WO1996036002A1

WO1996036002A1 - Electronic information processing system and process for generating a graphic representation of a logical linkage of search keys

Info

Publication number: WO1996036002A1
Application number: PCT/EP1995/001817
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gerhard Kreysa; Karlheinz DÖHLE
Original assignee: Dechema Deutsche Gesellschaft Für Chemisches Apparatewesen, Chemische Technik Und Biotechnologie E.V.
Priority date: 1995-05-12
Filing date: 1995-05-12
Publication date: 1996-11-14
Also published as: DE29521576U1; AU2564095A

Abstract

Electronic information processing system and process for generating a graphic representation of a logical linkage of search keys. The following steps are carried out: inputting at least two search keys; allocating a symbol to each search key; inputting logical linking operators that indicate the logical linkage between the search keys; and selecting and displaying a graphic representation among a plurality of predetermined graphic representations that represent the possible logical linkages between the symbols based on the allocated symbols and the input logical linking operators.

Description

Electronic information system and method for generating a graphic image representation of a logical combination of search terms

description

The present invention relates to an electronic information system and to a method for generating a graphic image representation of a logical combination of search terms.

Information systems for selectively querying data from a larger data collection are already known in the prior art.

Such known electronic information systems enable the user in the context of a search query to open an auxiliary menu in which the connection of the link operators and the manner in which they are to be entered is described.

Experience has shown, however, that most users of such electronic information systems find it difficult to check the result of a search query if it is a search in which several search terms are linked via Boolean operators, e.g. "AND", "OR" or "NOT".

The simple fact that two search words linked by "AND", for example, does not return the sum of all the data to which one of the two search words applies, but only the intersection to which both search words apply, is for the User not trivial.

Starting from this prior art, the present invention is based on the object of developing a method and an electronic information system for generating a graphical To create a phical image representation of a logical linkage of search terms, which visually illustrates the complex relationships of the linkage operations in a simple manner to the user and, after the search query has been formulated, gives the user the possibility of checking the expected result as to whether it actually meets his expectations corresponds.

This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and by an information system according to claim 13.

The present invention provides a method for generating a graphic image representation of a logical combination of search terms in an electronic information system that can be queried using search terms and logical combination operators, with the following steps:

a) entering at least two search terms;

b) assigning a symbol to each search term;

c) Entering logical link operators that specify the logical link of the search terms; and

d) Selecting and displaying a graphic representation from a plurality of predefined graphic representations, the graphic representations representing the possible logical combinations of the symbols, on the basis of the assigned symbols and the entered logical combination operators.

The present invention also provides an electronic information system which can be queried using search terms and logical combination operators (218, 220, 222)

a graphic display device for generating a graphic image representation (300) of a logical link of search terms (202, 204, 206, 208); and

a graphic control device for controlling the graphic display device, which has the following features:

a device for entering at least two search terms (202, 204, 206, 208);

means for assigning a symbol (210, 212, 214, 216) to each search term;

a device for entering logical combination operators (218, 220, 222) which indicate the logical combination of the search terms; and

a device for selecting the graphical representation (300) from a plurality of predefined graphical representations, the predefined graphical representations representing the possible logical combinations of the symbols, on the basis of the assigned symbols and the entered logical combination operators.

An advantage of the present invention is that the application of the method in an electronic information system leads to a more comfortable user guidance, so that the probability that the user guidance is operated by users who are not familiar with general linking operations increases.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it creates the possibility of checking the plausibility of search queries entered before they are processed.

Preferred developments of the present invention are defined in the subclaims.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

1 shows a flow diagram of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention;

2 shows an illustration of a screen display of an electronic information system for the input of search terms and corresponding link operators; and

3 shows a representation of a selected graphic representation on the basis of the assigned symbols and the entered logical combination operators in an electronic information system.

Before a detailed description of the present invention, terms used in this description are explained in more detail below.

Search term: The term "search term" denotes a text to be searched for in the information system. Search terms can be, for example, a search word, a free text fragment, a data category, a country or a location.

Symbol: A symbol denotes a graphic representation that is assigned to each search term. Symbols can e.g. Dots or circles with different colors or hatching.

Logical link operator: A logical link operator is an operator by which e.g. two search terms are logically linked. Examples of linking operators of Boole's algebra are the "AND", "OR" or "NOT" operators.

