Query composition using autolists

• US 20060259449A1
• Filed: 05/10/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McKee, Timothy P., De Vorchik, David G., Betz, Benjamin A., Wong, Lyon K.F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,984,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/144 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/242 Query formulation

Abstract

The present invention provides a computer method and system for querying or searching for at least one data file corresponding to a query definition. A first query is received which may provide a query definition that may be used as a scope of search for a second query. Modifications of the scope of search based on modification of the first query may be automatically reflected in the scope of search for the second query. The scope of search for the second query may further be a combination of a plurality of scopes based on a plurality of user-defined queries.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of searching for at least one data file matching a user-defined query definition, the method comprising:

receiving a first user input defining a first query definition;

receiving a second user input defining a second query definition, wherein the second query definition incorporates by reference the first query definition; and

searching for data files matching both the first and second query definitions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first query definition comprises a first scope.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first query definition further comprises a first set of one or more criteria.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second query definition comprises a second scope, the second scope comprising the results of the first query definition.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of searching for data files comprises searching for data files within the results of the first query definition.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the second scope comprises a plurality of memory locations.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising modifying the second scope responsive to a modification of the first query definition.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the second query definition comprises a second set of one or more criteria, different from criteria included in the first query definition.

9. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving at least one additional user input defining at least one additional query definition wherein the second query definition further incorporates by reference the at least one additional query definition.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing data files matching both the first and second query definitions, wherein each of the data files provided are unique.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining if the first query definition incorporates the second query definition by reference prior to the searching step, wherein the searching step is performed only if the first query definition does not incorporate the second query definition by reference.

10. A computer-implemented method of searching for at least one data file matching a user-defined query definition, the method comprising:

receiving a first query, the first query having a first query definition;

defining at least a portion of a scope of search for a second query based on the first query definition;

receiving a second query, the second query providing a search criteria portion of a second query definition.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising searching for at least one data file corresponding to the second query definition within said scope of search for the second query.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the second query definition comprises a set of one or more criteria.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps comprising:

receiving a first user input defining a first query definition;

receiving a second user input defining a second query definition, wherein the second query definition comprises a scope and a set of one or more search criteria, and wherein second user input incorporates by reference the first query definition in the scope of the second query definition; and

searching for data files matching the second query definition.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of receiving a modified user-defined first query, wherein the scope of search of the second query is automatically modified corresponding to the modification of the user-defined first query based on the incorporation by reference.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the first query definition comprises a first scope and a first set of one or more criteria.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the step of searching for data files comprises searching for data files only within a scope of search comprising the first scope.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the scope of search is modified responsive to a corresponding modification of the first query definition.