Method and apparatus for displaying and updating structured information
First Claim
1. A method for displaying structured information formed from plural interrelated tables, the method comprising the steps of:
- storing the plural interrelated tables such that each of the tables includes at least one join field which links that table to at least one other of the plural tables;
storing a structural map which, based on the join fields in the plural tables, describes interrelationships and pathing among the plural tables which form the structured information;
storing plural display maps, each said display map corresponding to one user-selectable display of information from the plural tables and defining the manner and placement of information on display means, each said display map including an information display part which designates which of the plural tables information for display is obtained from, and at least some of said display maps including a structural display part which designates when structural indicators rather than information from the plural tables is to be displayed; and
displaying information from the plural tables in accordance with a user selection of one or more of said plural display maps, wherein, based on the information display part of the selected display map, information from designated ones of the plural tables is displayed on display means in the manner and placement defined by the selected display map, and wherein in the case where the selected display map includes a structural display part, a structural indicator in accordance with the structural map is displayed;
wherein when information is displayed the information is filtered in accordance with the interrelationships and pathing defined in the structural map such that not all information designated in the information display part of the selected display map is necessarily displayed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for displaying structured information such that the information is filtered and displayed mixed with structural indicators. Plural interrelated tables, which form the structured information, are stored such that each of the tables includes at least one join field which links that table to at least one other of the plural tables. Two kinds of maps are stored: a structural map and plural display maps. The structural map is based on the join fields in the plural tables and describe interrelationships and pathing among the plural tables. Each of the plural display maps corresponds to one user-selectable display of information from the plural tables and defines the manner and placement of information on display means. Each display map includes an information display part which designates how information from the tables is to be displayed, with at least some of the display maps including a structural display part which designates when structural indicators rather than information is to be displayed. Information from the plural tables is displayed mixed with structural indicators in accordance with a user selection of one or more of the plural display maps and in accordance with the information display part and the structural display part. In addition to this mixed display of structure and information, when information is displayed the information is filtered in accordance with the interrelationships and pathing defined in the structural map such that not all information designated in the information display part is necessarily displayed.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A method for displaying structured information formed from plural interrelated tables, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing the plural interrelated tables such that each of the tables includes at least one join field which links that table to at least one other of the plural tables; storing a structural map which, based on the join fields in the plural tables, describes interrelationships and pathing among the plural tables which form the structured information; storing plural display maps, each said display map corresponding to one user-selectable display of information from the plural tables and defining the manner and placement of information on display means, each said display map including an information display part which designates which of the plural tables information for display is obtained from, and at least some of said display maps including a structural display part which designates when structural indicators rather than information from the plural tables is to be displayed; and displaying information from the plural tables in accordance with a user selection of one or more of said plural display maps, wherein, based on the information display part of the selected display map, information from designated ones of the plural tables is displayed on display means in the manner and placement defined by the selected display map, and wherein in the case where the selected display map includes a structural display part, a structural indicator in accordance with the structural map is displayed; wherein when information is displayed the information is filtered in accordance with the interrelationships and pathing defined in the structural map such that not all information designated in the information display part of the selected display map is necessarily displayed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for displaying information from plural interrelated tables, each table including a join field which links that table to at least one other table, comprising the steps of:
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defining a structural map that describes the interrelationships and pathing among the plural tables, the structural maps being based on the join fields that link the plural tables; defining a multi-level display map for describing the manner and placement of information from the plural tables on display means, the display map including a first level which designates which information from the plural tables is displayed as well as where to display a structural indicator of further structure in the plural tables, and a second level which corresponds to the structural indicator and which designates which information from the plural tables is displayed in response to user selection of the structural indicator; and displaying, based on the display map, information from the plural tables mixed with the structural indicator, wherein in response to user selection of the structural indicator, information from the second level is displayed and it is filtered by a previous level of structure from the structural map. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for displaying structured information formed from plural interrelated tables, comprising:
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first storing means for storing the plural interrelated tables such that each of the tables includes at least one join field which links that table to at least on other of the plural tables; second storing means for storing a structural map which, based on the join fields in the plural tables, describes interrelationships and pathing among the plural tables which form the structured information; third storing means for storing plural display maps, each said display map corresponding to one user-selectable display of information from the plural tables and defining the manner and placement of information on display means, each said display map including an information display part which designates which of the plural tables information for display is obtained from, and at least some of said display maps including a structural display part which designates when structural indicators rather than information from the plural tables is to be displayed; and display means for displaying information from the plural tables in accordance with a user selection of one or more of said plural display maps, wherein, based on the information display part of the selected display map, the information from designated ones of the plural tables is displayed on the display means in the manner and placement defined by the selected display map, and wherein in the case where the selected display map includes a structural display part, a structural indicator in accordance with the structural map is displayed; wherein when information is displayed the information is filtered in accordance with the interrelationship and pathing defined in the structural map such that not all information designated in the information display part of the selected display map is necessarily displayed. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. An apparatus for displaying information from plural interrelated tables, each table including a join field which links that table to at least one other table, comprising:
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first storing means for storing a structural map that describes the interrelationships and pathing among the plural tables, the structural maps being based on the join fields that link the plural tables; second storing means for storing a multi-level display map for describing the manner and placement of information from the plural tables on display means, the display map including a first level which designates which information from the plural tables is displayed as well as where to display a structural indicator of further structure in the plural tables, and a second level which corresponds to the structural indicator and which designates which information from the plural tables is displayed in response to user selection of the structural indicator; and displaying means for displaying, based on the display map, information from the plural tables mixed with the structural indicator, wherein in response to user selection of the structural indicator, information from the second level is displayed and it is filtered by a previous level of structure from the structural map. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification