Method and apparatus for searching, filtering and sorting data in a wireless device

• US 20060235848A1
• Filed: 02/24/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Bibr, Vlera, Shenfield, Michael, Doktorova, Laura, Vitanov, Kamen B., Goring, Bryan R., Wallis, Kenneth, DeBruin, David
• Application Number:
  US11/360,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20060235848A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90344 by using string matching techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

There is shown and described a definition for defining searching, filtering and sorting requests which seeks to provide a more succinct and efficient language in order to minimize transmission size and parsing/processing requirements while facilitating common and useful search/filter/sort contingencies. The language allows for filtering a data set by comparing a single field of all instances of the data against a static or dynamic value, then, optionally, to order the result set in ascending or descending order. All instances in the data set may be obtained without searching/filtering.

Claims

1. A method of searching data stored in a memory coupled to a processing device, the method comprising:

provisioning the processing device with computer executable code for;

accepting a request conforming to a definition for searching/filtering and ordering data, said definition comprising a first clause for specifying searching and filtering information to filter a data set in accordance with a single field of said set; and

a second clause for specifying ordering information; and

performing data operations in accordance with said request to provide determined instances of data in response.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein any one of said first clause and said second clause is optional.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the definition provides that a single field is compared to one of a static and a dynamic value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the data set is represented by complex data structure of a plurality of levels of nesting and wherein the definition provides for the specification of a single field of said complex data structure at any level.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the order information includes a single order data field with which to order the instances of data in response.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein said definition provides that said searching and filtering information comprises an operator selected from the group consisting of “

=”

(equal), “

<

>

”

(not equal), “

!=”

(not equal), “

<

”

(less than), “

<

=”

(less or equal), “

>

”

(greater than) and “

>

=”

(greater or equal).

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising provisioning said processing device with computer code for defining a runtime environment for providing basic resources and services to execute component-based applications.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said code for defining a runtime environment comprises code for defining runtime representations of components described by said definitions, said runtime representations comprising data to be searched.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said code for defining a runtime environment comprises code for defining an interpreter for executing said request on said data in said runtime representations.

10. A method for performing a search in instances of a data component, said method comprising:

determining a data search request in accordance with a definition for lightweight data management to be performed on a single data field of said instances of said data component, comprising;

receiving said single data field;

receiving an operator to be used with the single data field; and

receiving at least one corresponding operand to be used with the operator; and

using the data search request generated to provide search results.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, further comprising receiving search result sorting parameters and sorting search results accordingly.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said receiving of said search result sorting parameters comprises receiving an indication of a field of said data definition to be used to sort results.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said receiving of said search result sorting parameters further comprises receiving an indication to sort according to one of an ascending and a descending sorting strategy.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said operator is selected from the group consisting of “

=”

(equal), “

<

>

”

(not equal), “

!=”

(not equal), (less than), “

<

=”

(less or equal), “

>

”

(greater than) and “

>

=”

(greater or equal).

15. A method for specifying a data search request, comprising:

providing a data search request in accordance with a definition for lightweight data management to be performed on a single data field of a data component, comprising;

providing said single data field;

providing an operator to be used with the single data field; and

providing at least one corresponding operand to be used with the operator to instruct a search.