JP2007025949A - Search support apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a search support apparatus which avoids human errors which occurs in input of search conditions as much as possible while raising input efficiency by saving time and effort of input of search conditions. <P>SOLUTION: The search support apparatus is provided with; a function group information 121 in which search function information and function group identifier which distinguishes a function group which consists of a plurality of search functions are matched; search condition information 122 in which a search condition and a function group identifier are matched; a selection reception section 113 which receives selection of a plurality of search functions; a function group determination section 116 which determines to which function group the received search function belongs based on the above function group information 121; and a search condition extraction section 114 which extracts search conditions corresponding to determined function groups from the above search condition information 122. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a search support apparatus that supports input of search conditions to a search apparatus that searches data from a database. In particular, the present invention relates to a search support device having different support contents based on a function group to which the search function belongs, for a search device having a plurality of types of search functions.

  Conventionally, for example, when searching for a share of the number of products sold in a market in a certain country from a database, a search device (search engine) having a sales share search function has a country name as a search item corresponding to the sales share search function. The search is performed by entering search conditions such as the type of product, the time when the share is desired.

  Then, statistical processing or the like is added to the obtained search data, and the data is processed to make it easy to visually understand the search result by finishing it in a table or graph and displaying it on a display or the like.

In another viewpoint, for example, when searching for the share of sales of the same product in the same country as described above, the search condition input to the search device is often almost the same as the previously input search condition. The search condition entered last time is displayed at the time of this search, and only necessary items are corrected and then the search condition is input to the search device. An invention for improving efficiency has been proposed (see Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-67374 A

  However, in the case of the conventional example in which the search condition input last time is simply taken over and displayed, for example, when searching the database from a completely new viewpoint or viewpoint, the search condition input last time is taken over and displayed. The search conditions that are unnecessary for the current search must be deleted, and the input effort may be increased rather than inputting the search conditions from scratch.

  In addition, overlooked items that must be deleted, or because the content of the search conditions were very similar, overlooked search items that need to be corrected, and entered the search device with the search conditions that were not intended, The search may be executed without realizing it.

  As described above, the increase in input effort is not only a problem against the object of the invention, but also when the search result is obtained without noticing that the search condition is wrong. Therefore, it is possible to analyze some phenomenon based on wrong information, which not only wastes the labor of analysis but also invites a very dangerous situation.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a search support apparatus that can save the input of search conditions and improve input efficiency while avoiding the human error as much as possible.

  In order to achieve the above object, a search support device according to the present application provides a search device including a plurality of types of search functions for searching data from a database based on search conditions corresponding to a plurality of search items. A search support device that supports input, and stores function group information in which search function information for distinguishing the search function is associated with a function group identifier for distinguishing a function group composed of a plurality of search functions. Function group information storage means, search condition information storage means for storing search condition information in which input search conditions are associated with function group identifiers, and selection acceptance means for accepting selection of a plurality of search functions , Function group determination means for determining which function group the search function received by the selection reception means belongs to based on the function group information, and the function determined by the function group determination means Characterized in that it comprises a retrieval condition extraction means for extracting a corresponding search conditions from the search condition information.

  According to the above search support device, even when the search is sequentially performed with different search functions, the search conditions suitable for the selected search function are extracted, so that necessary corrections and changes are made to the extracted search conditions. It is possible to perform a new search by itself, to save time and effort for entering search conditions, and to avoid deleting or drastically changing search conditions, so that human errors can be avoided. Become.

  Furthermore, when the function group to which the search function received immediately before by the selection reception unit belongs and the function group to which the search function received this time belong are different, the immediately preceding function group comparison unit is provided to prevent execution of the search condition extraction unit. May be.

  Further, it is desirable to include a search condition display means for displaying a search condition extracted by the search condition extraction means, and a change accepting means for receiving a change in the search condition.

  According to these, it is possible to achieve both a reduction in search condition input labor and human error avoidance by a simple method.

  Furthermore, the search condition extracted by the search condition extraction means is transmitted to the search device, the search execution means for causing the search device to execute a search based on the search condition, and the function group to which the search function selected immediately before belongs And a function group to which the search function selected this time belongs is the same, an immediate execution means for causing the search execution means to function when the current search condition is selected may be provided.

