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Database search and record retrieval system which continuously displays category names during scrolling and selection of individually displayed search terms

  • US 5,206,949 A
  • Filed: 08/07/1989
  • Issued: 04/27/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1986
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of retrieving information from a database, comprising the steps of:

  • accessing a database containing records each having data fields searchable by using data sets that are categorized by categorical identifiers and sequentially ordered into a plurality of lists with each data set being one selectable data set entity in a list of a respective one of the categorical identifiers;

    continuously displaying a plurality of said 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;

    sequentially displaying data sets in one list corresponding to a respective one of said displayed categorical identifiers upon sequential application of a scrolling control, so that said selectable data set entities in said one list are displayed in a respective one of a plurality of preselected locations on said display medium, one at a time;

    selecting a desired data set entity from said one list when said desired data set entity is displayed in said one preselected location;

    searching for records having data fields corresponding to said selected data set entity;

    selecting at least one additional one of said displayed categorical identifiers corresponding to another one of said plurality of lists;

    sequentially displaying sequential data sets of respective additional lists corresponding to said at least one additional displayed categorical identifier and any desired additional displayed categorical identifiers, upon sequential application of a scrolling control, so that said selectable data set entities in said additional lists are displayed in respective ones of said preselected locations on said display medium, one at a time;

    selecting respective desired data set entities of said at least one additional displayed categorical identifier and each of said desired additional displayed categorical identifiers, when each of said desired data set entities is displayed in its respective preselected location; and

    searching for and retrieving records having data fields corresponding to each additional selected data set entity using only those records which were found to have data field-data set entity correspondence in preceding searches.

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