Priority: The term priority determines the ranking, in which certain search terms or combinations of search terms are processed (analogous to the summary of certain mathematical terms in brackets, for example (a + b) xc).

Search formulation: A search formulation is formed by the entered search terms or the symbols assigned to them and by the link operators.

Possible / impossible search formulation: This denotes permissible / non-permissible logical combinations of symbols or search terms. This also includes non-meaningful links that would still be possible.

A preferred exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. 1.

The method according to the invention is started in a first step S100.

At least two search terms are subsequently entered in step S102. It is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the entry of only two search terms, but that more than two search terms can also be entered in step S102.

In step S104, the entered search terms are each assigned graphic symbols. A different symbol is assigned to each search term entered.

In step S106, the individual logical links are entered by entering the corresponding logical link operators.

In step S108, a query is made regarding the assignment of any priorities. In the event that priorities are assigned, the method goes to step S110, in which selected priorities are assigned the higher are priorities of other, unselected search terms. In order to summarize search terms with the same priority level, these are put in brackets.

Alternatively, instead of the search terms themselves, the associated symbols can be placed in parentheses according to their priorities.

If it has been determined in step S108 that no priority is to be assigned, or step S110 has been carried out, the routine goes to step S112.

The entered search formulation is displayed in step S112.

The method according to the invention then proceeds to step S114, in which it is determined whether the entered search formulation is possible. In order to determine this, a table is provided with all possible logical combinations of the symbols, on the basis of which it is checked whether the search formulation entered is a possible, mathematically correct or sensible logical combination of the symbols.

If the possibility of the search formulation is affirmed in step S114, the method goes to step S116, in which a graphic representation of a plurality of predetermined graphic representations, which represent the possible logical combinations of the symbols, on the basis of the assigned symbols and the input logical logic operator is selected.

The selected graphical representation is then displayed on a screen in step S118. The method then ends in step S120.

If it was determined in step S114 that the specified search formulation is not possible, then in step S122 an error message is displayed on the screen, informing the user of the electronic information system of the impossibility of his search formulation. The method then goes to step S120, where it ends.

It is pointed out that the method described with reference to FIG. 1 is a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

According to a further preferred exemplary embodiment, steps S108 to S114 and step S122 are optional.

Furthermore, it is possible, depending on the desired fields of application, to use only parts of steps S108 to S114 and S122 described with reference to FIG. 1, so that the method according to the invention can be flexibly adapted to corresponding application areas.

It is also pointed out that steps S108 and S110 are only useful in the method described with reference to FIG. 1 in the case in which three or more search terms have been entered, since otherwise an assignment of a priority is superfluous.

FIG. 2 shows a screen display 200 for entering search terms and corresponding operators.

In this exemplary embodiment, the screen display 200 comprises four input fields 202, 204, 206, 208 for displaying the entered search terms. These search terms 202, 204, 206, 208 are assigned simple, differently hatched or differently colored graphic symbols 210, 212, 214, 216.

The individual search terms 202, 204, 206, 208 are linked via fields 218, 220, 222 via link operators. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, different linking operators can be speaking selection fields 218a, 220a, 222a of the fields 218, 220, 222 can be selected.

In line 224, after the search terms have been entered, the symbols have been assigned and the link operators have been entered, the search wording thus set up is shown.

In the exemplary embodiment described with reference to FIG. 2, the represented search formulation 224 is represented by a representation of the individual symbols 226, 228, 230, 232 of the search formulation 224. The search formulation 224 also contains fields 234, 236, 238, 240, 242, 244, which serve to bring about a corresponding priority of selected symbols and thus of entered search terms by setting or entering brackets.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the symbols 226 and 228 are provided with a first priority, for example. These two symbols 226 and 228 and the symbol 230 are combined with a further priority, as is illustrated by the brackets shown in the fields 234, 238 and 242.

In a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in order to further clarify the displayed search formulation 224, the corresponding selected combination operators can be shown between the individual symbols 226, 228, 230, 232 (not shown in FIG. 2).

After the creation of the search formulation has been completed, a user can activate the link graphic by actuating the field 246.

An illustration of this linkage graphic is shown in FIG. 3, in which the same reference numerals designate the same elements, a new description of which is omitted. FIG. 3 shows a window 300 which has been superimposed on the screen display from FIG. 2.

In the linkage graphic 300, the subsets corresponding to the individual search terms are represented by overlapping circles 302, 304, 306 and 308 which, like the graphic symbols 210, 212, 214, 216 representing the search terms, are hatched differently or have different colors.

It is obvious that instead of the overlapping circles 302, 304, 306, 308, other overlapping simple geometric figures can also be used to represent the corresponding subsets.

In the link graphic 300, the number of hits 310 resulting from the search formulation 224 is highlighted in color.

In the system shown with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, all background information relating to all possible search information is contained in a memory, these search formulations being obtained by changing the number of search terms and by changing the linking operators and by different replacement of brackets.

All possible search formulations and the amendments are set up and formulated in a manner known per se.

Thus, for each theoretically possible search formulation, there is either a corresponding link graphic 300 or a mathematical model for generating a link graphic in which the resultant set 310 of hits is highlighted by hatching or color or some other identifier. The query of the link graphic 300 has the effect that the search formulation 224 created by the user is first checked to see whether it matches a search formulation from the totality of all theoretically possible search formulations.

If this is not the case, the user is informed that his query formulation is incorrect.

If the search formulation is error-free, the corresponding link graphic 300 is displayed, which enables the user to easily judge whether the number of hits 310 shown in the graphic 300 corresponds to what he is using the search phrase 224 intended its search query.

It is pointed out that the electronic information system can contain a large amount of information, which can include, but is not limited to, texts, images, audio information or tapes, slide shows or videos.

Claims

claims

1. A method for generating a graphic image representation (300) of a logical combination of search terms (202, 204, 206, 208) in an electronic information system which can be queried using search terms and logical combination operators (218, 220, 222) draws through the following steps:

a) entering (S102) at least two search terms (202, 204, 206, 208);

b) assigning (S104) a symbol (210, 212, 214, 216) to each search term;

c) input (S106) of logical combination operators (218, 220, 222) which indicate the logical combination of the search terms; and

d) Selecting (S116) and displaying (S118) a graphical representation (300) from a plurality of predefined graphical representations, the predefined graphical representations representing the possible logical combinations of the symbols, on the basis of the assigned symbols and the input logical logic operators.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that

that step a) includes entering additional search terms.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that

that step c) assigning (S108, S110) a higher priority of selected search terms (226, 228, 230) versus unselected search terms (232).

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in

that the step of assigning the higher priority includes the setting of brackets (234, 238, 242) which enclose the selected search terms (226, 228, 230).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, marked by the following step after step c):

Representing (S112) a search formulation (224) on the screen (200), the search formulation being formed by the search terms or the symbols assigned to them and by the link operators.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, marked by the following steps before step d):

Determining (S114) whether the search formulation (224) defined by the search terms or the symbols and the logical link operators is a possible logical link between the symbols; and

if it is determined that the specified search formulation (224) is a non-possible logical combination of the symbols, indicate (S122) that the specified search formulation is incorrect.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized ge indicates

that the link operators (218, 220, 222) are Boolean link operators.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that that the link operators include the operators "AND", "OR" and "NOT".

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in

that the symbols (210, 212, 214, 216) are circles or dots with different colors or hatching.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized ge indicates

that the information contained in the electrical information system includes texts, images, audio information, slide shows and videos.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that

that the search terms (202, 204, 206, 208) include search words, free text fragments, data categories, countries and / or locations.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in

that the selected graphical representation (300) is a representation of overlapping circles (302, 304, 306, 308) or other overlapping simple geometric figures, which show the corresponding subsets (310) of the individual search terms.

13. Electronic information system which can be queried using search terms and logical linking operators (218, 220, 222), characterized by

a graphic display device for generating a graphic image representation (300) of a logical combination of search terms (202, 204, 206, 208); and

a device for entering at least two search terms (202, 204, 206, 208);

means for assigning a symbol (210, 212, 214, 216) to each search term;

a device for entering logical combination operators (218, 220, 222) which specify the logical combination of the search terms; and

a device for selecting the graphic representation (300) from a plurality of predefined graphic representations, the predefined graphic representations representing the possible logical combinations of the symbols, on the basis of the assigned symbols and the entered logical combination ¬ operator operators.