SYSTEM AND METHOD OF FILTERING SEARCH RESULTS

• US 20090089248A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Alexander, Matthew Walker, Mirescu, Katherine
• Granted Patent: US 8,458,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

A system and method of filtering search results is provided. Certain embodiments provide an improved user experience in filtering large sets of data in a computer system through the use of multidimensional associative arrays which allow results to be filtered within a web interface without needing additional calls to web server or online database.

Claims

1. A search filter in a graphical user interface for filtering a record set of data, the record set of data comprising a plurality of records having a plurality of attributes, comprising:

a filter table including a plurality of columns, each column being related to an attribute of the records in the record set, each column further displaying distinct values for attributes among the records in the record set, each of the displayed distinct values being selectable, the filter table being generated based on values stored in a first array, the first array being a multidimensional array; and

a filter list comprising a listing of records, the filter list being modifiable in response to a selection of one or more displayed distinct values, the filter list being generated based at least in part on values stored in a second array.

2. The search filter of claim 1, wherein the first array comprises a multidimensional associative array.

3. The search filter of claim 2, wherein the multidimensional associative array comprises a first dimension having elements associated with attributes of the records in the record set.

4. The search filter of claim 3, wherein the multidimensional associative array comprises a second dimension having elements associated with attribute values of the records in the record set.

5. The search filter of claim 4, wherein the multidimensional associative array comprises a third dimension having elements associated with properties of the attribute values.

6. The search filter of claim 1, wherein the second array is an associative array configured to store data indicative of user selections of the displayed distinct values.

7. The search filter of claim 1, wherein modifications to the filter list in response to the selection of one or more of the displayed distinct values do not utilize a call to an external database.

8. The search filter of claim 1, wherein the filter table further comprises at least one qualifying records indicator element associated with one of the displayed distinct values, the qualifying records indicator being indicative of a number of records to be displayed in the filter list if upon selection of the displayed distinct value.

9. The search filter of claim 8, wherein the qualifying records indicator is associated with one of the displayed distinct values, and wherein the qualifying records indicators are modified based on a selection of one of the displayed distinct values.

10. The search filter of claim 1, further comprising a listing summary including data indicative of the set of records listed in the filter list, the listing summary being generated based at least in part on values stored in the first array and the second array.

11. A computer-implemented method for filtering a set of data in a web browser, the data set comprising a plurality of records having a plurality of attributes defined therefor, the method comprising:

passing the plurality of record objects into a first array, the first array being a multidimensional record listing array;

generating a second array comprising at least a first and second dimension, the first dimension being related to attributes of the plurality of records; and

the second dimension being related to distinct values of the attributes among the plurality of records;

receiving a selection of at least one of the distinct values;

adding data indicative of the selected distinct value to a third array, the third array comprising array elements related to each of the attributes;

comparing elements in the third array to elements in the record listing array; and

displaying the elements from the record listing array having elements of the third array using cascading style sheets.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising hiding the elements from the record listing array not having elements of the third array.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the comparing comprises recursively looping through the multidimensional associative first array to identify elements that match the elements in the third array.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the record listing array is a JavaScript array.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising modifying the second array based on the selection of the data related to the distinct value.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon which, when transmitted to a computer having a web browser, cause the web browser to perform a method for filtering a record object in a web browser, the record object comprising a plurality of records having a plurality of attributes defined therefor, the method comprising:

passing the plurality of record objects into a first array, the first array being a multidimensional record listing array;

generating a second array comprising at least a first and second dimension, the first dimension being related to attributes of the plurality of records; and

the second dimension being related to distinct values of the attributes among the plurality of records;

receiving a selection of at least one of the distinct values;

adding data indicative of the selected distinct value to a third array, the third array comprising array elements related to each of the attributes;

comparing elements in the third array to elements in the record listing array; and

displaying the elements from the record listing array having elements of the third array using cascading style sheets.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising hiding the elements from the recording listing array not having elements of the third array.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the comparing comprises recursively looping through the multidimensional associative first array to identify elements that match the elements in the third array.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the record listing array is a JavaScript array.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, further comprising modifying the second array based on the selection of the data related to the distinct value.