Dynamic graphical database query interface

• US 20060004740A1
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dettinger, Richard Dean, Tran, Hoa Thu, Tenner, Jeffrey Wayne, Djugash, Judy Immaculate Tina
• Granted Patent: US 7,490,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2423 Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A graphical query interface provides visual feedback to a user during the construction of a query. In a first embodiment, the visual feedback helps the user determine the quality of the query as the query is being built. The relationship of columns in the database is graphically displayed to a user. When the user selects a column in the database, a filtered display mechanism displays only those columns or records that satisfy the portion of the query already constructed. In a second embodiment, the visual feedback eliminates some possible selections in the query tree due to previously-made selections that eliminate the eliminated selections as possibilities. In the second embodiment, the visual feedback mechanism may function according to data values in columns, and may also function according to known relationships between columns themselves.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor;

a database residing in the memory; and

a graphical query interface residing in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, the graphical query interface displaying a graphical representation of at least a portion of the database, and in response to a user selection of a column in the database, the graphical query interface altering the graphical representation to make at least one column in the graphical representation unavailable for selection by the user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one column in the graphical representation is made unavailable for selection by the user according to at least one predefined rule.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the at least one predefined rule specifies at least one restriction between a plurality of columns in the database.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the at least one restriction comprises mutual exclusion for the plurality of columns.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the graphical representation includes a plurality of domains, wherein the at least one predefined rule includes at least one condition for displaying each of the plurality of domains.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the graphical query interface alters the graphical representation to make at least one column in the graphical representation unavailable for selection by the user by performing at least one of the following steps:

eliminating the at least one column from the graphical representation;

hiding the at least one column in the graphical representation from view of the user; and

greying out the at least one column in the graphical representation.

7. A computer-implemented method for a user to build a query to a database, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying to a user a graphical representation of at least a portion of the database; and

in response to a user selection of a column in the database, altering the graphical representation to make at least one column in the graphical representation unavailable for selection by the user.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one column in the graphical representation is made unavailable for selection by the user according to at least one predefined rule.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one predefined rule specifies at least one restriction between a plurality of columns in the database

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one restriction comprises mutual exclusion for the plurality of columns.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the graphical representation includes a plurality of domains, wherein the at least one predefined rule includes at least one condition for displaying each of the plurality of domains.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of altering the graphical representation to make at least one column in the graphical representation unavailable for selection by the user comprises at least one of the following steps:

eliminating the at least one column from the graphical representation;

hiding the at least one column in the graphical representation from view of the user; and

greying out the at least one column in the graphical representation.

13. A program product comprising:

(A) a graphical query interface that displays to a user a graphical representation of at least a portion of the database, and in response to a user selection of a column in the database, the graphical query interface altering the graphical representation to make at least one column in the graphical representation unavailable for selection by the user; and

(B) computer-readable signal bearing media bearing the graphical query interface.

14. The program product of claim 13 wherein the computer-readable signal bearing media comprises recordable media.

15. The program product of claim 13 wherein the computer-readable signal bearing media comprises transmission media.

16. The program product of claim 13 wherein the at least one column in the graphical representation is made unavailable for selection by the user according to at least one predefined rule.

17. The program product of claim 16 wherein the at least one predefined rule specifies at least one restriction between a plurality of columns in the database.

18. The program product of claim 17 wherein the at least one restriction comprises mutual exclusion for the plurality of columns.

19. The program product of claim 13 wherein the graphical representation includes a plurality of domains, wherein the at least one predefined rule includes at least one condition for displaying each of the plurality of domains.

20. The program product of claim 13 wherein the graphical query interface alters the graphical representation to make at least one column in the graphical representation unavailable for selection by the user by performing at least one of the following steps:

eliminating the at least one column from the graphical representation;

hiding the at least one column in the graphical representation from view of the user; and

greying out the at least one column in the graphical representation.