Method and apparatus for database filter generation by display selection
First Claim
1. A computer operable method for generating a database filter comprising:
- selecting data on a computer display screen by highlighting a portion of at least one value on said computer display screen that is indicative of a desired filter in response to user supplied input, wherein said data represents a plurality of data values stored in a database table; and
generating commands to select database records in accordance with said desired filter.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for selecting records from a displayed database table by generating an SQL SELECT command for filtering the displayed records in accordance with cell values highlighted by user input. A presently selected set of records from a desired table (generally referred to as a record set or record source) are displayed on the user'"'"'s display screen. The user selects particular values in cells (an intersection of a row and a column of the displayed table) by highlighting the values using the pointer device or keyboard of the computer system. Methods of the present invention then generate an SQL select (filter) command to selectively retrieve those records from the displayed records which match the user'"'"'s highlighted values. A fully highlighted cell indicates exact equality is desired by the user, a beginning portion highlighted indicates that the user wishes to match records whose corresponding column starts with the highlighted value, and ending portion selection matches the ending portion of qualified records, and a middle portion highlighted matches any record containing the highlighted value. Values highlighted in the same row generate logically AND'"'"'d clauses in the SELECT command while the comparison generated for a row are logically OR'"'"'d with the comparisons generated for other rows. The user may indicate that the highlighted values are for selection (inclusion of qualified records) or for exclusion selection (exclusion of qualified records). A new select (filter) command may be logically AND'"'"'d with the prior filter to permit complex selection criteria to be defined by simple graphical user inputs.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A computer operable method for generating a database filter comprising:
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selecting data on a computer display screen by highlighting a portion of at least one value on said computer display screen that is indicative of a desired filter in response to user supplied input, wherein said data represents a plurality of data values stored in a database table; and generating commands to select database records in accordance with said desired filter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer operable method for generating a database filter comprising the steps of:
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displaying presently selected database records of a database on a computer display screen having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein the intersection of each of said plurality of rows with each of said plurality of columns is a cell; graphically selecting, in response to user supplied input, data displayed in at least one cell by highlighting a portion of a value in said at least one cell wherein said value is indicative of records to be selected by a desired filter; generating SQL commands to select newly selected database records from said presently selected database records in accordance with said desired filter; and displaying said newly selected database records on said computer display screen. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program or instructions executable by the computer to perform the method steps for generating a database filter, said method steps comprising:
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selecting data, that represent data values stored in a database table on a computer display screen indicative of a desired filter in response to user supplied input by highlighting a portion of at least one of said data values on said computer display screen; and generating commands to select database records in accordance with said desired filter. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program or instructions executable by the computer to perform the method steps for generating a database filter, said method steps comprising:
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displaying presently selected database records of a database on a computer display screen having a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein the intersection of each of said plurality of rows with each of said plurality of columns is a cell; graphically selecting, in response to user supplied input, data displayed in at least one cell by highlighting a portion of a value in said at least one cell wherein said value is indicative of records to be selected by a desired filter; generating SQL commands to select newly selected database records from said presently selected database records in accordance with said desired filter; and displaying said newly selected database records on said computer display screen. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification