Method for testing layered data for the existence of at least one value

• US 20060268107A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE, Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Weinberg, Paul, Brookler, David, Sullivan, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 7,912,861 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/33 Querying

Abstract

One or more embodiments of the invention enable a user to search for at least one value in layers of audience specific data comprising language, regional, regulatory and/or cultural specific values per layer. The word “audience” for the purposes of this specification means a group of document consumers such as people or computers that are associated with a language, country, region, regulation or culture. A search utilizing at least one embodiment of the invention occurs with respect to data that makes use of rule-based inheritance. For a three level inheritance embodiment, there are 8 permutations involving a NULL value in at least one of the layers, instead of making the user calculate the proper mask, the Current Audience Layer mask can be logical ORed with the Primary Audience Layer Mask or the Secondary Audience Layer Mask in order to create the desired search combination. In addition, predefined audience layer operators may also be used comprising “has value”, “is missing value”, “inherits primary”, “inherits secondary”, “inherits any” and “does not inherit”. These predefined masks save the user from generating a bit mask for searching by hand.

Claims

1. In a computer system, a method for testing layered data for the existence of at least one value comprising:

obtaining a current audience identifier wherein said current audience identifier is associated with data corresponding to a current audience;

obtaining an audience order of inheritance;

checking for a value or link in a field in a plurality of audience layers; and

,

returning a result for a search based on said checking.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accepting a coarse grained operator; and

,

applying said coarse grained operator in said search.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accepting a fine grained operator; and

,

applying said coarse grained operator in said search.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accepting a free form search operator; and

,

applying said free form search operator to limit said result.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accepting at least one key word; and

,

applying said at least one key word to limit said result.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accepting a free form search operator;

accepting at least one key word; and

,

applying said free form search operator and said at least one key word to limit said result.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accepting a coarse grained operator;

accepting a free form search operator;

accepting at least one key word; and

,

applying said coarse grained operator, said free form search operator and said at least one key word to limit said result.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

accepting a fine grained operator;

accepting a free form search operator;

accepting at least one key word; and

,

applying said fine grained operator, said free form search operator and said at least one key word to limit said result.

9. In a computer system, a method for testing layered data for the existence of at least one value comprising:

obtaining a current audience identifier wherein said current audience identifier is associated with data corresponding to a current audience;

obtaining an audience order of inheritance;

checking for a value or link in a field in a plurality of audience layers;

accepting an operator;

applying said operator in relation to said checking; and

,

returning a result set for a search based on said checking.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said operator is a coarse grained operator.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said operator is a fine grained operator.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

accepting a free form search operator; and

,

applying said free form search operator to limit said result set.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

accepting at least one key word; and

,

applying said at least one key word to limit said result set.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

accepting a free form search operator;

accepting at least one key word; and

,

applying said free form search operator and said at least one key word to limit said result set.

15. A system for testing layered data for the existence of at least one value comprising:

means for obtaining a current audience identifier wherein said current audience identifier is associated with data corresponding to a current audience;

means for obtaining an audience order of inheritance;

means for checking for a value or link in a field in a plurality of audience layers; and

,

means for returning a result for a search based on said checking.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for accepting a coarse grained operator;

means for accepting a free form search operator;

means for accepting at least one key word; and

,

means for applying said coarse grained operator, said free form search operator and said at least one key word to limit said result.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

means for accepting a fine grained operator;

means for accepting a free form search operator;

means for accepting at least one key word; and

,

means for applying said fine grained operator, said free form search operator and said at least one key word to limit said result.

18. A system for testing layered data for the existence of at least one value comprising:

means for obtaining a current audience identifier wherein said current audience identifier is associated with data corresponding to a current audience;

means for obtaining an audience order of inheritance;

means for checking for a value or link in a field in a plurality of audience layers;

means for accepting an operator;

means for applying said operator in relation to said checking; and

,

means for returning a result set for a search based on said checking.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

means for accepting a free form search operator; and

,

means for applying said free form search operator to limit said result set.

20. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

means for accepting at least one key word; and

,

means for applying said at least one key word to limit said result set.