Method and software for providing context sensitive database query parameters

• US 20020087568A1
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Antonio Miguel Pollan, Gerald Ledonne, Nicolas Vu-Huu
• Original Assignee: Antonio Miguel Pollan, Gerald Ledonne, Nicolas Vu-Huu
• Inventors: Vu-Huu, Nicolas, Pollan, Antonio Miguel, LeDonne, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US09/975,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20020087568A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and software for providing context sensitive query parameters. The method and software determines a first location of a user within an information system. A data structure is queried, the data structure storing one or more query parameters each associated with a location in the information system, with a query comprising a first identifier indicating the first location of the user within the information system. The query is operative to return one or more first query parameters associated with the first identifier. The first query parameters are transmitted to the user.

Claims

1. A method for providing context sensitive query parameters, the method comprising:

determining a first location of a user within an information system;

querying a data structure, the data structure storing one or more query parameters each associated with a location in the information system, with a query comprising a first identifier indicating the first location of the user within the information system, the query operative to return one or more first query parameters associated with the first identifier; and

transmitting the first query parameters to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the data structure used in querying comprises a database.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the database is a relational database.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the database is an object-oriented database.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising:

determining a second location of the user within the information system;

querying the data structure, the data structure storing one or more query parameters each associated with a location in the information system, with a query comprising a second identifier indicating the second location of the user within the information system, the query operative to return one or more second query parameters associated with the second identifier; and

transmitting the second query parameters to the user.

6. The method of claim 5 comprising returning query labels associated with the first or second query parameters.

7. The method of claim 6 comprising displaying the query labels in proximity to the associated query parameter.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the step of displaying comprises displaying the query parameters using GUI controls.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the GUI control is a drop list.

10. The method of claim 8 comprising:

querying the data structure by providing the first or second identifier indicating the first or second location of the user within the information system;

generating one or more GUI controls, the number and type of GUI controls generated being determined by the first or second identifier indicating the first or second location of the user within the information system; and

transmitting the GUI controls to the user.

11. The method of claim 6 comprising:

selecting the desired query parameters displayed on a display device to construct a query; and

querying the data structure using the query constructed in the selecting step, the query operative to return a result set comprised of data stored in the data structure that falls within the scope defined by the query; and

displaying the result set on the display device for presentation to the user.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the data structure used in querying comprises a database.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the database is a relational database.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the database is an object-oriented database.

16. The method of claim 12 comprising:

determining a second location of the user within the information system;

querying a data structure, the data structure storing one or more query parameters each associated with a location in the information system, with a query comprising a second identifier indicating the second location of the user within the information system, the query operative to return one or more second query parameters associated with the second identifier; and

transmitting the second query parameters to the user.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising returning query labels associated with the first or second query parameters.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising displaying the query labels in proximity to the associated query parameter.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of displaying comprises displaying the query parameters using GUI controls.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the GUI control is a drop list.

21. The method of claim 19 comprising:

querying the data structure by providing the first or second identifier indicating the first or second location of the user within the information system;

generating one or more GUI controls, the number of GU controls generated being determined by the first or second identifier indicating the first or second location of the user within the information system; and

transmitting the GUI controls to the user.

22. The method of claim 17 comprising:

selecting the desired query parameters displayed on a display device to construct a query;

querying the data structure using the query constructed in the selecting step, the query operative to return a result set comprised of data stored in the data structure that falls within the query scope; and

displaying the result set on the display device for presentation to the user.

12. Computer readable media containing program code, the program code operative to instruct a programmable processor to execute a method for providing context sensitive query, the method comprising:

determining a first location of a user within an information system;

querying a data structure, the data structure storing one or more query parameters each associated with a location in the information system, with a query comprising a first identifier indicating the first location of the user within the information system, the query operative to return one or more first query parameters associated with the first identifier; and

transmitting the first query parameters to the user.