Method and apparatus for maintaining a record of set-creating data processing activities and associated data sets

• US 5,428,735 A
• Filed: 12/28/1992
• Issued: 06/27/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stanners, Sharon, Torres, Robert J., Lee, Raymond E., Kahl, Daryl J., King, Chen D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURRASTON, NEIL
• Application Number:
  US07/997,397
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 345/115, 364/419.13, 364/419.19, 364/419.07, 364/419.08, 395/153, 395/160, 395/161, 395/600, 395/159
• US Class Current: 715/839
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A method for maintaining a record of set-creating data processing activities and associated data sets. The method includes the steps of creating and displaying a plurality of visual representations, one for each of the set-creating activities, and arranging the visual representations to indicate a hierarchical relationship within the set-creating activities. The visual representations may be used to select for viewing a particular one of either the set-creating activities or the associated data sets, and displaying them on the data processing system. The display may correspond to a duration of an operator input activity, or to a time interval defined by an initiating operator input at a terminating operator input. In its simplest form, the method requires the arrangement of the visual representations in a hierarchy which corresponds to set-creation chronology.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for maintaining a record of set-creating activities and associated sets, comprising the method sets of:

creating a textual record of set-creating search queries and associated search result sets;

creating and displaying a plurality of visual representations, separate from said textual record of set-creating search queries and associated search result sets, which comprise a plurality of icons, one for each of said set-creating search queries, each consisting of at least an image; and

arranging said visual representations to indicate a hierarchical relationship within said set-creating search queries.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

using a selected one of said visual representations to select for viewing a particular one of said set-creating search queries; and

displaying said particular one of said set-creating search queries.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said step of displaying comprises:

displaying said particular one of said set-creating search queries for a time interval corresponding to an operator input.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said step of displaying comprises:

displaying said particular one of said set-creating search queries for a time interval corresponding to a duration of an operator input activity.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein said step of displaying comprises:

displaying said particular one of said set-creating search queries in a selected one of a plurality of presentation formats in response to an operator input.

6. A method according to claim 2, further comprising:

simultaneously maintaining an active workspace for receiving operator input for generation of additional set-creating search queries.

7. A method according to claim 2, whenever said step of displaying comprises:

displaying said particular one of said set-creating search queries for a time interval defined by an initiating operator input and a terminating operator input.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

using a selected one of said visual representations to select for viewing a particular one of said associated search result sets; and

displaying said particular one of said associated sets.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said step of displaying comprises:

displaying said particular one of said associated search result sets for a time interval corresponding to an operator input.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein said step of displaying comprises:

displaying said particular one of said associated search result sets for a time interval corresponding to a duration of an operator input activity.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein said step of displaying comprises:

displaying said particular one of said associated search result sets in a selected one of a plurality of presentation formats, in response to an operator input.

12. A method according to claim 8, further comprising:

simultaneously maintaining an active work space for receiving operator input for generation of additional set-creating search queries.

13. A method according to claim 8, whenever said step of displaying comprises:

displaying said particular one of said associated search result sets for a time interval defined by an initiating operator input and a terminating operator input.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein said hierarchical relationship provides a visual indication of set creation chronology.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

after execution, said set-creating search queries are automatically stored in said data processing system and associated with particular ones of said plurality of visual representations in accordance with said hierarchical relationship.

16. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

simultaneously maintaining an active workspace for receiving operator input for generation of additional set-creating search queries.

17. A method in a data processing system for maintaining a record of set-creating data processing activities and associated data sets comprising the method steps of:

receiving and processing set-creating data processing instructions and thereby producing an associated data set;

automatically storing a textual record of said set-creating data processing instructions and associated data set in said data processing system;

creating and displaying a visual representation separate from said set-creating data processing instructions and data set of said set-creating data processing instructions and associated data set in a workspace, said visual representation comprising an icon which includes at least an image;

maintaining an active workspace in said data processing system for receipt of additional set-creating data processing instructions;

receiving and processing additional set-creating data processing instructions and thereby producing additional associated data sets;

automatically storing said additional textual records of set-creating data processing instructions and associated data sets in said data processing system;

creating and displaying additional visual representations, separate from said set-creating data processing instructions and associated data sets, of said set-creating data processing instructions and associated data sets in said workspace, said visual representations comprising icons which each include an image;

arranging said visual representations hierarchically to indicate a progression of set-creating data processing activities; and

using said visual representations as software buttons for selective viewing of at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing instructions and (b) said associated data sets.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said visual representations are arranged in a chronological hierarchy.

19. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

displaying at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing instructions and (b) said associated data sets in one of a plurality of viewing formats in response to an operator output.

20. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

displaying at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing instructions and (b) said associated data sets for selected duration in response to an operator input.

21. A data processing system for efficiently maintaining a record of set-creating data processing activities and associated data sets, comprising:

means for creating and displaying a textual record of set-creating data processing search queries and associated search result sets;

means for creating and displaying a plurality of visual representations, one for each of said set-creating data processing search queries;

each of said plurality of visual representations consisting of an icon which includes at least an image portion;

means for arranging said visual representations to indicate a hierarchical relationship within said set-creating data processing search queries; and

means for allowing selective viewing of at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing search queries, and (b) said associated search result sets.

22. A data processing system according to claim 21, further comprising:

means for maintaining at least one active workspace in said data processing system for receipt of instructions defining set-creating data processing search queries.

23. A data processing system according to claim 21, wherein said means for arranging comprises:

means for arranging said visual representations in a chronological hierarchy.

24. A data processing system according to claim 21, wherein said means for allowing selective viewing comprises:

means for allowing selective viewing of at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing search queries, and (b) said associated search result sets for a selected duration.

25. A data processing system according to claim 21, wherein said means for allowing selective viewing comprises:

means for allowing selective viewing of at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing search queries and (b) said associated search result sets in one of a plurality of viewing formats.

26. A data processing system according to claim 21, further comprising:

means for allowing application of set-creating data processing search queries to selected preexisting search result sets.