Search system which continuously displays search terms during scrolling and selections of individually displayed data sets
First Claim
1. A method of selecting desired data sets from a plurality of data sets that are categorized and sequentially ordered into a plurality of lists, comprising the steps of:
- continuously displaying a plurality of categorical identifiers at respective coordinates on a display medium, at least some of said categorical identifiers being displayed simultaneously during at least a portion of the displaying of said categorical identifiers, and each of said categorical identifiers corresponding to at least one of said plurality of lists;
providing two control inputs, one as a scrolling control and a second as a select control;
sequentially displaying, one at a time, data sets in one list corresponding to a respective one of said displayed categorical identifiers upon sequential application of said scrolling control;
selecting a desired data set that is currently displayed and selecting another of said displayed categorical identifiers corresponding to another one of said plurality of lists, both upon application of said select control;
sequentially displaying, one at a time, sequential data sets of respective additional lists next to said another displayed categorical identifier and any desired additional displayed categorical identifiers, upon application of said scrolling control; and
selecting respective data sets of said another displayed categorical identifier and each of said desired additional displayed categorical identifiers, and moving to respective ones of each of said desired additional displayed categorical identifiers, both upon application of said select control.
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Abstract
The method of variably displaying search terms includes continuously displaying the names of categories on a video terminal screen. When the cursor is adjacent a category, one data set or search term is displayed, that search term being one of a plurality of terms in a list associated with the particular category. The user displays another term from the list by actuating a scrolling control key input. To select a desired term and move to the next category, the user actuates a select control key input. Therefore, the display system utilizes only two control inputs to select a plurality of terms for a plurality of categories. One list of terms represents control commands that control, among other things, the output of data from the system. One technique of formulating the list is to obtain the data fields from a particular field, corresponding to the category, from all records in a data base. The retrieved data fields are then used as search terms in this dynamically formed list. The terms can also be grouped in fixed or static lists. A routine is used to segment or subdivide the data base search for the dynamic list or to subdivide the static list.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of selecting desired data sets from a plurality of data sets that are categorized and sequentially ordered into a plurality of lists, comprising the steps of:
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continuously displaying a plurality of categorical identifiers at respective coordinates on a display medium, at least some of said categorical identifiers being displayed simultaneously during at least a portion of the displaying of said categorical identifiers, and each of said categorical identifiers corresponding to at least one of said plurality of lists; providing two control inputs, one as a scrolling control and a second as a select control; sequentially displaying, one at a time, data sets in one list corresponding to a respective one of said displayed categorical identifiers upon sequential application of said scrolling control; selecting a desired data set that is currently displayed and selecting another of said displayed categorical identifiers corresponding to another one of said plurality of lists, both upon application of said select control; sequentially displaying, one at a time, sequential data sets of respective additional lists next to said another displayed categorical identifier and any desired additional displayed categorical identifiers, upon application of said scrolling control; and selecting respective data sets of said another displayed categorical identifier and each of said desired additional displayed categorical identifiers, and moving to respective ones of each of said desired additional displayed categorical identifiers, both upon application of said select control. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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8. A system for selecting desired data sets from a plurality of data sets that are categorized into a plurality of lists comprising:
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display means for continuously displaying a plurality of categorical identifiers at respective coordinates on a display medium, at least some of said categorical identifiers being displayed simultaneously during at least a portion of the displaying of said categorical identifiers, and each of said categorical identifiers corresponding to at least one of said plurality of lists; a scrolling control input and a select control input; means for sequentially displaying, one at a time, sequential data sets of one list corresponding to a respective one of said display categorical identifiers upon sequential application of said scrolling control input; and means for selecting the currently displayed data set from said one list and for selecting another of said displayed categorical identifiers corresponding to another one of said plurality of lists, both under the control of said select control input; said sequential displaying means sequentially displaying, one at a time, sequential data sets of respective additional lists next to said another displayed categorical identifier and any desired additional displayed categorical identifers upon application of said scrolling control; and said selecting means selecting respective data sets of said another displayed categorical identifer and each of said desired additional displayed categorical identifiers, and selecting respective ones of each of said desired additional displayed categorical identifiers, both upon application of said select control. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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28. A method of selecting at least one record from a data base having a plurality of records, each record having data fields in predetermined categories, comprising the steps of:
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continuously displaying a plurality of categorical identifiers at respective coordinates on a display medium, at least some of said categorical identifiers being displayed simultaneously during at least a portion of the displaying of said categorical identifiers, and at least one of said categorical identifiers corresponding to a respective one of said predetermined categories; providing a group of data sets which represent a control list and each data set thereon represents a control command, and one control command is an output data command, the control list being associated with a control categorical identifier; obtaining data fields from records out of a selected category corresponding to a respective one of said displayed categorical identifiers and forming a dynamic list and said data fields, said data fields being converted into search terms; discarding all duplicate search terms from said dynamic list; sequentially displaying, one at a time, said search terms in said dynamic list upon sequential application of a scrolling control; selecting a desired first search term that is currently displayed and selecting another of said displayed categorical identifiers, both upon application of said select control; selecting at least one additional search term by essentially repeating the sequential displaying and selecting steps used to select said first search term; using the displayed and selected search terms as a search request; and retrieving from said data base one or more records matching said search request upon application of said output data command by displaying the data set representing said output data command and selecting said output data command data set via said scrolling and select controls. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A system for selecting at least one record from a data base having a plurality of records, each record having data fields in predetermined categories, comprising:
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display means for continuously displaying a plurality of categorical identifiers at respective coordinates on a display medium, at least some of said categorical identifiers being displayed simultaneously during at least a portion of the displaying of said categorical identifiers, and at least one of said categorical identifiers corresponding to a respective one of said predetermined categories; a scrolling control input and a select control input; a control list comprised of a group of data sets, each data set therein representing a control command, and one control command being an output data command, the control list being associated with a control categorical identifiers; means for compiling a dynamic list by obtaining data fields from records out of one predetermined category corresponding to a respective one of said displayed categorical identifiers and for converting the obtained data fields into search terms; means for discarding duplicate search terms from said dymanic list; means for sequentially displaying, one at a time, search terms of one dynamic list corresponding to a respective one of said displayed categorical identifiers upon sequential application of said scrolling control input; means for selecting the currently displayed search term from said one dynamic list and for selecting another of said displayed categorical identifiers, both under the control of said select control input, said scrolling control input and said select control input then being operable to select at least one additional search term to for a search request; and means for retrieving from said data base one or more records matching said search request upon receipt of said output data command by display and selection thereof at said control categorical identifier via said scrolling and select control inputs.
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Specification