According to this, since the search is performed immediately by selecting the search function, it is possible to further reduce the labor involved in the search. In addition, since it is possible to arbitrarily select whether or not to use this function, the search time can be omitted when the search condition is to be changed.
In addition, the said objective can be achieved also as the method of implementing the said means as a step, and the program which makes a computer perform the said step.

  Moreover, the said objective can be achieved also as a search apparatus provided with the search assistance apparatus.

  Since the search conditions are inherited corresponding to the selected search function, when searching by switching the search function between the search functions belonging to the same function group, all the search conditions must be input again. On the other hand, when searching between search functions belonging to different function groups, it is possible to eliminate or reduce the search conditions and suppress the occurrence of human errors. It becomes.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a system including a search support apparatus according to the present embodiment, a terminal 10 including a search apparatus, and a server 12 including a database.

  As shown in the figure, a plurality of terminals 10 are connected to one server 12 via a network 101, a search device provided in each terminal 10 accesses a database provided in the server 12, and data It is configured to be able to search for.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the search support apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  A search support apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is a support apparatus that is connected to a database 102 via a network 101 and provides search conditions and the like to a search apparatus 115 that searches for necessary data from the database 102. 112, a selection reception unit 113, a search condition extraction unit 114, a function group determination unit 116, a search execution unit 111, an immediate execution unit 109, an input unit 118, and a display unit 119.

  The storage unit 112 is a storage medium such as a hard disk drive that can store and hold data, and stores function group information 121 and search condition information 122 described later. It also has a function with search condition information storage means.

  The selection receiving unit 113 has a function of creating a screen for displaying each search function based on the function group information 121 stored in the storage unit 112 and providing the screen to the display unit 119. The processing unit accepts a search function virtually selected on the screen and provides corresponding search function information.

  The function group determination unit 116 is a processing unit that determines which function group the search function corresponding to the search function information provided from the selection reception unit 113 belongs to and provides a function group identifier indicating the corresponding function group. is there.

  The search condition extraction unit 114 is a processing unit that extracts a search condition associated with the function group identifier from the search condition information 122 stored in the storage unit 112 based on the function group identifier provided from the function group determination unit 116. is there.

  The search execution unit 111 transmits the provided search condition extracted by the search condition extraction unit 114 and the arbitrarily input search condition to the search device 115 and searches the search device 115 based on the transmitted search condition. It is a processing unit that transmits a command for executing.

  The immediate execution unit 109 stores the result determined by the function group determination unit 116, compares the newly determined result with the stored determination result, and when the function group identifier is the same, It is a processing unit that causes the search execution unit 111 to function. The immediate execution unit 109 is arbitrarily set as to whether or not to execute the function.

  The input unit 118 includes a man-machine interface such as a keyboard and a mouse, and is a processing unit that also functions as a change receiving unit that receives search function selection, search condition input, change, and deletion.

  The display unit 119 is a liquid crystal display or the like that can display an image, and displays an image created by the selection receiving unit 113 or the like. The display unit 119 also functions as a search condition display unit that displays the search conditions extracted by the search condition extraction unit 114.

  The search device 115 is a device that searches the corresponding data from the database 102 connected to the network 101 in response to the type of search function provided from the search support device 100 and the search conditions.

  The network 101 is a signal network that mediates transmission and reception of signals such as the Internet in addition to a local area network (LAN).

  The database 102 stores various data related to each other, and can search and use data using the search device 115.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating function group information 121 stored in the storage unit 112.

  The function group information 121 is information in which search function information corresponding to the search function on a one-to-one basis is associated with a function group identifier (function group ID) that distinguishes the function group to which the search function belongs. If the associated function group identifiers are the same, the search function corresponding to the search function information belongs to the same function group.

  For example, the search function information “market share (line)”, the search function information “market price transition (line)”, and the search function information “sales / stock quantity comparison (bar graph)” are the same “ Since the function group identifier “market information” is linked, the search functions corresponding to the respective search function information belong to the same function group.

  On the other hand, since the search function information “manufactured product / work in process inventory quantity comparison (bar graph)” is associated with a function group identifier different from the identifier “manufacturing information”, the search function information corresponds to this search function information. The search function belongs to a function group different from the function group.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating search condition information 122 stored in the storage unit 112.

  The search condition information 121 is information in which a function group identifier indicating a function group and a search condition are associated with each search item.

  The search condition information 122 is formed of a set of a function group identifier and a search condition associated with the function group identifier.

  The search condition information 122 is formed by being stored in association with the function group identifier when the search condition is input after the function group identifier is provided from the function group determination unit 116. The search condition is stored in correspondence with the search item determined for each function group identifier.

  In this search condition storage process, the search condition input immediately before is always overwritten and stored in the search condition input before. Specifically, for example (see FIG. 4), after the function group identifier “market information” is provided from the function group determination unit 116, “USA” is input to the search item of the country / company by the input unit 118. For example, information “USA” is stored in the search item “country / company” corresponding to the function group identifier “market information” in the search condition information 121. In this storage process, even if other information such as “Japan” or the same information “USA” already exists in the corresponding search item, the information “USA” is newly overwritten and stored. The

  Next, the processing operation of the search support apparatus 100 according to this embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the search support apparatus 100.

  The search support apparatus 100 displays the initial screen shown in FIG. 6 on the display unit 119 (S501), and prompts the user to select a search function and input search conditions.

  Here, FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an initial screen displayed by the search support apparatus 100.

  As shown in the figure, the screen is divided into three regions each having a different role. The search function selection region 501 on the left side of the screen, the search condition designation region 502 on the upper side, and the search processing result Display area 503.

  In each area, a part surrounded by a rectangle is a button 504. When the button 504 is virtually clicked on the screen, the selection receiving unit 113 receives a search function selection. Made.

  Further, a portion surrounded by a rectangle in which no character is described is an input field 505, which is an area where the content input on the screen is displayed when the search condition is input by the input unit 118. The input field 505 corresponds to a search item, and the search condition displayed in the predetermined input field 505 is associated with the predetermined search item.

  A plurality of buttons 504 are displayed vertically in the search function selection area 501 in the figure, and each button 504 corresponds to one search function. The space between the button 504 described as “sales / inventory quantity” and the button 504 described as “finished / work-in-process” is set wider than other button intervals, and the two buttons Separator lines are provided between 504. Such a display method of the button 504 clearly indicates a difference in function group.

  In addition, as a function group specifying method, a method of clearly specifying the button shape and color for each function group may be adopted.

  Next, when the button 504 in the search function selection area 501 is virtually pressed on the screen and it is determined that the selection receiving unit 113 has received selection of the search function (S502), it corresponds to the selected search function. The screen is switched to the screen (FIG. 7) (S503).

  Here, FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the “market share” button is pressed.

  As shown in the figure, in response to acceptance of the search function, search items corresponding to the function group to which the search function belongs are displayed in the search condition designation area 502.

  Next, the function group determination unit determines which function group the search function received by the selection reception unit 113 belongs to based on the function group information 121, and provides a function group identifier as a result of the determination (S504). ).

  Next, the search condition extraction unit 114 extracts the search condition corresponding to the function group identifier provided from the function group determination unit 116 from the search condition information 122 stored in the storage unit 112.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the display unit 119 functioning as a search condition display unit displays the search condition at a position corresponding to the search item in the input field 505 of the search condition designation area 502 (S506).

  Here, FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the extracted search condition is displayed in the search condition designation area 502.

  As shown in the figure, as the search condition, the selection reception unit 113 receives the selection of the search function, and the contents corresponding to the received search function are displayed. Note that the screens shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 are switched almost instantaneously in the present embodiment, so that the drawing shown in FIG. 7 is hardly visible to an operator or the like.

  Next, when the immediate execution unit 109 is functioning (S507: N), when the selection receiving unit 113 receives selection of the search function and the search condition extraction unit 114 extracts the search condition, the search execution unit 111 immediately Search function information, search conditions, and the like are transmitted to the search device 115 together with a search execution signal.

  On the other hand, if the immediate execution unit 109 is not functioning (S507: N), the search condition is input by the input unit 118 functioning as a change receiving unit based on the search condition displayed in the input field 505 of the search condition specifying area 502. The setting and change are accepted (S508).

  Next, when a button 504 described as “Search” in the search processing result display area 503 is pressed, the search execution unit 111 sets the search condition that has been set / changed or the search condition extracted by the search condition extraction unit 114. A search execution signal is transmitted to the search device 115 together with the condition and search function information (S509).

