System and method for searching structured data files

• US 10,127,286 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2015
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Big Sky Sorcery, LLC
• Original Assignee: Big Sky Sorcery, LLC
• Inventors: Davidoff, Andrew Seth
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cam Linh T
• Application Number:
  US14/947,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20160147766A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• Field of Search: 707725
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2272 Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2477 Temporal data queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A computer implemented method, program, system, and apparatus for searching structured databases is disclosed. This invention teaches the collation of results based on the time that a search is performed by a user by sending individual time-based queries to the database such that only an subset of results is obtained for each query. The time associated with each query is recorded in one or more datasets which correspond to the search being performed, and the datasets are consulted before each additional time-based query such that no time period is queried twice for the same search. By querying based on a subset of results existing in a particular time frame, the invention serves to limit load on a database and a user device while also removing the need for de-duplication of results, presenting the user with a collated list of the most relevant results based on the current time.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for dynamically reorganizing time-indexed auction and instant purchase listings within a database to present to a user a combination of the most urgent listings, the method comprising:

providing a search box for entry of search criteria, said entry being performed once by a user, and

displaying a results list based on a particular time that the user enters a search request, the results list comprising items listed in order of urgency, said urgency being determined by the time at which said user performs a search, wherein said time measures and orders the results list, wherein the results list is formed by the internal computing steps of;

(1) calculating a search-specific optimal time window based on a total number of returned results for the search, said optimal time window representing a time frame in which a subset of results exists, said subset being a number of results placing a manageable load on the database and a manageable load on a user device,

(2) transmitting one or more time-based queries to said database, said time-based queries requesting results indexed to a time period corresponding to a duration of one optimal time window in an order of time removed from the present time,

(3) recording each time-based query made in one or more datasets, wherein said datasets are consulted for un-queried time periods to determine which time period may be queried prior to each time-based query such that no time-based query is repeated for the same search criteria, each query yielding a different results list, the different results list consisting of new or old data from the database, wherein each of the different results lists shows unseen results only,

(4) wherein each time-based query returns both auction and instant purchase listings listed together in order of urgency.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more datasets store only time information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said time-based queries request results moving backwards in time from the present time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said time-based queries request results moving forward in time from the present time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said time-based queries simultaneously request both results moving forward in time from the present time and results moving backwards in time from the present time.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said optimal time window is based on a number of results which does not require more than a single request being sent to the database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said user device is a mobile device.

8. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium for dynamically querying a time-indexed database to create a prioritized list of data entries, the product comprising computer code for:

sending a general query to the database, said general query comprising search terms entered by a user via a search box displayed to the user, said general query returning a total results number,

performing an optimal time window calculation using said total results number, said optimal time window representing an amount of time in which a manageable number of said total results number exist, said optimal time window further representing a number of results placing a manageable load on the database and a manageable load on a user device,

sending one or more subsequent time-based queries, said subsequent queries comprising requests for data limited to time periods summing to equal said optimal time window, each said time period comprising yet unqueried periods closest in time to the present time,

displaying on a user device a list of items resulting from each subsequent time-based query based on a particular time that the user enters a search request, said items being organized according to the urgency of each item, wherein said time measures and orders the results list, wherein each listed item contains a description of the item and a link to selected information regarding the item, and

recording each time-based query performed in a dataset, said dataset storing all time periods queried for a given search group, wherein said dataset is consulted for un-queried time periods to determine which time period may be queried prior to each subsequent time-based query such that no time-based query is repeated for the same search criteria, each query yielding a different results list, the different results list consisting of new or old data from the database, wherein each of the different results lists shows unseen results only.

9. The product of claim 8, wherein said list of items comprises both data entries entered most recently and data entries expiring soonest.

10. The product of claim 8, wherein said items resulting from each time-based query are cached before being presented to a user.

11. The product of claim 8, wherein said time-based queries request results moving backwards in time from the present time.

12. The product of claim 8, wherein said time-based queries request results moving forward in time from the present time.

13. The product of claim 8, wherein said time-based queries simultaneously request both results moving forward in time from the present time and results moving backwards in time from the present time.

14. The product of claim 8, wherein said optimal time window is based on a number of results which requires at most a single request being sent to the database.

15. The product of claim 8, wherein said user device is a mobile device.

16. An apparatus for dynamically searching and organizing time-indexed database items across multiple discrete searching sessions without storing the items in memory, the apparatus comprising a computer and display for performing the steps of:

generating a first non-time-based query to said database, said non-time-based query being based on search terms entered by a user, said first query retrieving a total results group,

generating a first time-based query to said database, said time-based query being limited to time data associated with each item, said time data being based on the present time and an optimal time window calculated by the computer, said optimal time window representing a length of time in which a manageable subset of the total results group is estimated to exist,

presenting a results list based on a particular time that the user enters a search request, the results list comprising the database items associated with the time data queried, wherein the results list organizes each database item chronologically from the present time, wherein said time measures and orders the results list,

recording said time data queried in a dataset,

generating a subsequent time-based query to said database, if needed to present additional results further removed in time from the present time, said subsequent time-based query being limited to time data not yet recorded in said dataset, and

presenting a subsequent results list comprising the database items associated with the subsequent time-based query, wherein the subsequent results list continues to organize each database item chronologically from the present time, each subsequent query yielding a different result list, the result list consisting of new or old data from the database, wherein each of the different result lists shows unseen results only.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said results list comprises a collated list of both items entered most recently and items expiring soonest.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said time-based queries request results moving backwards in time from the present time.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said time-based queries request results moving forward in time from the present time.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said optimal time window is based on a number of results which requires at most a single request being sent to the database.