GB2460461A

GB2460461A - Automatic generation of an alias field in a database

Info

Publication number: GB2460461A
Application number: GB0809913A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jason Dobo
Original assignee: Nokia Oyj; Symbian Software Ltd
Current assignee: Nokia Oyj
Priority date: 2008-05-30
Filing date: 2008-05-30
Publication date: 2009-12-02
Also published as: WO2009144575A1; GB0809913D0

Abstract

A computing device which has stored thereon a contacts database which includes a mechanism for automatically generating an alias field when a user enters a new contact record. The mechanism enables a user to search for records using the alias field. The database also provides a mechanism for automatically generating a plurality of search strings based on characters entered by a user. In addition, the database provides a mechanism for searching fields in a database in accordance with a predefined search string. That search string includes at least one character from one field and at least two characters from another field.

Description

Computing device and method of operation of a computing device The present invention relates to a computing device for enabling a user to search for records stored in a database. The present invention also relates to a method of operation of such a computing device.

BacKground to the Invention and Prior Art

Modern computing devices typically include a contacts application which stores the names of contacts in a contacts database. The database may also hold other information relating to each contact, such as email addresses and telephone numbers. Contacts applications also enable a user to search through a contacts database in order to locate a particular contact's details.

Prior art contacts applications allow users to search for contacts in a variety of ways. In one case, when a user opens the contacts application, they are presented with a list of all entries in the database. The user may then scroll through the list in order to find the contact they are looking for. This may be time consuming. Additionally, the user may enter one or more characters in order to jump to the entry, or those entries, which includes the entered characters at the beginning of the contacts first name. For example, if the contacts database includes entries for, "Dave", "Debbie" and "Duncan" and the user enters, "de" the contact application would jump to "Debbie". However, if the contacts database is very large, and there are a large number of entries beginning "De", the user is still required to scroll through a large number of entries to find the contact they require.

An alternative manner in which a user might access a contacts database is through a messaging application such as an email client. When a user wishes to send an email, they can add email addresses in a "To" field. One prior art mechanism allows a user to enter one or more characters of the first or second name of a contact. The application then automatically inserts the email address for that user. For example, if the database includes a entry for "Robert Davies", and the user enters the characters "Day" the email address for Robert Davies is inserted in the "To" field. However, this assumes that there are no other entries which have a first name or surname beginning "Day". If there are a number of entries beginning "Day", the user has to scroll through a list in order to find the correct contact.

In each of the above examples, the contacts application searches through the contact database and searches for fields which begin with a string of characters matching those entered by a user. Such a search mechanism will never allow a user to jump to the desired contact if the database is large and contains multiple entries having two or three identical first characters in the first name or surname.

Some contacts applications will also search though other fields in the database. If the records include contain an "email" field, the contact application could provide a character search through the email addresses.

For example, the database may include a contact, "John Jones", who has the email address, "jjoneshome.com". If the user enters "jjo", then this email address would be entered in the "to" field of the email client. In this case, the contacts application is conducting a character search for entries which have initial characters matching those of a particular field. However, although this type of search is more likely to find the entry a user is looking for, the application must be arranged to search through the email address field, the user must know this and the user must have first manually entered the email address in the email address field. Furthermore, the user must know the email address of the contact in order to take advantage of this feature.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a computing device comprising: a storage medium having stored thereon a database, the database defining a record format in which each record includes at least two fields, each field for including information relating to the identity of an entity, said information being in the form of a string of characters and said database being arranged to store a plurality of records having said record format, and a data entry device, arranged to allow a user of said device to enter a string of characters in to said computing device; wherein said record format includes an alias field, and said database is arranged to automatically generate an alias, when a user enters a new record, and store the alias in said alias field; and said computing device includes a search mechanism which is arranged to search said database for alias fields containing characters entered by said user.

The present invention also provides a method of storing records in a database, wherein the database defines a record format in which each record includes at least two fields, each field for including information relating to the identity of an entity, said information being in the form of a string of characters and said database being arranged to store a plurality of records having said record format, and said record format further includes an alias field; the method comprising the steps of: storing name information, entered by a user in to a computing device, in to said at least two fields; generating an alias; and

storing said alias in said alias field.