  Next, when the search condition is set or changed, the storage unit 112 stores the new search condition by overwriting the predetermined search item of the corresponding function group identifier as the search condition information 122 (S511).

  As described above, the search device 115 searches the data from the database based on the search condition transmitted by the search function corresponding to the search function information.

  On the other hand, if it is determined that the button 504 described as being finished is virtually pressed in the input content determination step (S502), the screen is deleted (S512), and the processing of the search support apparatus 100 is ended.

  Further, when searching / processing with a different search function again, the processing is repeated from S502. If the search function of “market price transition” or “sales / inventory quantity” is specified subsequent to the above processing, the search function specification area 502 is as shown in FIG. Search conditions will be displayed.

  On the other hand, when the “completed / work-in-progress” search function is specified, the function group determination unit 116 provides a function group identifier different from the previous one (S504), and therefore, as shown in FIG. The corresponding search condition is extracted by the search condition extraction unit 114 (S505), and the search condition is displayed in the search condition designation area 502 (S506). In the case of this function group, it is not necessary to input the item “target”. Therefore, the input area for inputting this item does not exist in the search condition designation area 502. As a result, it is possible to save time and effort such as search condition deletion processing.

  FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which data finally retrieved by the retrieval device 115 is processed and displayed as a line graph.

  As shown in the figure, the search processing result display area 503 displays the results provided by the search device 115.

According to the search support device 100 described above, when selection of search functions is successively received, only the search function selected immediately before is not carried over, but the search function is performed according to the function group to which the selected search function belongs. Taken over. Therefore, no matter how the search function is changed, search conditions suitable for the search function after the change are inherited, so that input of new search conditions can be omitted to improve operability. Since the search condition is not inherited, it is possible to reduce forgetting to delete the search condition and to greatly reduce the setting / change, thereby avoiding a human error.
(Embodiment 2)
Next, another embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of the search support apparatus 100 according to the second embodiment.

  Similar to the above embodiment, the search support apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a storage unit 112, a selection receiving unit 113, a search condition extraction unit 114, a function group determination unit 116, a search execution unit 111, and an immediate execution. Unit 109, input unit 118, and display unit 119, and in addition, a previous function group comparison unit 117.

  The immediately preceding function group comparison unit 117 stores the result determined by the function group determination unit 116, compares the newly determined result with the stored determination result, and when the function group identifier is different, It is a processing unit that prevents the search condition extraction unit 114 from executing.

  Since other processing units are the same as those in the above embodiment, the description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the search condition information 122 according to the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C, the search condition information 122 includes function group information indicating a function group to which a search function selected immediately before belongs, and a search condition input immediately before. Only the information associated with is stored in the storage unit 112. Accordingly, when the search function is selected one after another, the previously stored search conditions and the like are deleted, and only the immediately preceding search information exists.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the search support apparatus according to the present embodiment.

  Since the processing operation of the search support apparatus 100 according to this embodiment is almost the same as that of the above embodiment, only different steps will be described.

  After the selection accepting unit 113 accepts the selection of the search function, the immediately preceding function group comparing unit 117 compares the function group identifier provided immediately before by the function group determining unit 116 with the function group identifier provided this time (S504).

  If the immediately preceding function group comparison unit 117 determines that they are the same function group identifier (S504: Y), the search condition is extracted from the search condition information 122 (S505) and displayed (S506).

  On the other hand, if it is determined that they are not the same function group identifier (S504: N), the search condition displayed in the input field 505 of the search condition designation area 502 is cleared, and the process proceeds to the search condition setting step (S508).

  According to the present embodiment, the search condition is inherited while the search function is changed among the search functions belonging to the same function group, and the search condition is cleared without being inherited when a search function belonging to a different function group is selected. As a result, it is possible to save time and effort for inputting search conditions. On the other hand, if necessary, it is possible to prompt the user to input search conditions from the beginning. Become.

  The present invention can be applied to a support device that supports input of search conditions in database search.

