Token based dynamic data indexing with integrated security

An apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:
• obtain first user input data indicating a request for data and including a text string;
• identify a first token based on a first portion of the text string using a finite state machine and a token index, wherein the token index indexes tokens, including the first token and a second token, such that tokens are computer accessible;
• identify a first table in a database, wherein the first token indicates a first column from the first table, and wherein the first table includes a second column;
• identify the second token based on a second portion of the text string using the finite state machine and the token index;
• identify a second table in the database, wherein the second token indicates a third column from the second table, and wherein the second table includes a fourth column;
• identify a plurality of candidate join paths for joining data from the first table with data from the second table;
• identify the request for data as ambiguous in response to identifying the plurality of candidate join paths, and in the absence of data identifying a candidate join path from the plurality of candidate join paths as a resolved join path;
• obtain first candidate results responsive to the input data, wherein to obtain the first candidate results the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to use a first candidate join path from the plurality of candidate join paths and omit otherwise using the plurality of candidate join paths;
• obtain second candidate results responsive to the input data, wherein to obtain the second candidate results the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to use a second candidate join path from the plurality of candidate join paths and omit otherwise using the plurality of candidate join paths;
• output, for presentation to a user, combined candidate results presentation data including at least a portion of the first candidate results and at least a portion of the second candidate results;
• obtain second user input data indicating a resolved selection of a first value from the portion of the first candidate results or a second value from the portion of the second candidate results;
• in response to obtaining the second user input data, automatically identify the request for data as unambiguous and identify the resolved join path, wherein to identify the resolved join path the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:
• identify the first candidate join path as the resolved join path in response to automatically determining that the second user input data indicates the resolved selection of the first value from the portion of the first candidate results;
• and
• identify the second candidate join path as the resolved join path in response to automatically determining that the second user input data indicates the resolved selection of the second value from the portion of the second candidate results;
• and
• in response to automatically identifying the request for data as unambiguous, output, for presentation to the user, data responsive to the request for data using the resolved join path.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that are executed by a processor to:

• obtain first user input data indicating a request for data and including a text string;
• identify a first token based on a first portion of the text string using a finite state machine and a token index, wherein the token index indexes tokens, including the first token and a second token, such that tokens are computer accessible;
• identify a first table in a database, wherein the first token indicates a first column from the first table, and wherein the first table includes a second column;
• identify the second token based on a second portion of the text string using the finite state machine and the token index;
• identify a second table in the database, wherein the second token indicates a third column from the second table, and wherein the second table includes a fourth column;
• identify a plurality of candidate join paths for joining data from the first table with data from the second table;
• identify the request for data as ambiguous in response to identifying the plurality of candidate join paths, and in the absence of data identifying a candidate join path from the plurality of candidate join paths as a resolved join path;
• obtain first candidate results responsive to the input data, wherein to obtain the first candidate results the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to use a first candidate join path from the plurality of candidate join paths and omit otherwise using the plurality of candidate join paths;
• obtain second candidate results responsive to the input data, wherein to obtain the second candidate results the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to use a second candidate join path from the plurality of candidate join paths and omit otherwise using the plurality of candidate join paths;
• output, for presentation to a user, combined candidate results presentation data including at least a portion of the first candidate results and at least a portion of the second candidate results;
• obtain second user input data indicating a resolved selection of a first value from the portion of the first candidate results or a second value from the portion of the second candidate results;
• in response to obtaining the second user input data, automatically identify the request for data as unambiguous and identify the resolved join path, wherein to identify the resolved join path the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:
• identify the first candidate join path as the resolved join path in response to automatically determining that the second user input data indicates the resolved selection of the first value from the portion of the first candidate results;
• and
• identify the second candidate join path as the resolved join path in response to automatically determining that the second user input data indicates the resolved selection of the second value from the portion of the second candidate results;
• and
• in response to automatically identifying the request for data as unambiguous, output, for presentation to the user, data responsive to the request for data using the resolved join path.