The present invention also provides a computing device comprising: a storage medium having stored thereon a database, the database defining a record format in which each record includes at least two fields, each field for including information relating to the identity of an entity, said information being in the form of a string of characters and said database being arranged to store a plurality of records having said record format, and a data entry device, arranged to allow a user of said device to enter a string of characters in to said computing device; wherein said computing device includes a search mechanism which is arranged to search said database for records containing characters entered by said user; said search mechanism is further arranged to generate a plurality of predefined search strings, using the characters entered by the user, each character in a given search string corresponding to a character position in one of said at least two fields, said characters of a given search string corresponding to character positions in at least two different fields, and said search mechanism is further arranged to search for records in said database that have fields that include characters, in said corresponding character positions, that match the characters in said search strings.

The present invention also provides a method of searching records in a database, wherein the database defines a record format in which each record includes at least two fields, each field for including information relating to the identity of an entity, said information being in the form of a string of characters and said database being arranged to store a plurality of records having said record format, the method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of predefined search strings, using characters entered by a user of a computing device, each character in a given search string corresponding to a character position in one of said at least two fields, said characters of a given search string corresponding to character positions in at least two different fields, and searching for records in said database that have fields that include characters, in said corresponding character positions, that match the characters in said search strings.

The present invention also provides a computing device comprising: a storage medium having stored thereon a database, the database defining a record format in which each record includes at least two fields, each field for including information relating to the identity of an entity, said information being in the form of a string of characters and said database being arranged to store a plurality of records having said record format, and a data entry device, arranged to allow a user of said device to enter a string of characters in to said computing device; wherein said computing device includes a search mechanism which is arranged to search said database for records containing characters entered by said user; said search mechanism defines at least one predefined search string, each character position in said search string corresponding to a character position in one of said fields, the search string being at least three characters in length and including at least two positions corresponding to character positions in one field and another character position corresponding to a character position in another field; said search mechanism is further arranged, in response to a user entering a combination of characters having the same length as said search string, to search said fields of said records using said predefined combination of characters.

The present invention also provides a method of searching records in a database, wherein the database defines a record format in which each record includes at least two fields, each field for including information relating to the identity of an entity, said information being in the form of a string of characters and said database being arranged to store a plurality of records having said record format; and said database defines at least one predefined search string, each character position in said search string corresponding to a character position in one of said fields, the search string being at least three characters in length and including at least two positions corresponding to character in one field and another character position corresponding to a character positions in another field; the method comprising the step of: searching, in response to a user entering a combination of characters in to a computing device having the same length as said predefined search string, said fields for records having said predefined combination of characters.

Other features of the present invention are defined in the appended claims.

Features and advantages associated with the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments.

Brief Description of the Drawinq

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a mobile device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the components of the mobile device ofFigurel; Figure 3 shows a representation of the memory of the mobile device shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 shows database components of the mobile device shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 shows a representation of the database of the mobile device shown in Figure 1; Figure 6 shows a contact record in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a flow chart showing an operation of a contact manager application in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is a flow chart showing a further operation of a contact manager application in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 is a representation of the search strings used in an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 10 is a further representation of the search strings used in an embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the Embodiments

Figure 1 shows a mobile device 100. The mobile device 100 comprises an outer casing 101, which includes an earphone 102 and a microphone 103.

The mobile device 100 also includes a keypad 104 and a display 105. The keypad 104 enables a user to enter information into the mobile device 100 and instruct the mobile device to perform the various functions which it provides. For example, a user may enter a telephone number, or select another mobile device from a list stored on the mobile device 100, as well as perform functions such as initiating a telephone call.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the components of the mobile device 100. The device includes a system bus 106 to which the components are connected and which allows the components to communicate with each other.

Here, the components are shown to communicate via a single system bus 106, however in practice the mobile device may include several buses to connect the various components. The components of the mobile device 100 include a processor unit 107, read only memory 108, random access memory 109, an earphone controller 110, a microphone controller 111, a display controller 112, a keyboard controller 113, a storage device controller 114 and a transceiver 115. Figure 2 shows a single processor unit 107, however in practice the device may include two or more processor units to control different components of the device. In particular, the device 100 may include a baseband processor unit to control a telephony stack, and an application processor to control an operating system and a user interface of the device.