1 is a configuration diagram of a system including a search support device according to an embodiment, a terminal including a search device, and a server including a database. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the search assistance apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a figure which illustrates the function group information memorize | stored in the memory | storage part. It is a figure which illustrates the search condition information memorize | stored in the memory | storage part. It is a flowchart which shows the processing operation of a search assistance apparatus. It is a figure which illustrates an initial screen. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen. It is a figure which shows the example of a screen. It is a block diagram which shows the function structure of the search assistance apparatus concerning other embodiment. It is a figure which shows the search condition information which concerns on this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the processing operation of the search assistance apparatus concerning this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Terminal 12 Server 100 Search support apparatus 101 Network 102 Database 109 Immediate execution part 111 Search execution part 112 Storage part 113 Selection reception part 114 Search condition extraction part 115 Search apparatus 116 Function group determination part 117 Immediate function group comparison part 118 Input part 119 Display unit 121 Function group information 122 Search condition information 501 Search function selection area 502 Search condition designation area 503 Search processing result display area 504 Button 505 Input field

Claims (7)

A search support device that supports input of the search condition for a search device including a plurality of types of search functions for searching data from a database based on search conditions corresponding to a plurality of search items,
A function group information storage means for storing function group information in which search function information for distinguishing the search function and a function group identifier for distinguishing a function group composed of a plurality of search functions are stored;
Search condition information storage means for storing search condition information in which the input search condition is associated with the function group identifier;
Selection accepting means for accepting selection of a plurality of search functions;
A function group determining means for determining which function group the search function received by the selection receiving means belongs to based on the function group information;
A search support apparatus, comprising: search condition extraction means for extracting search conditions corresponding to the function group determined by the function group determination means from the search condition information.   Furthermore, when the function group to which the search function received immediately before by the selection receiving unit belongs and the function group to which the search function received this time belong are different, the immediately preceding function group comparing unit for preventing the execution of the search condition extracting unit is provided. The search support apparatus according to claim 1. Furthermore, search condition display means for displaying the search conditions extracted by the search condition extraction means,
The search support apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a change receiving unit that receives the change of the search condition. Further, the search execution means for transmitting the search condition extracted by the search condition extraction means to the search device and causing the search device to execute a search based on the search condition;
Immediate execution means for causing the search execution means to function when the current search condition is selected when the function group to which the search function selected immediately before belongs and the function group to which the search function selected this time belongs are the same. The search support apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: A search support method for supporting input of the search condition for a search apparatus including a plurality of types of search functions for searching data from a database based on search conditions corresponding to a plurality of search items,
Function group information acquisition for acquiring function group information in which function group information in which search function information for distinguishing the search function is associated with a function group identifier for distinguishing a function group composed of a plurality of search functions is stored Steps,
A search condition information acquisition step for acquiring search condition information in which the input search condition is associated with the function group identifier;
A selection reception step for receiving selection of a plurality of search functions;
A function group determination step for determining which function group the search function received in the selection reception step belongs to based on the function group information;
A search condition extracting step of extracting, from the search condition information, a search condition corresponding to the function group determined in the function group determining step. A search support program for supporting input of the search condition for a search apparatus including a plurality of types of search functions for searching data from a database based on search conditions corresponding to a plurality of search items,
Function group information acquisition for acquiring function group information in which function group information in which search function information for distinguishing the search function is associated with a function group identifier for distinguishing a function group composed of a plurality of search functions is stored Steps,
A search condition information acquisition step for acquiring search condition information in which the input search condition is associated with the function group identifier;
A selection reception step for receiving selection of a plurality of search functions;
A function group determination step for determining which function group the search function received in the selection reception step belongs to based on the function group information;
A search support program causing a computer to execute a search condition extraction step of extracting search conditions corresponding to the function group determined in the function group determination step from the search condition information. Search means comprising a plurality of types of search functions for searching data from a database based on search conditions corresponding to a plurality of search items;
A function group information storage means for storing function group information in which search function information for distinguishing the search function and a function group identifier for distinguishing a function group composed of a plurality of search functions are stored;
Search condition information storage means for storing search condition information in which the input search condition is associated with the function group identifier;
Selection accepting means for accepting selection of a plurality of search functions;
A function group determining means for determining which function group the search function received by the selection receiving means belongs to based on the function group information;
A search apparatus comprising: search condition extraction means for extracting search conditions corresponding to the function group determined by the function group determination means from the search condition information.

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