Patent ID: 6704742
Filing Date: 2004-03-09
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method to be used with a database and an interface, the interface for specifying reports to be generated, the database capable of including a hierarchy of point slices where each point slice includes a data segment and at least a subset of the data segments can be combined to instantiate each specified report, the method for expediting the report generating process and comprising the steps of:(a) receiving a report request; (b) identifying at least one required point slice required to instantiate the report; (c) searching the database for the at least one required point slice; (d) where the at least one required point slice does not exist, identifying an intermediate subset that includes intermediate point slices required to generate the at least one required point slice; (e) determining if the intermediate subset point slices exist; (f) for each non-existent intermediate subset point slice, using existing point slices to generate the non-existent intermediate point slice; (g) combining the intermediate subset point slices to generate the at least one required point slice; and (h) instantiating the report using the at least one required point slice.