The transceiver 115 is also connected to an antenna 116. The mobile device is arranged to communicate, using transceiver 115, with a base station of a mobile phone network (not shown). The storage device controller 114 is connected to a storage device 117 which may be an internal hard drive or a removable storage device such as a flash memory card.

Figure 3 is a representation of the various memory components of the mobile device 100. As noted above, the device includes read only memory (ROM) 108, random access memory (RAM) 109, and storage device 117. The ROM 108 includes an operating system, a graphical user interface and other critical applications. The RAM 109 is a volatile memory which is empty when the mobile telephone is switched off. Applications are loaded into RAM 109, as required, when the mobile telephone is switched on. The storage device 117, also known as user data memory, includes other applications, application files, user data and user settings.

As noted above, the ROM 108 includes the operating system. The structure and operation of operating systems for computing devices are well known to the person skilled in the art and will not be described here. One such operating system is the Symbian operating system, developed by Symbian Software Limited of London, United Kingdom.

The operating system provides a collection of applications and records which provide personal information management (PIM) services. One such service is the provision of an application and database for managing the details of individuals and organisations known to the user. Such a service is more commonly known as an address book. Figure 4 shows some of the components of this service. In particular, the operating system includes a contact manager application 118 and a contacts database 119. The mechanisms by which the contact manager application 118 and the contacts database interact with other elements of the mobile device 100 (e.g. the other operating system components, the keypad 104, the display 105 etc) are well known to the person skilled in the art and will not be described here.

As shown in Figure 5, the contacts database 119 is arranged to store a number of records 120. Each contact record 120a, 120b, 120c etc, stores information relating to a contact. For example, a basic contact record may contain a person's, first name, surname and email address. Each item of

information is stored in a record field.

Records may be stored in the well-known vCard format. The vCard format is a text based format which allows applications on different systems to recognise a vCard, regardless of the type of system it originated on. The following is an example of a simple vCard: BEGI N:VCARD VERSION:2. 1 N:Surname;First Name TEL; VOICE:O1 23456789 EMAIL;INTERNET:surnamefirstname@isp.com END:VCARD In reality, vCards are more complex than this and may include much more information about a contact.

The contact manager application 118 provides a search mechanism. When a user wishes to locate a contact in the database 119, the user is able to enter a search string in order to locate a particular contact record or group of contact records. For example, as is known in the art, if the user enters a string of characters which are identical to a string of characters found at the beginning of a particular surname, every contact record which includes those characters at the beginning of the surname field will be displayed. The mechanisms by which contact manager applications search contact database are known to the person skilled in the art, and will not be described here.

The interface through which the user may search the contacts database 119 may take various forms. For example, the user may access the database 119 directly using the contacts manager application 118. In this case, the contacts manager application 118 may display a box into which the user can enter a search string. Alternatively, the search functionality may be provided through another application. For example, a user may enter a search string into a "To:" box in an email application. Such an email application would be arranged to access the contacts database 119 and search for relevant entries.

In the context of the present invention, the precise interface provided by the device 100 is not relevant, and will not therefore be described here in any detail.

Furthermore, the results of a search may be shown in various ways. For example, if several contact records match the search string which has been entered, a list may be displayed which can then be scrolled through by the user. The precise manner in which the results of a search that reveals multiple hits are shown, is not relevant to the present invention and, again, will not be described here.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the contact manager application 118 is arranged to generate an alias when a user enters a new contact. The alias is stored in an alias field which forms part of the vCard record for that contact.

Figure 6 shows a contact record 120x, which includes an alias field. A vCard representation of contact record 120x is shown below. The vCard includes a user's first name, surname, telephone number and email address. This is the information is entered by the user. The following is a vCard representation for contact record 1 20x: BEGIN:VCARD VERSION:2. 1 N:Smith;John TEL;VOICE:01 23456789 EMAIL; INTERNET:smithjohn�isp.com ALIAS:jsm END:VCARD When a user creates the contact record, the contact manager application 118 enters the alias in an alias field. This information is then stored in the database 119. In this embodiment, the alias can not be entered manually and is not visible to a user.

