METHOD FOR DEFINING DATA CATEGORIES

• US 20100179952A1
• Filed: 01/12/2010
• Published: 07/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Dupont, Joel, Finnegan, John, Ioannou, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/740
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for the definition of data categories is described. The method uses logic templates and may be used in database processing. One embodiment of the method comprises: selecting a plurality of attributes from a group of attributes, each attribute describing a possible data item in a set of data; selecting a logic template from a group of logic templates, each logic template comprising a predetermined logic expression containing one or more variables; and assigning one or more selected attributes to each variable within the selected the logic template to produce a logic expression defining the data category. A computer program product and a user interface for achieving this method are also described.

Claims

1. A method for defining categories for a set of data comprising:

a. selecting a plurality of attributes from a group of attributes, each attribute describing a possible data item in the set of data;

b. selecting a logic template from a group of logic templates, each logic template comprising a predetermined logic expression containing one or more variables; and

c. assigning one or more selected attributes to each variable within the selected the logic template to produce a logic expression defining the data category.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data category comprises a category for time data and/or the plurality of attributes comprise time attributes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined logic expression comprises two or more logic groups of one or more variables linked by a logical operator.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of assigning one or more selected attributes to each variable within the selected the logic template further comprises assigning one or more selected attributes to each logic group.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

selecting a predetermined logic rule for governing the relationship between the attributes in each logic group, said logic rule forming part of the logic expression defining the data category.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the data category in database operations.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a natural language statement describing the logic expression defining the data category.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding, editing or removing a logic template from the group of logic templates.

9. A system for defining categories for a set of data comprising:

a storage device for storing instructions for implementing the method of claim 1; and

a processor adapted to process said instructions.

10. A computer-program product for defining categories for a set of data comprising:

computer-program code that when implemented by a processor displays a user interface;

computer-program code that when implemented by a processor provides a first user interface component which enables a user to select a plurality of attributes from a group of attributes, each attribute describing a possible data item in the set of data;

computer-program code that when implemented by a processor provides a second user interface component which displays a group of logic templates, each logic template comprising a predetermined logic expression containing one or more variables, and which enables a user to select a particular logic template from the group; and

computer-program code that when implemented by a processor provides a third user interface component which displays the selected attributes in a format determined by the selected logic template and which enables a user to assign one or more of said attributes to each variable within said template to produce a logic expression defining the data category.

11. The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein the data category comprises a category for time data and/or the plurality of attributes comprise time attributes.

12. The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein the predetermined logic expression comprises two or more logic groups of one or more variables linked by a logical operator.

13. The computer-program product of claim 12, wherein the third user interface component enables a user to assign one or more selected attributes to each logic group.

14. The computer-program product of claim 13, wherein the third user interface component displays two or more predetermined logic rules governing the relationship between the attributes in each logic group and enables a user to select one of the logic rules to form part of the logic expression defining the data category.

15. The computer-program product of claim 10, further comprising computer-program code that when implemented by a processor performs database operations, said code being configured to use the data category defined by the user.

16. The computer-program product of claim 10, further comprising computer-program code that when implemented by a processor generates a natural language statement describing the logic expression defining the data category.

17. The computer-program product of claim 10, further comprising computer-program code that when implemented by a processor provides a fourth user interface component which enables a user to add, edit or remove a logic template from the group of logic templates.

18. A user interface for defining categories for a set of data comprising:

a first user interface component which enables a user to select a plurality of attributes from a group of attributes, each attribute describing a possible data item in the set of data;

a second user interface component which displays a group of logic templates, each logic template comprising a predetermined logic expression containing one or more variables, and which enables a user to select a particular logic template from the group; and

a third user interface component which displays the selected attributes in a format determined by the selected logic template and which enables a user to assign one or more of said attributes to each variable within said template to produce a logic expression defining the data category.

19. The user interface of claim 18, wherein the data category comprises a category for time data and/or the plurality of attributes comprise time attributes.

20. The user interface of claim 18, wherein the predetermined logic expression comprises two or more logic groups of one or more variables linked by a logical operator.

21. The user interface of claim 20, wherein the third user interface component enables a user to assign one or more selected attributes to each logic group.

22. The user interface of claim 21, wherein the third user interface component displays two or more predetermined logic rules governing the relationship between the attributes in each logic group and enables a user to select one of the logic rules to form part of the logic expression defining the data category.

23. The user interface of claim 18, further comprising a fourth user interface component configured to display a natural language statement describing the logic expression defining the data category.