Methods and apparatus for adding parenthetical expression capability to a tabular query user interface
First Claim
1. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus of a computer system to perform operations controlling a graphical user interface system, the operations comprising:
- displaying an interactive tabular query interface on a display of the computer system, wherein the interactive tabular query interface comprises;
a table field for displaying logical expressions comprised of logical operators, operands and grouping elements, wherein the logical expressions, when taken together, comprise a search query;
a logical operator entry facility to enter logical operators in the table field;
an operand entry facility to enter operands in the table field, wherein the operands will be operated on by the operators; and
an expression grouping facility to group at least two logical expressions entered in the table field together into a grouped expression using grouping elements;
receiving commands corresponding to selections of logical operators, operands and grouping elements for display in selected locations in the table field; and
displaying selected logical operators, operands and grouping elements in the selected locations in the table field.
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Abstract
The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for incorporating parenthetical expression capability in an interactive tabular query interface, wherein the interactive tabular query interface can be used to search computer resources like computer databases. The methods and apparatus of the present invention permit a user through the medium of a parenthetical-expression-capable tabular query interface both to group at least two logical expressions with a single level of parentheses and to embed parenthetical expressions within multi-level parenthetical expressions. The methods and apparatus of the present invention also permit a user to quickly and easily logically un-combine expressions that have been grouped using a parenthetical expression feature of a tabular query user interface made in accordance with the present invention. Further, the interactive tabular query interface also has a preview window for depicting dynamically a query as it is formulated.
25 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus of a computer system to perform operations controlling a graphical user interface system, the operations comprising:
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displaying an interactive tabular query interface on a display of the computer system, wherein the interactive tabular query interface comprises;
a table field for displaying logical expressions comprised of logical operators, operands and grouping elements, wherein the logical expressions, when taken together, comprise a search query;
a logical operator entry facility to enter logical operators in the table field;
an operand entry facility to enter operands in the table field, wherein the operands will be operated on by the operators; and
an expression grouping facility to group at least two logical expressions entered in the table field together into a grouped expression using grouping elements;
receiving commands corresponding to selections of logical operators, operands and grouping elements for display in selected locations in the table field; and
displaying selected logical operators, operands and grouping elements in the selected locations in the table field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A computer system for displaying an interactive tabular query interface having expression grouping capability, the computer system comprising:
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at least one memory to store at least one program of machine-readable instructions, where the at least one program performs operations to display the interactive tabular query interface when executed;
a computer display device for displaying the interactive tabular query interface;
an input device for interacting with the interactive tabular user interface; and
at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, computer display and input device, where the at least one processor performs at least the following operation when the at least one program is executed;
displaying the interactive tabular query interface, where the interactive tabular query interface comprises;
a table field for displaying logical expressions comprised of logical operators, operands and grouping elements, wherein the logical expressions, when taken together, comprise a search query;
a logical operator entry facility to enter logical operators in the table field;
an operand entry facility to enter operands in the table field, wherein the operands will be operated on by the operators; and
an expression grouping facility to combine at least two logical expressions entered in the table field into a grouped expression using grouping elements. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A user interface control system method comprising:
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displaying an interactive tabular query interface having expression grouping capability, the interactive tabular query interface comprising;
a table field for displaying logical expressions comprised of logical operators, operands and grouping elements, wherein the logical expressions, when taken together, comprise a search query;
a logical operator entry facility to enter logical operators in the table field;
an operand entry facility to enter operands in the table field, wherein the operands will be operated on by the operators; and
a grouping element entry facility to combine at least two logical expressions entered in the table field into a grouped expression using grouping elements;
receiving commands corresponding to selections of logical operators, operands and grouping elements for display in selected locations in the table field; and
displaying selected logical operators, operands and grouping elements in the selected locations in the table field. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification