QUICK FIND FOR DATA FIELDS

• US 20110040745A1
• Filed: 08/12/2009
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Galt, Zaydman, Oleg, Maeckel, Clay, Iremonger, Stephen, Crim, Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,435 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/714
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/969 Network layout and operation interface

Abstract

Methods, program products, and systems for automatically searching data in multiple data fields are described. A user can view data retrieved from a database and formatted based on a layout. While viewing the data, the user can perform a search using one or more search terms. A system can automatically examine the database and identify on which tables and on which data fields of the tables to perform the search. The system can identify searchable tables and data fields by analyzing the database schema as well as characteristics of the tables and data fields.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

identifying one or more searchable data fields from a layout, the layout corresponding to a base table in a database, including

identifying a table related to the base table;

analyzing the related table, including identifying the related table as a searchable table based on a degree of relationship between the related table and the base table; and

automatically identifying the searchable data fields from the base table and the related table;

receiving a search request, the search request including at least one search term; and

performing a search in the identified searchable data fields using the search term.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the related table comprises analyzing static relationship between the base table and the related table based on a schema of the database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein analyzing the static relationship comprises:

locating a related table based on a number of joins from the base table and a type of each join;

selecting a located related table based on a direction of the joins; and

designating the selected table as the searchable table.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the related table comprises analyzing a dynamic relationship between the base table and the related table using characteristics of the tables, the characteristics including table size and field selectivity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more searchable data fields further comprises presenting a user interface for manually designating a data field to be searchable or unsearchable.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

providing a badge for each searchable data field on a user interface, the badge indicating an estimated speed of the search.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying searchable data fields further comprises:

designating one or more groups of searchable fields, each group corresponding to a layout that is accessible when a specific access privilege is present; and

determining that a data field is searchable based on a group to which the data field belongs and a current access privilege.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the search comprises:

evaluating the search term in a context of each identified searchable data field;

expanding the search term to match a field type of the data field; and

performing the search using the expanded search term.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein evaluating the search term comprises:

identifying a variable item in the search term using a script that includes a list of one or more variable items and a corresponding list of customizable substitution rules; and

substituting the variable item in the search term using a substitution rule that corresponds to the variable item.

10. A computer program product encoded on a computer storage medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

identifying one or more searchable data fields from a layout, the layout corresponding to a base table in a database, including

identifying a table related to the base table;

analyzing the related table, including identifying the related table as a searchable table based on a degree of relationship between the related table and the base table; and

automatically identifying the searchable data fields from the base table and the related table;

receiving a search request, the search request including at least one search term; and

performing a search in the identified searchable data fields using the search term.

11. The product of claim 10, wherein analyzing the related table comprises analyzing static relationship between the base table and the related table based on a schema of the database.

12. The product of claim 11, wherein analyzing the static relationship comprises:

locating a related table based on a number of joins from the base table and a type of each join;

selecting a located related table based on a direction of the joins; and

designating the selected table as the searchable table.

13. The product of claim 10, wherein analyzing the related table comprises analyzing a dynamic relationship between the base table and the related table using characteristics of the tables, the characteristics including table size and field selectivity.

14. The product of claim 10, wherein identifying one or more searchable data fields further comprises presenting a user interface for manually designating a data field to be searchable or unsearchable.

15. The product of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a badge for each searchable data field on a user interface, the badge indicating an estimated speed of the search.

16. The product of claim 10, wherein identifying searchable data fields further comprises:

designating one or more groups of searchable fields, each group corresponding to a layout that is accessible when a specific access privilege is present; and

determining that a data field is searchable based on a group to which the data field belongs and a current access privilege.

17. The product of claim 10, wherein performing the search comprises:

evaluating the search term in a context of each identified searchable data field;

expanding the search term to match a field type of the data field; and

performing the search using the expanded search term.

18. The product of claim 17, wherein evaluating the search term comprises:

identifying a variable item in the search term using a script that includes a list of one or more variable items and a corresponding list of customizable substitution rules; and

substituting the variable item in the search term using a substitution rule that corresponds to the variable item.

19. A system comprising:

one or more computers operable to perform operations comprising;

identifying one or more searchable data fields from a layout, the layout corresponding to a base table in a database, including

identifying a table related to the base table;

analyzing the related table, including identifying the related table as a searchable table based on a degree of relationship between the related table and the base table; and

automatically identifying the searchable data fields from the base table and the related table;

receiving a search request, the search request including at least one search term; and

performing a search in the identified searchable data fields using the search term.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein analyzing the related table comprises analyzing static relationship between the base table and the related table based on a schema of the database.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein analyzing the static relationship comprises:

locating a related table based on a number of joins from the base table and a type of each join;

selecting a located related table based on a direction of the joins; and

designating the selected table as the searchable table.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein analyzing the related table comprises analyzing a dynamic relationship between the base table and the related table using characteristics of the tables, the characteristics including table size and field selectivity.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein identifying one or more searchable data fields further comprises presenting a user interface for manually designating a data field to be searchable or unsearchable.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

providing a badge for each searchable data fields on a user interface, the badge indicating an estimated speed of the search.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein identifying searchable data fields further comprises:

designating one or more groups of searchable fields, each group corresponding to a layout that is accessible when a specific access privilege is present; and

determining that a data field is searchable based on a group to which the data field belongs and a current access privilege.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein performing the search comprises:

evaluating the search term in a context of each identified searchable data field;

expanding the search term to match a field type of the data field; and

performing the search using the expanded search term.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein evaluating the search term comprises:

identifying a variable item in the search term using a script that includes a list of one or more variable items and a corresponding list of customizable substitution rules; and

substituting the variable item in the search term using a substitution rule that corresponds to the variable item.