Method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for generating a multi-dimensional record display

A method for generating a multi-dimensional view for a set of M measures, wherein a set of records including measure values associated with said M measures is retrieved in response to a set of queries, and wherein a set of N dimension values are represented throughout said set of records wherein each one of said N dimension values is associated with at least one of D dimensions, wherein M, N, and D are all integers, said method including the steps of:

• (a) maintaining said set of records in a master table;
• (b) generating a record structure foundation;
• (c) generating a multi-dimensional layout mapping for said M measures;
• and
• (d) converting said layout mapping into said multi-dimensional view based on information in said record structure foundation.

A method for generating a multi-dimensional view of data, comprising the steps of:

• storing a first set of data records, each data record having at least one measure value, each measure value being characterized by a first plurality of dimensions;
• generating a master index, said master index providing a mapping to the data records in said first set of data records;
• storing a second set of data records after performing said step of generating said master index, each data record having at least one measure value, each measure value being characterized by a second plurality of dimensions;
• augmenting said master index to further include a mapping to the data records in said second set of data records, after performing said step of storing said second set of data records, thereby deriving an augmented master index;
• and
• generating a multi-dimensional view of said first and second sets of data records using said augmented master index and said first and second sets of data records.

A computer readable medium having a set of instructions stored therein for enabling a computer to construct a multi-dimensional view for a set of M measures characterized by a set of D dimensions and a set of B dimensions, wherein said D dimensions are represented by a first set of N groups of records and said B dimensions are represented by a second set of Q groups of records wherein each record in said first set of N groups and each record in said second set of Q groups is maintained in a master table after being retrieved by a record management system in response to a query in a set of queries, and wherein M, D, B, N, and Q are all integers, said set of instructions including:

• a first set of instructions, which when executed by the computer cause the computer to identify records in a group.sub.n in said first set of N groups of records that are also in a group.sub.q in said second set of Q groups of records wherein n is an integer in a range of 1 to N and q is an integer in a range of 1 to Q;
• a second set of instructions, which when executed by the computer cause the computer to select a query in said set of queries that calls for said D dimensions, said B dimensions, and at least one of said M measures;
• and
• a third set of instructions, which when executed by the computer cause the computer to select a view set of records, wherein each record in said view set of records is identified in response to said first set of instructions and has been retrieved by said record management system in response to said query selected in response to said second set of instructions.

A computer readable medium having a set of instructions stored therein for enabling a computer to generate a multi-dimensional view for a set of M measures, wherein a set of records including said values associated with said M measures is retrieved in response to a set of queries, and wherein a set of N dimension values are represented throughout said set of records wherein each one of said N dimension values is associated with at least one of D dimensions, wherein M, N, and D are all integers, said set of instructions including:

• a first set of instructions, which when executed by the computer cause the computer to maintain said set of records in a master table;
• a second set of records, which when executed by the computer cause the computer to generate a record structure foundation;
• a third set of instructions, which when executed by the computer cause the computer to generate a multi-dimensional layout mapping for said M measures;
• and
• a fourth set of instructions, which when executed by the computer cause the computer to convert said layout mapping into said multi-dimensional view based on information in said record structure foundation.

A record management system for generating a multi-dimensional view of a set of M measures, wherein a set of records including measure values associated with said M measures is retrieved in response to a set of queries, and wherein a set of N dimension values are represented throughout said set of records wherein each one of said N dimension values is associated with at least one of D dimensions, wherein M, N, and D are all integers, said record management system comprising:

• a system bus;
• a master table storage unit coupled to said system bus for maintaining said set of records;
• a query map storage unit coupled to said system bus;
• a master table index storage unit coupled to said system bus;
• a layout mapping storage unit coupled to said system bus;
• an index engine coupled to said system bus for generating a record structure foundation, said index engine including:
• a means for generating an index for said set of records being maintained in said master table storage unit and storing said index in said master table index storage unit, and
• a means for generating a set of query map records and storing said set of query map records in said query map storage unit, wherein each query map record in said set of query map records identifies a query from said set of queries, a set of dimensions in said D dimensions that is called for by said query, and a set of measures in said M measures that is called for by said query;
• and
• a layout engine for generating said multi-dimensional view, said layout engine including:
• a means for generating a multi-dimensional layout mapping for said M measures and storing said layout mapping in said layout mapping storage unit, and
• a means for converting said layout mapping into said multi-dimensional view based on information in said master table index storage unit and said query map storage unit.