Scaled depiction of information from a database

• US 5,499,368 A
• Filed: 12/01/1994
• Issued: 03/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Shih-Gong, Tate, Bruce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US08/348,003
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 364/DIG. 1, 364/DIG. 2, 395/600, 395/12, 395/51, 395/52, 395/155, 395/160, 395/161
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/26 Visual data mining; Browsing structured data
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

A method, system and program providing scaled depiction of information from a database. In a preferred form, tables and lists are obtained from a database and used to build a data structure. The data structure is employed to define various relationships between the dynamic data and the database information using a numberline to display ranges of information to a user. The system employs a query interface and a relational database to provide an ergonomic, natural display system for a database user.

Claims

1. An apparatus for displaying a plurality of columns from a database as a plurality of numberlines, said numberlines used to generate a database query, comprising:

a processor;

use controls;

in response to said user controls, means for controlling said processor to retrieve a plurality of columns from said database;

a display for displaying a range of values of each of said retrieved columns, each of said ranges being displayed as one of said numberlines;

in response to said user controls, means for controlling said processor to create at least one subrange of values on each of said numberlines; and

means for controlling said processor to build a database query from said subranges.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for controlling said processor to create at least one subrange comprises:

in response to said user controls, means for controlling said processor to create at least one additional subrange of values on each of said numberlines.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said means for controlling said processor to build a database query comprises:

means for logically ORING said subrange with said at least one additional subrange on each numberline to generate a database subquery for each numberline; and

means for logically ANDING each of said database subqueries to generate said database query.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, including means for displaying a concentration scale adjacent to each of said numberlines, each of said concentration scales indicating a concentration of said values within each of said numberlines.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for controlling said processor to retrieve a plurality of columns comprises:

in response to said user controls, means for retrieving at least one table from said database, said table having one or more columns;

means for retrieving a column name and column type for each of said columns;

means for determining the minimum and maximum value for each of said columns;

means for initializing a number bar by positioning each of said column names on said number bar; and

in response to said user controls, means for retrieving at least one of said columns on said number bar.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein said display for displaying a range of values further comprises:

said display for displaying said minimum and maximum values for each of said columns on each of said numberlines.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said means for controlling said processor to create at least one subrange comprises:

said user controls for positioning a pointer on said numberline;

said user controls for activating said pointer to create a subrange separator, said subrange separator comprising a double dot; and

in response to said user controls, said pointer for moving either dot of said double dot to change said subrange.

8. A method for controlling a computer system, having at least user controls to control a pointer and a display, to display at least one column from a database as a numberline, said numberline used to generate a database query, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

(a) in response to said user controls, retrieving at least one column from said database;

(b) displaying a range of values for said retrieved column as a numberline on said display;

(c) in response to said user controls, creating at least one subrange of values on said numberline;

(d) repeating said steps (a) through (c) until no more columns are retrieved; and

(e) building a database query using each of said subranges.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said step (c) comprises the step of:

in response to said user controls, creating at least one additional subrange of values on each of said numberlines.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein said step of building a database query comprises the steps of:

logically ORING said subrange with said additional subrange on each numberline to generate a database subquery for each numberline; and

logically ANDING each of said database subqueries to generate said database query.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, including the step of displaying a concentration scale adjacent to each of said numberlines, each of said concentration scales indicating a concentration of said values within each of said numberlines.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein said step (a) comprises the steps of:

in response to said user controls, retrieving at least one table from said database, said table having one or more columns;

retrieving a column name and column type for each of said columns;

determining the minimum and maximum value for each of said columns;

initializing a number bar by positioning each of said column names on said number bar; and

in response to said user controls, retrieving one or more of said columns on said number bar.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said step (b) comprises the following step:

displaying said minimum and maximum values of each of said columns on each of said numberlines.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein said step (c) comprises the steps of:

(f) in response to said user controls, positioning said pointer on at least one of said numberlines;

(g) in response to said user controls, activating said pointer to create a subrange separator, said subrange separator comprising a double dot;

(h) in response to said user controls, moving either of said dots according to the movement of said pointer to change said subrange; and

(i) in response to said user controls, repeating said steps (f) through (h) to create additional subranges.

15. An apparatus for displaying at least one column from a database as a numberline, said numberline used to generate a database query, comprising:

a processor;

user controls;

in response to a first command from said user controls, said processor for retrieving at least one column from said database;

a display for displaying a range of values for said retrieved column, said range being displayed as a numberline;

in response to a second command from said user controls, said processor for creating at least a first subrange of values on said numberline; and

said processor for building a database query from said subrange.