comprises displaying at least one of: a histogram, a geographic map, a pie chart, a line chart, a minimum, a maximum, an average, a median, a list of frequent values, a list of distinct values. 
     
     
         17 . The one or more non-transient computer-readable media of  claim 12  wherein displaying the first statistical summary comprises displaying at least one of: a histogram, a geographic map, a pie chart, a line chart, a minimum, a maximum, an average, a median, a list of frequent values, a list of distinct values. 
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transient computer-readable media of  claim 12  wherein displaying the simplified graph comprises visually magnifying at least one of:
 a simplified vertex of the at least one simplified vertex based on a count of the multiple original vertices represented by the simplified vertex, or 
 a simplified edge of the at least one simplified edges based on a count of the multiple original edges represented by the simplified edge. 
 
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transient computer-readable media of  claim 12  wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause receiving a request to perform at least one of:
 split a particular simplified vertex into multiple simplified vertices based on at least one attribute name and at least one predicate, or 
 split a particular simplified edge into multiple simplified edges based on at least one attribute name and at least one predicate. 
 
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transient computer-readable media of  claim 12  wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause receiving a request to perform at least one of:
 merge a plurality of simple vertices into a new simple vertex, or 
 merge a plurality of simple edges into a new simple edge.