JP2001357344A - Data visualization support system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a data visualization support system where even a user who is unfamiliar with a database can intuitively extract data and can turn them into a graph with simple operation. SOLUTION: This system includes a table meta-information storage area 170 which stores the information with which the inter-table relation of a database is extracted, a graph meta-information storage area 180 which stores the information necessary for drawing a graph and a means which presents the information in response to the user's operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a user support system for visualizing a large amount of data stored in a database, and more particularly to a user support system utilizing knowledge of tables stored in a database and knowledge of graphs. For a user support system that can easily visualize data.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in order to retrieve data stored in a database, it has been necessary to learn a database programming language, SQL, which is dedicated to the database. SQL is difficult to describe, and accessing a database is very difficult for users unfamiliar with computers.

[0003] In a spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel (conventional example 1), when visualizing data stored in a database, an SQL program is described, the data is acquired, and the data is tabulated. , Had to be graphed.

In a form creation system called Crystal Reports (conventional example 2) of Seagate, a plurality of tables α15 stored in a database as shown in FIG.
00, Tableβ1510 and Tableγ1520 when joining the table items (called keys in the database) used in the joining, for example, 1503, 1512, 151
A method of displaying a dependency relationship by connecting 3 and 1521 with an arrow is adopted.

[0005]

In the future, as databases increasingly store a large amount of data, users will visualize and analyze the data according to their individual purposes instead of the format prepared by the system in advance. Is expected to be required.

In the first conventional example, it is necessary for the user himself to learn the SQL programming technique, and it is difficult for anyone to easily access the database.
In the second conventional example, it is not necessary to describe the SQL as in the first conventional example. However, it is necessary to display the join of the tables of the database by the dependency of only the key, so that the user who does not know the contents of the table can be displayed. Cannot be intuitively understood.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a support system that allows even a user who is unfamiliar with a database to intuitively extract data, and to graphically display the data by a simple operation. It is in.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a data visualization support system according to the present invention comprises: means for storing information obtained by extracting a relationship between tables in a database;
It is characterized by comprising means for storing information necessary for drawing a graph, means for drawing a graph, and means for presenting information according to a user operation. In addition, there is provided a means for analyzing and extracting the relationship between the tables of the database including the access right of the user, and extracting the relationship.

When displaying the relationship between the tables to the user, there is provided a means for displaying related items of the table adjacent to each other and displaying stored specific data several lines at a time. I do.

[0010] Further, when the graph is drawn, there is provided a means for directly operating the displayed table item on the graph shape to set the graph.

[0011] The present invention is also characterized in that it comprises means for checking whether the item of the table selected by the user matches the graph to be drawn, and means for presenting an accurate statistical processing method if the check does not match.

In drawing a graph, when an item in the displayed table is selected, a list of graph candidates that can be drawn using the above item is listed, and when the above-mentioned graph candidate is selected, a means for drawing the graph is provided. It is characterized by having.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system configuration of an embodiment of a data visualization support system according to the present invention. In the figure, 100 is an administrator access terminal for a database administrator to access the database, 110 is a general access terminal for a general user to access the database, and 120 is a database for managing data according to the present invention. It is a management device.

The database management device 120 includes a database control mechanism 130 for interpreting a command input from the administrator access terminal 100 or the general user access terminal 110 and controlling the database, and a database 140 storing data. Have. The database 140 has a table information storage area 150 for storing data as a table,
User management information storage area 160 for managing access rights to 0 for each user, table meta information storage area 170 for storing information between tables (table meta information) according to the present invention, and graph drawing It has a graph meta information storage area 180 for storing information (graph meta information) necessary for the database, and a database update information storage area 190 for storing the update status of data stored in the database 140.

Under the above-described configuration, the data visualization support system of the present invention provides the administrator access terminal 100
Is operated, the table meta information used for assisting the user in visualizing the data from the table information stored in the table information storage area 150 and the user information stored in the user management information storage area 160 Is extracted for each user and stored in the table meta information storage area 170. The graph meta information for visualizing the data is also stored in the graph meta information storage area 180 in the same manner.

