Method and apparatus for displaying database search results
First Claim
1. A method for displaying the progress and results of a database search, said method comprising the steps of:
- a. performing an initialization step comprising entering a search term by choosing at least one item of a displayed set of contents or entries of a database;
b. entering at least one search command, said search command being defined by at least one operator chosen from a set of operators and at least one item chosen from the displayed set of contents or entries, the operator specifying an operation to be performed in relation to the chosen items and the data base;
c. auditing at least one of (i) said displayed set, in response to the chosen operator, and of (ii) said set of operators in response to the chosen item, with reference to the contents of the database, and eliminating from the respective set all impossible items or operators, which would produce an unwanted result at the end of said database search, the auditing and eliminating being performed by an automatic auditing processor or auditing program means;
d. displaying in a visible manner the remaining contents or entries of said displayed set, that can produce or indicate a wanted result; and
wherein steps b, c, and d are repeated until the wanted result is achieved.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method of displaying the progress of a database search so as to accomplish a logical operation that satisfies certain conditions; for example avoiding a null value. The invention also relates to an apparatus for practicing the method. The method displays all possible and relevant data capable of fulfilling the operation (like Boolean, SQL etc.) in addition to all possible and relevant operations (like Boolean, SQL etc.) to be applied on the given data. A key feature of the invention is that the displays occur during the operation. This is done by displaying all remaining possible and relevant data and/or operations directly after choosing a datum and/or the desired operation.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for displaying the progress and results of a database search, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. performing an initialization step comprising entering a search term by choosing at least one item of a displayed set of contents or entries of a database;
b. entering at least one search command, said search command being defined by at least one operator chosen from a set of operators and at least one item chosen from the displayed set of contents or entries, the operator specifying an operation to be performed in relation to the chosen items and the data base;
c. auditing at least one of (i) said displayed set, in response to the chosen operator, and of (ii) said set of operators in response to the chosen item, with reference to the contents of the database, and eliminating from the respective set all impossible items or operators, which would produce an unwanted result at the end of said database search, the auditing and eliminating being performed by an automatic auditing processor or auditing program means;
d. displaying in a visible manner the remaining contents or entries of said displayed set, that can produce or indicate a wanted result; and
wherein steps b, c, and d are repeated until the wanted result is achieved. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25)
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18. A apparatus for displaying the progress and results of a database search, comprising:
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a database comprising a plurality of entries;
a search processor for searching the database and retrieving one or more entries, wherein said search processor employs retrieval software to fulfill one or more operations to generate at least one search result list;
a displaying means for visually presenting said at least one search result list;
an auditing processor, that methodically determines all database entries capable of satisfying one of said operations, and eliminating from the displayed contents or entries all of said database entries that would produce an unwanted result upon satisfying the operation; and
a display processor, for visually displaying at least one of the results lists.
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22. A method for displaying the start, progress and end-results of an operation, so as to enhance the probability of obtaining a desired object, said method comprising the steps of:
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a. performing an initialization step comprising entering at least one operand of a displayed set of operands;
b. entering at least one command, said command being defined by at least one operator chosen from a set of operators and at least one operand chosen from the displayed set of operands, the operator specifying an operation to be performed in relation to the chosen operands;
c. auditing at least one of (i) said displayed set, in response to the chosen operator, and of (ii) said set of operators in response to the chosen operand, and eliminating from the respective set all impossible operands or operators which would produce an unwanted result, the auditing and eliminating being performed by an automatic auditing processor or auditing program means;
d. displaying in a visible manner the remaining operands of said displayed set that can produce a wanted result; and
wherein steps b, c, and d are repeated until the wanted result is achieved.
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Specification