WO2002017123B1 - Search-on-the-fly with merge function - Google Patents

Search-on-the-fly with merge function

Info

Publication number
WO2002017123B1
WO2002017123B1 PCT/US2001/026402 US0126402W WO0217123B1 WO 2002017123 B1 WO2002017123 B1 WO 2002017123B1 US 0126402 W US0126402 W US 0126402W WO 0217123 B1 WO0217123 B1 WO 0217123B1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
search
data
parameter
displayed
size
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2001/026402
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2002017123A2 (en
WO2002017123A3 (en
Inventor
Joseph L Debellis
Original Assignee
Joseph L Debellis
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Joseph L Debellis filed Critical Joseph L Debellis
Priority to EP01964387A priority Critical patent/EP1423798A2/en
Priority to PCT/US2001/026402 priority patent/WO2002017123A2/en
Priority to AU2001285246A priority patent/AU2001285246A1/en
Publication of WO2002017123A2 publication Critical patent/WO2002017123A2/en
Publication of WO2002017123A3 publication Critical patent/WO2002017123A3/en
Publication of WO2002017123B1 publication Critical patent/WO2002017123B1/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F16/00—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
    • G06F16/20—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor of structured data, e.g. relational data
    • G06F16/24—Querying
    • G06F16/242—Query formulation
    • G06F16/2428—Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F16/00—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
    • G06F16/20—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor of structured data, e.g. relational data
    • G06F16/24—Querying
    • G06F16/242—Query formulation
    • G06F16/2423—Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema

Abstract

Sort-on-the-Fly/Search-on-the-Fly data retrieval or analysis provides an intuitive means for accessing databases, allowing a user to access or obtain information about data in the database without having to know anything about the database structure. A user selects a desired term, and the method or apparatus delivers all instances of the desired term, even if a specific file or table does not contain the instance. The database need not have a specific file (in a flat database) or a table (in a relational database) of names. The user may specify other criteria, or constraints to narrow the search results, or for other reasons. The method or apparatus then conducts further analysis or searching using this criteria and produces a second result. Further narrowing or broadening of the process is permitted, with search-on-the-fly returning results based on any new constraints. If the returned information would be too large to be conveniently displayed at a terminal, the process executes a truncation routine so that the returned data is easily displayed.

