Visual data importer

Abstract

Techniques for visual data import into an object model are described. A graphical user interface concurrently displays a first icon that represents a first object type and a second icon that represents a second object type. Input defining object-to-data mappings between properties of the object types and structured data of one or more data sources is received. Further input defining a relationship type for relationships between the first object type and the second object type is also received. In response to the second input, a graphical representation of the relationship type is displayed, visually linking the first icon to the second icon. Based at least on the object-to-data mappings, the definition of the relationship type, and the structured data, an object model is created, comprising first objects of the first object type, second objects of the second object type, and relationships between the first objects and the second objects.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of generating object structures by importing structured data from one or more data sources into an object model based on an ontology that categorizes objects, relationships, and properties according to various defined types, comprising:
 concurrently displaying, in a graphical user interface of a computer display unit, a first icon that graphically represents a first object associated with a first object type and a second icon that graphically represents a second object associated with a second object type, wherein the first object type is a category of object structures that are comprised of first properties, wherein the second object type is a different category of object structures that are comprised of second properties at least partly different than the first properties second object type is different from the first object type; 
 receiving a first input defining at least a portion of a first mapping between the first properties of the first object type and the structured data of the one or more data sources; 
 receiving a second input defining at least a portion of a second mapping between the second properties of the second object type and the structured data of the one or more data sources; 
 wherein at least one of the first input or the second input originates from an analysis and comparison component that automatically identifies predicted mappings, and not from user input in the graphical user interface; 
 receiving, in the graphical user interface, a third input defining a relationship type, wherein the relationship type characterizes relationship structures that specify relationships between object structures of the first object type and object structures of the second object type, wherein the relationship is associated with a relationship type; 
 in response to the third input, displaying in the graphical user interface a graphical representation of the relationship type that visually links the first icon to the second icon; 
 based at least on the first mapping, the second mapping, the relationship type, and the structured data, automatically creating a plurality of first object structures of the first object type, a plurality of second object structures of the second object type, and a plurality of relationship structures between the first object structures and the second object structures including automatically adding one or more of the first object type and the second object type based on comparisons of the object types to available schema elements, a history of previously created schema maps by the same or a different user, and/or specified user or system rules; 
 wherein the creating comprises creating the first object structures and the second object structures using the ontology and in which the relationship structures are of the relationship type; 
 storing the plurality of first object structures, the plurality of second object structures, and the plurality of relationship structures in a database that persists data in the object model;  
 wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the creating comprises creating the first object structures and the second object structures in a revisioning database having a dynamic ontology. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising receiving one or more updates to one or more of the first properties or the second properties in a dynamic ontology that includes the first object type and the second object type; and repeating the concurrently displaying, the receiving, and the creating using one or more of the updated first properties or updated second properties. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 concurrently displaying the first icon, the second icon, and the graphical representation of the relationship type in a visual workplace; 
 displaying representations of the plurality of first object structures, the plurality of second object structures, and the plurality of relationship structures as part of a graph of interconnected nodes that is arranged similar to the visual workspace. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying one or more schemas for the structured data of the one or more data sources; 
 providing mapping controls for selecting, for each particular property of the first properties and the second properties, one or more elements of the one or more schemas to map to the particular property; 
 receiving the first input, at least in part, via the mapping controls. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, while concurrently displaying the first icon and the second icon:
 displaying a representation of a sample object structure that would be created from a sample data set based on the first object type and the first mapping; 
 displaying one or more representations of one or more sample relationship structures that would be created for the sample object structure based on the relationship type. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing an import operation or translation operation on the one or more data sources, the import operation or translation operation including the creating of the plurality of first object structures, the plurality of second object structures, and the plurality of relationship structures. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving input identifying conditions to be met by the one or more data sources prior to creation of a relationship structure of the relationship type. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first input originates from user input in the graphical user interface, and the second input originates from the analysis and comparison component one or more computing devices. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second input originates from the analysis and comparison component one or more computing devices, the method further comprising receiving, after the second input, via the graphical user interface, fourth input that modifies the second mapping. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, receiving initial input, different from the first input, that defines the relationship type, wherein the initial input originates from the analysis and comparison component one or more computing devices and automatically creates the relationship type, wherein the third input is a further input that modifies the relationship type. 
     
     
       12. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions for generating object structures by importing structured data from one or more data sources into an object model based on an ontology that categorizes objects, relationships, and properties according to various defined types, wherein the instructions, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause performance of:
 concurrently displaying, in a graphical user interface of a computer display unit, a first icon that graphically represents a first object associated with a first object type and a second icon that graphically represents a second object associated with a second object type, wherein the first object type is a category of object structures that are comprised of first properties, wherein the second object type is a different category of object structures that are comprised of second properties at least partly different than the first properties second object type is different from the first object type; 
 receiving, in the graphical user interface, a first input defining at least a portion of a first mapping between the first properties of the first object type and the structured data of the one or more data sources; 
 receiving first input defining at least a portion of a first mapping between the first properties of the first object type and the structured data of the one or more data sources; 
 receiving a second input defining at least a portion of a second mapping between the second properties of the second object type and the structured data of the one or more data sources; 
 receiving, in the graphical user interface, a third input defining a relationship between the first object and the second object, wherein the relationship is associated with a relationship type;  
 wherein at least one of the first input or the second input originates from an analysis and comparison component that automatically identifies predicted mappings, and not from user input in the graphical user interface; 
 in response to the third input, displaying a in the graphical user interface a graphical representation of the relationship type that visually links the first icon to the second icon; 
 based at least on the first mapping, the second mapping, the relationship type, and the structured data, automatically creating a plurality of first object structures of the first object type, a plurality of second object structures of the second object type, and a plurality of relationship structures between the first object structures and the second object structures including automatically adding one or more of the first object type and the second object type based on comparisons of the object types to available schema elements, a history of previously created schema maps by the same or a different user, and/or specified user or system rules; 
 wherein the creating comprises creating the first object structures and the second object structures using the ontology and in which the relationship structures are of the relationship type; 
 storing the plurality of first object structures, the plurality of second object structures, and the plurality of relationship structures in a database that persists data in the object model. 
 
     
     
       13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the creating comprises creating the first object structures and the second object structures in a revisioning database having a dynamic ontology. 
     
     
       14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:
 receiving one or more updates to one or more of the first properties or the second properties in a dynamic ontology that includes the first object type and the second object type; and repeating the concurrently displaying, the receiving, and the creating using one or more of the updated first properties or updated second properties. 
 
     
     
       15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:
 concurrently displaying the first icon, the second icon, and the graphical representation of the relationship type in a visual workplace; 
 displaying representations of the plurality of first object structures, the plurality of second object structures, and the plurality of relationship structures as part of a graph of interconnected nodes that is arranged similar to the visual workspace. 
 
     
     
       16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of:
 identifying one or more schemas for the structured data of the one or more data sources; 
 providing mapping controls for selecting, for each particular property of the first properties and the second properties, one or more elements of the one or more schemas to map to the particular property; 
 receiving the first input, at least in part, via the mapping controls. 
 
     
     
       17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of, while concurrently displaying the first icon and the second icon:
 displaying a representation of a sample object structure that would be created from a sample data set based on the first object type and the first mapping; 
 displaying one or more representations of one or more sample relationship structures that would be created for the sample object structure based on the relationship type. 
 
     
     
       18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of: performing an import operation or translation operation on the one or more data sources, the import operation or translation operation including the creating of the plurality of first object structures, the plurality of second object structures, and the plurality of relationship structures. 
     
     
       19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause performance of: receiving input identifying conditions to be met by the one or more data sources prior to creation of a relationship structure of the relationship type. 
     
     
       20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the first input originates from user input in the graphical user interface, and the second input originates from the analysis and comparison component  one or more computing devices. 
     
     
       21. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the second input originates from the analysis and comparison component, one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 10  computing devices, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause receiving, after the second input, via the graphical user interface, fourth input that modifies the second mapping. 
     
     
       22. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computing devices, further cause, receiving initial input, different than the first input, that defines the relationship type, wherein the initial input originates from the analysis and comparison component one or more computing devices and automatically creates the relationship type, wherein the third input is a further input that modifies the relationship type. 
     
     
       23. A computer system comprising:
 one or more processors; 
 an analysis and comparison component, implemented in part by the one or more processors, that automatically identifies predicted mappings between object properties and structured data; 
 a definition component, implemented in part one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions for importing structured data from one or more data sources into an object model based on an ontology that categorizes objects, relationships, and properties according to various defined types, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, configured to cause performance of: 
 concurrently displaying, in a graphical user interface of a computer display unit, a first icon that graphically represents a first object associated with a first object type and a second icon that graphically represents a second object associated with a second object type, wherein the first object type is a category of object structures that are comprised of first properties, wherein the second object type is a different category of object structures that are comprised of second properties at least partly different than the first properties; 
 receiving a first input defining at least a portion of a first mapping between the first properties of the first object type and the structured data of the one or more data sources; 
 receiving a second input defining at least a portion of a second mapping between the second properties of the second object type and the structured data of the one or more data sources; 
 wherein at least one of the first input or the second input originates from the analysis and comparison component, and not from user input in the graphical user interface; 
 receiving, in the graphical user interface, third input defining a relationship type, wherein the relationship type categorizes relationship structures that specify relationships between object structures of the first object type and object structures of the second object type, wherein the relationship is associated with a relationship type; 
 in response to the third input, displaying a graphical representation of the relationship type that visually links the first icon to the second icon; 
 a translation component, implemented in part by the one or more processors, configured to cause performance of: 
 based at least on the first mapping, the second mapping, the relationship type, and the structured data, automatically creating a plurality of first object structures of the first object type, a plurality of second object structures of the second object type, and a plurality of relationship structures between the first object structures and the second object structures including automatically adding one or more of the first object type and the second object type based on comparisons of the object types to available schema elements, a history of previously created schema maps by the same or a different user, and/or specified user or system rules; 
 storing the plurality of first object structures, the plurality of second object structures, and the plurality of relationship structures in a database that persists data in the object model. 
 
     
     
       24. The computer system of  claim 23 , further comprising a revisioning database having a dynamic ontology, the revisioning database storing data describing the plurality of first object structures, the plurality of second object structures, and the plurality of relationship structures. 
     
     
       25. The computer system of  claim 24 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause performance of: receiving one or more updates to one or more of the first properties or the second properties in a dynamic ontology that includes the first object type and the second object type; and repeating the concurrently displaying, the receiving, and the creating using one or more of the updated first properties or updated second properties. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first input and the second input originates from the one or more computing devices. 
     
     
       27. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first input and the second input originates from the one or more computing devices. 
     
     
       28. The computer system of claim 23, wherein at least one of the first input and the second input originates from one or more computing devices.