According to the present invention, when the user accesses the database 140 using the general user access terminal 110, the table meta information and the graph meta information storage area 1 stored in the table meta information storage area 170 are used.
By displaying accurate information according to the user's operation status using the graph meta information stored in 80, even a user unfamiliar with the database can easily extract and visualize the data.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an administrator access terminal 100 which is a terminal for an administrator of the database 140 in one embodiment of the data visualization support system according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 200 denotes a central processing unit for processing a meta information construction program and the like according to the present invention; 210, an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse for an administrator of the database 140 to perform input operations; Display device for displaying information to an administrator, 23
0 and 240 are a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device for storing a meta information construction program for extracting table meta information and graph meta information according to the present invention, respectively, and 250 is a database management device managing the database 140 And a communication device for communicating with the H.120.

The main storage device 230 includes a meta information construction program storage area 231 for storing a meta information construction program for extracting table meta information and graph meta information according to the present invention, and graph meta information for storing graph meta information. Storage area 232, table information and user management information storage area 233 for storing table information and user management information obtained by communicating with database management apparatus 120, and analyzing and extracting the table information and the user management information And a table meta information storage area 234 for storing the obtained table meta information.

The auxiliary storage device 240 stores a meta information construction program storage area 241 for storing a meta information construction program for extracting table meta information and graph meta information according to the present invention, and graph meta information described in advance. Graph meta information storage area 2 to be stored
42.

The processing procedure of the meta information construction program according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

By adopting such a configuration, the data visualization support system of the present invention executes the meta information construction program in the administrator access terminal 100,
The information in the database 140 managed by the database management device 120 is analyzed, and information useful for user support is extracted.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the general user access terminal 110 in one embodiment of the data visualization support system according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 300 denotes a central processing unit for processing a data visualization program and the like according to the present invention; 310, an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse for the user to perform input operations; and 320, information for displaying information to the user. , A main storage device and an auxiliary storage device for storing a data visualization program and the like according to the present invention, and a communication device 350 for communicating with the database management device 120 that manages the database 140. Device.

The main storage device 330 has a data visualization program storage area 331 for storing a data visualization program according to the present invention, and a temporary storage for temporarily storing information necessary for drawing a graph. A graphical meta-information storage area 332 for storing table meta-information and graph meta-information acquired by communicating with the database management apparatus 120, and a graph meta-information storage area 334.

The auxiliary storage device 340 has a data visualization program storage area 341 for storing a data visualization program according to the present invention.

The processing procedure of the data visualization program according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

According to the present invention, when the user accesses the database 140 using the general user access terminal 110, the table meta information stored in the table meta information storage area 170 and the graph meta information storage area 180 are stored. By displaying accurate information according to the operation status of the user using the graph meta information obtained, even a user unfamiliar with the database can easily extract and visualize the data.

FIG. 4 shows a table information storage area 15 in one embodiment of the data visualization support system according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of table information stored in a user management information storage area and table information stored in a user management information storage area.

Reference numerals 400, 410, 420, and 430 denote tables storing data, and reference numeral 440 denotes a user management information table for managing table access rights for each user. Note that the number of tables is not limited to four.

The user management information table 440 has a user name storage area 441 for storing a user name, and a readable table name storage for storing a user readable table name stored in the user name storage area 441. An area 442 is provided.

FIG. 5 shows a table meta information table stored in the table meta information storage area 170 and a graph meta stored in the graph meta information storage area 180 in one embodiment of the data visualization support system according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an information table.

500 is a table 400 according to the present invention.
Reference numeral 430 denotes a table meta information table obtained by analyzing the user management information table 440. Reference numeral 510 denotes a graph meta information table used for presenting a user with knowledge of graph drawing when visualizing data according to the present invention. is there.

The table meta information table 500 includes a user name storage area 501 for storing user names, and a table 40 for each user stored in the user name storage area 501.
Item name storage area 50 storing combinations of items that can be combined among item names 0, 410, 420, and 430
2, 504, and data type storage areas 503, 505 for storing the data types of the items stored in the item name storage areas 502, 504.

The user stored in the user name storage area 501, the item stored in the item name storage areas 502 and 504,
A table meta information table 500 shown in FIG. 5 showing the relationship between the data types stored in the data type storage area 503.
Specifically, the user name “User1” is
The item name “AAA” indicates that a graph can be drawn using data of the data type “date” and the item name “EEE” as data on the axis of data of the data type “character string”.

The graph meta information table 510 has a graph type storage area 511 for storing a graph type that can be selected by the user, and an X for storing information necessary for drawing a graph stored in the graph type storage area 511. An axis data type storage area 512, a Y axis data type storage area 513, and a Z axis data type storage area 514 are provided.

The graph meta information table 51 shown in FIG.
To show concretely using 0, the graph type "set vertical bar"
Indicates that a data type of "character string" as the X axis, "number" as the Y axis, and no Z axis is required.