Claims

40
AMENDED CLAIMS
[received by the International Bureau on 27 January 2003 (27.01.03); original claims 15, 19, 20, 22-26 and 32 amended; original claims
18, 21 and 34 cancelled; remaining claims unchanged (3 pages)]
if the reduced size exceeds the specified limit, repeating the truncation and comparing steps until the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field is less than or equal to the specified limit. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein a parameter is related to the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field, and wherein the truncation comprises decrementing the parameter. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the parameter is decremented or incremented by a value of one. 11. The method of claim 8, wherein a parameter is related to the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field, and wherein the truncation comprises dividing the parameter by a value. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the value is two. 13. The method of claim 8, wherein a parameter is related to the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field, and wherein the truncation comprises multiplying the parameter by a value. 14. The method of claim 3, further comprising: receiving a first constraint, wherein the first constraint is related to a data element in a data field; and receiving one or more subsequent constraints, wherein search results are generated based on a combination of the first and the one or more subsequent constraints. 15. A method for searching a database, comprising: selecting a first search term; sending the first search term to a search engine; receiving a first search result, wherein the first search result is displayed as a truncated result list; selecting and sending a second search term to the search engine; and receiving a second search result, wherein the second search results represents a combination of the first and the second search terms. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: selecting and sending a third search term to the search engine; dropping a prior search term, wherein the dropped prior search term in one of the 41
first and the second search terms; and receiving a third search result comprising a combination of the third search term and one of the first and the second search terms. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first search term is directed to a first database and wherein the second search term is directed to a second database. 19. The method of claim 15, further comprising specifying a size of the truncation. 20. A method for searching a database, comprising: generating a list of data fields; receiving a first data field selection from the list of data fields; receiving a first constraint, wherein the first constraint is related to a data element in a data field; receiving one or more subsequent constraints, wherein search results are generated based on a combination of the first and the one or more subsequent constraints; determining a first quantity indicative of a number of entries of the selected data field; if the first quantity exceeds a specified limit, reducing a size of data to be displayed from the selected data field; and displaying data from the selected data field. 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the specified limit is fixed. 23. The method of claim 20, wherein the specified limit is variable. 24. The method of claim 20, wherein the data are displayed on a terminal, and wherein the specified limit is determined dynamically, based on a characteristic of the terminal. 25. The method of claim 20, wherein the specified limit is a user-determined limit, 26. The method of claim 20, wherein the method for reducing the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field comprises: performing a truncation that reduces the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field; comparing the reduced size to the specified limit; and if the reduced size exceeds the specified limit, repeating the truncation and comparing steps until the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field is less than or equal to the specified limit. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein a parameter is related to the size of the data to be 42
displayed from the selected data field, and wherein the truncation comprises decrementing or incrementing the parameter. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the parameter is decremented or incremented by a value of one. 29. • The method of claim 26, wherein a parameter is related to the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field, and wherein the truncation comprises dividing the parameter by a value. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the value is two. 31. The method of claim 26, wherein a parameter is related to the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field, and wherein the truncation comprises multiplying the parameter by a value. 32. A method for providing search functions in one or more databases, comprising: receiving a first search term; searching at least a first database using the first search term; returning a first search result, wherein the first search result comprises a first list of elements in the first database, and wherein the first search result is returned as a truncated list of elements; receiving a second search term; conducting a second search by applying the second search term to one of the first list of elements and a second database; and returning a second search result, wherein the second search results represents a combination of the first and the second search terms. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising: receiving a third search term; receiving a signal to drop one of the first and the second search terms; dropping the selected one of the first and the second search terms, wherein dropping the selected one of the first and the second search terms provides a revised list of elements; searching one of the revised list of elements and one of the second or subsequent databases using the third search term; and returning a third list of elements comprising a combination of the third search term and the non-selected one of the first and the second search terms.
PCT/US2001/026402 2000-08-24 2001-08-24 Search-on-the-fly with merge function WO2002017123A2 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP01964387A EP1423798A2 (en) 2001-08-24 2001-08-24 Search-on-the-fly with merge function
PCT/US2001/026402 WO2002017123A2 (en) 2000-08-24 2001-08-24 Search-on-the-fly with merge function
AU2001285246A AU2001285246A1 (en) 2000-08-24 2001-08-24 Search-on-the-fly with merge function

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US22730500P 2000-08-24 2000-08-24
US60/227,305 2000-08-24
PCT/US2001/026402 WO2002017123A2 (en) 2000-08-24 2001-08-24 Search-on-the-fly with merge function

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2002017123A2 WO2002017123A2 (en) 2002-02-28
WO2002017123A3 WO2002017123A3 (en) 2003-02-27
WO2002017123B1 true WO2002017123B1 (en) 2003-08-14

Family

ID=27736711

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2001/026402 WO2002017123A2 (en) 2000-08-24 2001-08-24 Search-on-the-fly with merge function

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2001285246A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2002017123A2 (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1624386B1 (en) 2004-08-06 2013-08-28 Sap Ag Searching for data objects
US20090106732A1 (en) * 2007-10-19 2009-04-23 Daniel James Hanson Hierarchical data models and methods for navigating same

Family Cites Families (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5220625A (en) * 1989-06-14 1993-06-15 Hitachi, Ltd. Information search terminal and system
US5261093A (en) * 1990-11-05 1993-11-09 David Saroff Research Center, Inc. Interactive relational database analysis with successive refinement steps in selection of ouput data from underlying database
US5515488A (en) * 1994-08-30 1996-05-07 Xerox Corporation Method and apparatus for concurrent graphical visualization of a database search and its search history
US5842218A (en) * 1996-12-06 1998-11-24 Media Plan, Inc. Method, computer program product, and system for a reorienting categorization table
US6131098A (en) * 1997-03-04 2000-10-10 Zellweger; Paul Method and apparatus for a database management system content menu
US6144968A (en) * 1997-03-04 2000-11-07 Zellweger; Paul Method and apparatus for menu access to information objects indexed by hierarchically-coded keywords
US6374275B2 (en) * 1997-06-11 2002-04-16 Scientific-Atlanta, Inc. System, method, and media for intelligent selection of searching terms in a keyboardless entry environment
US6173316B1 (en) * 1998-04-08 2001-01-09 Geoworks Corporation Wireless communication device with markup language based man-machine interface

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2002017123A2 (en) 2002-02-28
AU2001285246A1 (en) 2002-03-04
WO2002017123A3 (en) 2003-02-27

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