The operation of creating a contact record in accordance with this embodiment is shown in Figure 7. The operation is initiated when a user enters new contact details to form a new contact record (step 200). Once the details have been entered, the user instructs the contacts manager application 118 to store the contact details as a new contact record (step 201). The contact manager application then generates an alias (step 202). In the present case, the contact manager application 118 creates an alias which is the first character of the first name and the first two characters of the surname, in that sequence. The contact manager application 118 then stores the alias in the alias field of the contact record (step 203). Finally, the contact manager application 118 stores the contact record in the database 119 (step 204).

The alias format may be predefined in the contact manager application 118.

Alternatively, the alias format may set by a user.

The mechanism for searching for records, using the alias fields, will now be described with reference to Figure 8. When a user wishes to search for a particular contact record, they enter a search string (step 300). In the present case, the user enters three characters, in the format dictated by the contact alias format. The contact manager application 118 then searches through the contact alias fields for any matches (step 301). The contact manager application achieves this by searching for a matching sequence of characters in the contact alias field. The contact manager application then displays any contact record entries which have alias fields matching the characters entered by the user (step 302).

An advantage of this embodiment is that a user is able to quickly locate a given record using a known alias format. It is more likely that a record will include a unique alias, than the first three characters of a records being unique. Furthermore, by storing a specific alias field, the device is able to search using standard search string based searching. The device does not need to adapt the characters, entered by a user, prior to searching.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the contact manager application 118 provides a search mechanism that automatically generates a number of different search strings, based on characters entered by a user.

The contact manager application 118 uses the search strings which it generates to search for fields which include characters corresponding to those character strings generated by the contact manager application 118. For example, a first search string may be the first letter of a first name and the first two letters of a surname. Therefore, if a user enters three characters, the contact manager application 118 will look for records which include the first character at the beginning of the first name field and the second two characters at the beginning of the surname field. A second search string may be the first two letters of a first name and the first letter of a surname.

Therefore, if a user enters three characters, the contact manager application 118 will look for records which include the first two characters at the beginning of the first name field and the third character at the beginning of the surname field. Thus, when a user enters three characters for searching, the contact manager application 118 generates these two search strings and searches for records accordingly.

As noted above, one example of a search string is the first initial of the first name, followed by the first two initials of the second name. For example, a user if a user is looking for a contact record for "John Smith", they could enter the search string "jsm", Figure 9 illustrates how the contact manager application 118, in accordance with this embodiment, breaks the characters down into different search strings. In this example, the search mechanism is arranged to search through a first name field 400 and a surname field 401.

The search mechanism generates the following combinations: search combination 402, first name "j", surname "Sm" search combination 403, first name "js", surname "m" search combination 404, first name "rn", surname "is" search combination 405, first name "Sm", surname "j" Clearly in the present case, search combinations 403 and 404 are unlikely to reveal any results. Generally, no first names or surnames begin "is". Equally, not many first names begin, "Sm" so search combination 405 is unlikely to reveal any results. Therefore, the search string entered by the user will reveal "John Smith", assuming that contact exists. It may also shown other similar names such as "James Smalls". However, importantly, the search will not reveal other records which include surnames beginning "sx", where is x is a letter other than "m". Where there are many records which include the initials "j" and "s", this search combination will drastically reduce the number of entries located.

This mechanism also provides a high degree of flexibility to the user. For example, if a user is trying to find the details of "John Smith", they may search using the search strings "jsm", "jos", "sjo" and "smj". All of these search strings would result in the record for John Smith being displayed, as well as any other records which include the same combination of characters.

Figure 10 shows how the contacts manager application 118, in accordance with this embodiment, would break down a search string if a user enters four characters. The contacts manager application 118 would search for records which include two characters from the first name field 400 and two characters from the surname field 401. In addition the contacts manager application 118 would look for entries with one character from the first name field 400 and three from the surname field 401. The contacts manager application 118 also generates the following combinations: search combination 406, first name "j", surname "smi" search combination 407, first name "js", surname "mi" search combination 408, first name "jsm", surname "i" search combination 409, first name "smi", surname "j" search combination 410, first name "mi", surname "js" search combination 411, first name "i", surname "jsm" The contacts manager application 118 is also arranged to search for records which include two characters in one field, and a single character in each of two other fields. For example, if the contact records include a middle name, this could be included in the search string.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the contact manager application 118 provides a search mechanism which includes a predefined search string. For examp'e, the contact record 120a includes first name and surname fields. The search string is predefined as being the first letter of the first name and the first two letters of the surname. As with the previous embodiment, the search string must include a character in at least two fields.

Furthermore, it must include at least two characters in a given field. Where a database is large, such a string results in far fewer results than if only characters from one word are used (in which case every entry with a given name is revealed) or if only the fist letter of two fields are used (in which case all records with the same initials are revealed.

The contact manager application 118 is arranged to detect when a user enters three characters for searching. As well as searching for this sequence of characters at the beginning of each field, the contact manager application 118 searches fields for occurrences of the characters mentioned above. Using this mechanism, a user knows that a particular combination of characters will result in a particular search being carried out. This is more specific than the search carried out in connection with the above embodiment in which search strings are automatically generated. It will also generally produce fewer results. The predefined search format may be pre-set by the software provider. Alternatively, the user can set the format of the search string.

It will be noted that the common feature between each of these features is that a user may enter a special character combination that is not a sequential character combination taken from the beginning of a single field (other than the automatically generated alias field). In particular, the use of a character from the beginning of the first name field and two characters from the beginning of surname field is seen to have particular benefits in terms of obtaining a balance between the length of a search string and the number of results revealed.

The above identified embodiments may of course be used in combination with known searching mechanisms. For example, if a user enters "jsm' to search for John Smith, the search mechanism could also look for the character combination jsm" at the beginning of individual fields. While in the present example, that string would be unlikely to reveal any results, as no first name or surname begins "rba", this will not always be the case.

The embodiments of the invention have been described above in relation to a mobile device. It will be appreciated that the present invention may be embodied in any computing device which includes a contacts database. The advantages to a user of the database apply equally to the use of the database on computing devices in general.

Various modifications, changes, and/or alterations may be made to the above described embodiments to provide further embodiments which use the underlying inventive concept, falling within the spirit and/or scope of the invention. Any such further embodiments are intended to be encompassed by the appended claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A computing device comprising: a storage medium having stored thereon a database, the database defining a record format in which each record includes at least two fields, each field for including information relating to the identity of an entity, said information being in the form of a string of characters and said database being arranged to store a plurality of records having said record format, and a data entry device, arranged to allow a user of said device to enter a string of characters into said computing device; wherein said record format includes an alias field, and said database is arranged to automatically generate an alias, when a user enters a new record, andstore the alias in said alias field; andsaid computing device includes a search mechanism which is arranged to search said database for alias fields containing characters entered by said user.
2. A computing device according to claim 1, wherein said alias comprises three characters.
3. A computing device according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said alias has an alias format being a combination of characters from at least two other fields.
4. A computing device according to claim 3, wherein said alias format is the first character of one field and the first two characters of another field, in that sequence.
5. A computing device according to claim 4, wherein said record format includes a first name field and a surname field and said alias format is the first character of a first name and the first two characters of a surname.
6. A computing device according to any preceding claim, wherein said database searches predefined other fields for characters entered by said user.
7. A computing device according to any preceding claim, further comprising a display device, arranged to display records which include alias fields containing characters entered by said user.
8. A method of storing records in a database, wherein the database defines a record format in which each record includes at least two fields, each field for including information relating to the identity of an entity, said information being in the form of a string of characters and said database being arranged to store a plurality of records having said record format, and said record format further includes an alias field; the method comprising the steps of: storing name information, entered by a user in to a computing device, into said at least two fields;generating an alias; andstoring said alias in said alias field.
9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of: searching said database for alias fields containing characters entered by a user; and displaying any records, located by said searching step.
10. A method according to claims 8 or 9, wherein said alias comprises three characters.
11. A method according to claims 8, 9 or 10, wherein said alias has an alias format being a combination of characters from at least two other fields.
12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said alias format is the first character of one field and the first two characters of another field, in that sequence.
13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said record format includes a first name field and a surname field and said alias format is the first character of a first name and the first two characters of a surname.
14. A method according to any of claims 8 to 13, further comprising the step of searching said database for predefined other fields which include characters entered by said user.
15. A computing device comprising: a storage medium having stored thereon a database, the database defining a record format in which each record includes at least two fields, each field for including information relating to the identity of an entity, said information being in the form of a string of characters and said database being arranged to store a plurality of records having said record format, and a data entry device, arranged to allow a user of said device to enter a string of characters in to said computing device; wherein said computing device includes a search mechanism which is arranged to search said database for records containing characters entered by said user; said search mechanism is further arranged to generate a plurality of predefined search strings, using the characters entered by the user, each character in a given search string corresponding to a character position in one of said at least two fields, said characters of a given search string corresponding to character positions in at least two different fields, and said search mechanism is further arranged to search for records in said database that have fields that include characters, in said corresponding character positions, that match the characters in said search strings.
16. A computing device according to claim 15, wherein one of said predefined search strings comprises three characters.
17. A computing device according to claim 16, wherein at least one of said predefined search strings includes the first character of one field and the firsttwo characters of another field, in that sequence.
18. A computing device according to claim 17, wherein said record format includes a first name field and a surname field and said at least one of said predefined search strings includes the first character of a first name and the first two characters of a surname.
19. A computing device according to any of claims 15 to 18, wherein said database searches predefined other fields for characters entered by said user.
20. A computing device according to any of claims 15 to 19, further comprising a display device, arranged to display records which include aliasfields containing characters entered by said user.
21. A method of searching records in a database, wherein the database defines a record format in which each record includes at least two fields, each field for including information relating to the identity of an entity, said information being in the form of a string of characters and said database being arranged to store a plurality of records having said record format, the method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of predefined search strings, using characters entered by a user of a computing device, each character in a given search string corresponding to a character position in one of said at least two fields, said characters of a given search string corresponding to character positionsin at least two different fields, andsearching for records in said database that have fields that include characters, in said corresponding character positions, that match the characters in said search strings.
22. A method according to claim 21, wherein one of said predefined search strings comprises three characters.
23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said one of said predefined search strings includes the first character of one field and the first twocharacters of another field, in that sequence.
24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said record format includes a first name field and a surname field and said one of said predefined search strings includes the first character of a first name and the first two characters of a surname.
25. A method according to any of claims 21 to 24 further comprising the step of displaying the results of said search.
26. A method according to any of claims 21 to 54, further comprising the step of searching predefined other fields for characters entered by said user.
27. A computing device comprising: a storage medium having stored thereon a database, the database defining a record format in which each record includes at least two fields, each field for including information relating to the identity of an entity, said information being in the form of a string of characters and said database being arranged to store a plurality of records having said record format, and a data entry device, arranged to allow a user of said device to enter a string of characters in to said computing device; wherein said computing device includes a search mechanism which is arranged to search said database for records containing characters entered by said user; said search mechanism defines at least one predefined search string, each character position in said search string corresponding to a character position in one of said fields, the search string being at least three characters in length and including at least two positions corresponding to character positions in one field and another character position corresponding to acharacter position in another field;said search mechanism is further arranged, in response to a user entering a combination of characters having the same length as said search string, to search said fields of said records using said predefined combination of characters.
28. A computing device according to claim 27, wherein said string includes three characters, the first character corresponding to a first character of a first field, the second character corresponding to a first character of a second field, and a third character corresponding to a second character of said secondfield.
29. A method of searching records in a database, wherein the database defines a record format in which each record includes at least two fields, each field for including information relating to the identity of an entity, said information being in the form of a string of characters and said database being arranged to store a plurality of records having said record format; and said database defines at least one predefined search string, each character position in said search string corresponding to a character position in one of said fields, the search string being at least three characters in length and including at least two positions corresponding to character in one field and another character position corresponding to a character positions in anotherfield; the method comprising the step of:searching, in response to a user entering a combination of characters in to a computing device having the same length as said predefined search string, said fields for records having said predefined combination of characters.
30. A method according to claim 29, wherein said search string includes three characters, the first character corresponding to a first character of a first field, the second character corresponding to a first character of a second field, and a third character corresponding to a second character of said secondfield.
31. A computer program or suite of computer programs arranged such that when executed by a computer they cause the computer to operate in accordance with the method of any of claims 8 to 14, 18 to 21, 29 and 30.
32. A computer readable medium storing the computer program, or at least one of the suites of computer programs, according to claim 31.
33. An operating system for causing a computing device to operate in accordance with a method as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 14, 18 to 21, 29and30.
34. A computing device substantially as described hereinbefore and as shown in Figure 1 to 10.