FIG. 1 shows a method of constructing the table meta information table 500 and the graph meta information table 510.
This will be described in detail with reference to 1 and 12.

By storing the items of the table which can be combined for each user in this way, when the user accesses the database 140 and retrieves data, it is possible to provide detailed operation support according to the operation state of the user. it can. In addition, by storing information necessary for drawing for each graph type, it becomes possible for the user to check operations when drawing a graph.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the display device 320 provided in the general user access terminal 110 in one embodiment of the data visualization support system according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 600 denotes a table display area for displaying the tables 400, 410, 420, and 430 stored in the table information storage area 150, and 610 denotes a data visualization for visualizing data stored in the database 140 as a graph. A visualization area 620 is an end button for ending the data visualization program according to the present invention.

The table display area 600 displays the relation of the tables 700 stored in the database 140 in a form that can be grasped at a glance. A specific display mode will be described in detail with reference to FIG. Note that the number of tables displayed in the table display area 600 is not limited to one.

The data visualization area 610 includes graph templates 800 and 801 that can be selected by the user according to the purpose.
Is provided. The graph templates 800 and 801 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. Note that the number of graph templates that can be displayed is not limited to two.

According to the present invention, the user can see at a glance the relationship between the tables 700 stored in the database 140 only by looking at the table display area 600. Data can be visualized only by selecting an item in the table and dragging and dropping it on the graph template 800 or 801 displayed in the data visualization area 610.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a table displayed in the table display area 600 in one embodiment of the data visualization support system according to the present invention. 700, 710, 7
Reference numerals 20 and 730 depict several rows of data stored in the tables 400, 410, 420, and 430 stored in the table information storage area 150 and display the extracted data. Also, 701-704, 711-714, 721-
723 and 731 to 733 are tables 400 and 4 respectively.
10, 420, and 430 are all stored items. The items 704 and 711 and the keys 723 and 731 are keys for connecting the tables 700 and 710 and the tables 720 and 730, respectively, and thus are highlighted to call the user's attention.

Although it is not possible to physically display all data when a large amount of data is displayed, displaying data actually stored in a few lines in this way allows the user to intuitively grasp the data. It can be easier.
The items 704 and 711 and the keys 723 and 731, which are keys for joining a plurality of tables, are displayed adjacent to each other and are highlighted, so that the relationship between the items joined to the user can be seen at a glance. It can be easy to grasp.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of the setting operation of one item of the graph in the process of extracting and visualizing data from the database in one embodiment of the data visualization support system according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 800 denotes a graph template for the user to select when visualizing the data. 810 and 820 denote Y-axis items for inserting data items necessary to draw a graph corresponding to the graph template 800. An insertion area, an X-axis item insertion area, 830 is a graph drawing area for drawing a graph, and 840 is a user input device 3
10, an item 701 is selected from the table display area 600, and is displayed in the middle of a moving item being dragged and dropped into the X-axis item insertion area 820.

As described above, according to the present invention, when data is extracted from a database and visualized, there is no need to learn SQL, and a desired item is selected from the table displayed in the table display area 600 and data visualization is performed. Area 6
X of the desired graph template 800 displayed at 10
By simply dragging and dropping into the axis item name insertion area 820, the graph can be set easily.

The processing method of the above operation is shown in FIGS.
4 will be described in detail.

FIG. 9 shows a table display area 6 in the process of extracting data from a database and visualizing the data in one embodiment of the data visualization support system according to the present invention.
It is an explanatory view of the display of 00.

An item 900 is highlighted in FIG. 8 to indicate that the user has already selected it.
10, 920, 930, 940, 950, 960, 97
0 highlights an item that can be selected to draw a graph together with the item 900 already selected.

The items to be highlighted are calculated by limiting the conditions in the table meta information table 500 with the name of the user who is performing the operation and the items already selected by the user.

As described above, the table meta information table 5
By referring to 00, the item selected by the user and the next selectable item can be accurately displayed according to the operation process of the user, and the user can easily perform the operation without hesitation. become.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the setting operation of the other item of the graph in the process of extracting data from the database and visualizing the data in one embodiment of the data visualization support system according to the present invention.

Reference numeral 1000 denotes an item set as the X axis of the graph by the user's operation described in FIG.
Reference numeral 10 denotes an item in the process of being moved by a user selecting an item 950 using the input device 310 and performing a drag-and-drop operation on the Y-axis item insertion area 810 to set the item as the Y-axis. .

Item 95 Dragged and Dropped by User
0 is the Y-axis item insertion area 8 of the graph template 800
10, ie, whether the graph held by the graph template 800 is the above item 950
Is required, the graph meta information table 5
10 and is determined.

Specifically, the graph meta information table 51
0, the condition is limited by the “set vertical bar graph” held by the graph template 800 and the item 1000 already set on the X axis, and the obtained result and the item 950 dragged and dropped by the user are set. Determine whether the data types match.

If they match, it is possible to draw a graph using the item 950 dragged and dropped by the user.
If they do not match, it is impossible to draw a graph, so that the user is presented with a message indicating that the item cannot be used as it is and a method for statistically processing the item.

As described above, according to the present invention, when data is extracted from the database and visualized, there is no need to learn SQL, and a desired item 950 is selected from the table displayed in the table display area 600 and the data is selected. Desired graph template 80 displayed in visualization area 610
The graph can be easily specified simply by dragging and dropping it into the X-axis item name insertion area 820 of 0. further,
Graph meta information table 51 which is knowledge about a graph
Since 0 is provided, it is possible to perform a check or detailed operation support according to the operation state of the user.

FIG. 11 shows an administrator access terminal 1 in one embodiment of the data visualization support system according to the present invention.
9 is a flowchart illustrating a schematic processing procedure of a meta information construction program that operates at 00.

When the administrator access terminal 100 is started (step 1100), the central processing unit 200 transfers the meta information construction program according to the present invention from the meta information construction program storage area 241 in the auxiliary storage 240 to the main storage 230. Meta information construction program storage area 231
Then, the graph meta information from which information necessary for drawing is extracted in advance for each graph is loaded from the graph meta information storage area 242 in the auxiliary storage device 240 to the graph meta information storage area 232 in the main storage device 230, and initialized. Perform (Step 1110).

Next, the meta information construction program according to the present invention communicates with the database management device 120 via the communication device 250, and the database update information storage area 190
The database update information stored in is stored (step 1120).

Referring to the database update information acquired in step 1120, the table meta information storage area 1
It is determined whether the table meta information stored in the table 70 is the latest one reflecting the table information stored in the table information storage area 150 (step 113).
0).

If it is determined in step 1130 that the table meta information reflects the latest table information, the process proceeds to step 1150. If the table meta information is not the latest, table meta information construction processing is performed (step 1140). The table meta information construction processing in step 1140 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

After the processing related to the table meta information is completed, it is determined whether the graph meta information is present in the graph meta information storage area 180 by referring to the database update information acquired in step 1120 again (step 1150).

If the graph meta information already exists in step 1150, the meta information construction program according to the present invention ends (step 1170). If there is no graph meta information in step 1150, the graph meta information storage area 23 in the main storage device 230
2 is transmitted to the database management device 120 via the communication device 250 and written into the graph meta information storage area 180 (step 116).
0), end the meta information construction program (step 1)
170).

By providing such table meta-information and graph meta-information by performing such processing, it becomes possible for the user to perform fine-grained operation support when pulling out data from the database and visualizing it.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a detailed processing procedure of the table meta information construction processing 1140 in the meta information construction program according to the present invention.

When the table meta information construction process is started (step 1200), the central processing unit 200 communicates with the database management device 120 via the communication device 250 to store the table information stored in the table information storage area 150. And the user management information stored in the user management information storage area is acquired, and stored in the table information and the user management information storage area 233 in the main memory 230 (step 1210).

Next, the table information and the user management information stored in the table information and user management information storage area 233 are analyzed, and the dependencies of items, data types, and available user names when the tables are combined are determined. The information is extracted, the table meta information is constructed, and stored in the table meta information storage area 234 in the main storage device 230 (step 1220).

The table meta information constructed in step 1220 is transmitted to the database management device 120 via the communication device 250, written in the table meta information storage area 170 (step 1230), and the table meta information construction process is completed (step 1230). 1240).

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a schematic processing procedure of a data visualization program which operates in the general user access terminal 110 in one embodiment of the data visualization support system according to the present invention.

When the general user access terminal 110 is activated (step 1300), the central processing unit 300 stores the data visualization program according to the present invention in the auxiliary storage device 34.
0 to the data visualization program storage area 33 in the main storage 330.
1 to perform initialization (step 1310).

Next, the data visualization program according to the present invention communicates with the database management device 120 via the communication device 350 to store the table meta information and the graph meta information storage area 180 stored in the table meta information storage area 170. The stored graph meta information is acquired, and the table meta information storage area 3 in the main storage device 330 is acquired.
33 and the graph meta information storage area 334 (step 1320).

Based on the table meta information and the graph meta information obtained in step 1320, the display device 320
Are drawn with reference to the table meta information table 500 as described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 9 (step 13).
30).

Next, the input operation of the user is determined (step 1340). If the result of the determination is that the end button 620 has been pressed, the data visualization program is terminated (step 1350), and then the data visualization program is terminated (step 1380). If the operation is a selection operation of the graph templates 800 and 801 in the visualization area 610, the selected graph type is stored in the temporary graph drawing information storage area 332 in the main storage device 330 (Step 1360), and then Step 1330 is performed. repeat.

If the result of the determination in step 1340 is a drag-and-drop operation of the input device 310, after analyzing the drag-and-drop operation (step 1370), step 1330 is repeated. The drag and drop operation analysis processing in step 1370 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

As described above, according to the present invention, by referring to the table meta information table 500, the item selected by the user and the next selectable item can be accurately displayed according to the operation process of the user. Is possible, and the user can easily perform the operation without hesitation.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the details of the analysis procedure of the drag and drop operation in the data visualization program in this embodiment.

When the analysis process of the drag and drop operation is started (step 1400), the drag state is determined (step 1410). When the result of the determination in step 1410 is the start of the drag operation,
When the user selects an item name of the table for drawing a graph, the item name of the table display area selected at the start time is obtained (step 1420), and drag & drop is performed.
The analysis processing of the drop operation ends (step 148).
0).

If the result of the determination in step 1410 is that the drag operation has been completed, that is, the user drags the item name of the table to create a graph template 800,8.
When the item name is dropped in the X-axis item name insertion area 820 or the Y-axis item name insertion area 810, the insertion area in which the item name is dropped is acquired (step 1430).

Next, the temporary graph drawing information storage area 3
It is determined whether the graph can be drawn only with the information stored in the P.32 by referring to the graph meta information table 510 as described with reference to FIG. 10 (step 144).
0).

If the result of determination in step 1440 is that information sufficient to draw a graph has been obtained,
A graph is drawn in the graph drawing area 830 using the selected graph template and the item names and data types corresponding to the axes required by the graph template (step 1450), and the analysis processing of the drag and drop operation ends (step 1450). Step 1480).

If it is determined in step 1440 that the information sufficient to draw the graph has not been obtained, the item name obtained in step 1420 and the insertion area obtained in step 1430 are stored in main storage device 330. Is stored in the temporary graph drawing information storage area 332 (step 1460),
The analysis processing of the drop operation ends (step 148).
0).

If the data type of the item name corresponding to the axis required by the graph template for which the determination result in step 1440 is selected does not match the data type of the dropped item name, the item name dropped to the user Is presented (step 1470), and the analysis of the drag-and-drop operation is terminated (step 1480).

If the result of determination in step 1410 is that the drag operation is continuing, no processing is performed and the analysis of the drag and drop operation ends (step 1480).

As described above, according to the present invention, since the graph meta information table 510 which is the knowledge about the graph is provided, it is possible to perform a check or detailed operation support according to the operation state of the user.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of a graph drawing procedure in a data visualization program in another embodiment of the data visualization support system according to the present invention.

Items 1600 and 1610 are items selected as axes of the graph by the user, and items 1620 are items 1600 and 16 selected as axes of the graph by the user.
Drawable graph type candidate display area 1616, 164 for listing graph types that can be drawn by using 10
0 is a drawable graph type that can be drawn. Note that the number of drawable graph types is not limited to two.

When the user selects items 1600 and 1610 to be used as axes of the graph from the tables 700 and 710 displayed in the table display area 600, the table meta information table 500 is referred to and the above items 1600 and 1610 are referred to.
Then, a graph type that satisfies the above data type condition is acquired by referring to the graph meta information table 510 and listed in the drawable graph type candidate display area 1620.

The graphable graph type 163 listed in the graphable graph type candidate display area 1620 by the user
When a desired graph type is selected from 0 and 1640, a corresponding graph is displayed in the graph drawing area 830.

By adopting the display / operation mode of the present embodiment, the user can select a table item and automatically display a graph candidate which can be drawn with the above item as an axis. , It is possible to draw a graph simply by selecting a desired graph type, and the user can easily and visually acquire information from the database without hesitation.

[0094]

According to the configuration of the present invention described above, data can be extracted from the database by a simple operation without performing programming. In addition, a graph can be drawn by specifying a table item only by a simple drag and drop operation.

Further, it is possible to present the items of the table which can be selected next according to the operation status of the user. It is also possible to check whether the item selected by the user matches the graph to be drawn, and to present an appropriate statistical processing method or the like if inappropriate.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a data visualization support system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an administrator access terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a general user access terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of table information and a user management information table in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a table meta information table and a graph meta information table in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a screen display example according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a table display area according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a setting operation of a graph item axis in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of display of a table display area according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a setting operation of a graph item axis in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a schematic processing procedure diagram of a meta information construction program that operates on the administrator access terminal according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a detailed processing procedure diagram of a table meta information construction process in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic processing procedure diagram of a data visualization program that runs on a general user access terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is an analysis processing procedure diagram of a drag-and-drop operation in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram of association between data tables in a conventional example.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of a graph drawing processing procedure in another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 access terminal for manager, 110 access terminal for general user, 120 database management device, 130
... Database control mechanism, 140 ... Database, 15
0: table information storage area, 160: user management information storage area, 170: table meta information storage area, 180:
Graph meta information storage area, 190: database update information storage area 200: central processing unit, 210: input device,
220 display device, 230 main storage device, 231 meta information construction program storage area, 232 graph meta information storage area, 233 table information and user management information storage area, 234 table meta information storage area, 240
... Auxiliary storage device, 241 ... Meta information construction program storage area, 242 ... Graph meta information storage area, 250 ... Communication device, 300 ... Central processing device, 310 ... Input device, 32
0: display device, 330: main storage device, 331: data visualization program storage region, 332: temporary graph drawing information storage region, 333: table meta information storage region, 33
4 ... Graph meta information storage area, 340 ... Auxiliary storage device,
341, data visualization program storage area, 350, communication devices 400, 410, 420, 430, table 4,
40: User management information table, 441: User name storage area, 442: Readable table name storage area 500
Table meta information table, 501: User name storage area, 502: Item name storage area, 503: Data type storage area, 504: Item name storage area, 505: Data type storage area, 510: Graph meta information table, 511
... Graph type storage area, 512 ... X-axis data type storage area, 513 ... Y-axis data type storage area, 514 ...
Z-axis data type storage area 600: table display area,
610: Data visualization area, 620: End button 70
0, 710, 720, 730... Tables, 701 to 70
4, 711-714, 721-723, 731-733
... item 800 ... graph template, 810 ... X-axis item insertion area, 820 ... Y-axis item insertion area, 830 ... graph drawing area, 840 ... items 900, 910, 920,
930, 940, 950, 960, 970 ... item 100
0, 1010: items 1500, 1510, 1520: table, 1501 to 1504, 1511 to 1514, 1
521 to 1523: item 1600, 1610: item, 1
620: drawable graph type candidate display area, 163
0, 1640 ... A drawable graph type.

Continuation of the front page (72) Gen Sasaki, Inventor 1-280 Higashi Koikekubo, Kokubunji-shi, Tokyo F-term in Hitachi, Ltd. Central Research Laboratories F-term (reference)

Claims (6)

[Claims] In a user support system for visualizing a large amount of data stored in a database, means for storing information obtained by extracting relations between tables in the database, means for storing information necessary for drawing a graph , A means for drawing a graph, and a means for presenting information according to a user operation. 2. A data visualization support system according to claim 1, further comprising means for analyzing and extracting a relation between tables in a database including a user's access right, and extracting the relation. 3. The data visualization support system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the related items between the tables are displayed adjacent to the user, and the stored specific data is displayed several lines at a time. A data visualization support system comprising means. 4. The data visualization support system according to claim 1, wherein when drawing a graph,
A data visualization support system characterized in that items in a displayed table can be directly operated and set on a graph shape. 5. A data visualization support system according to claim 1, wherein means for checking whether an item of a table selected by a user matches a graph to be drawn, and, if the check is inappropriate, A data visualization support system comprising means for presenting an accurate statistical processing method. 6. The data visualization support system according to claim 1, wherein when drawing a graph,
A data visualization support system comprising: a list of graph candidates which can be drawn by using the above-mentioned items when an item of the displayed table is selected; and a graph drawing unit when the above-mentioned graph candidate is selected. .