Method and apparatus for data retrieval and modification utilizing graphical drag-and-drop iconic interface

• US 6,317,739 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1998
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hirata, Masafumi, Minakuchi, Mitsuru, Urano, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Homere, Jean R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wassum, Luke S
• Application Number:
  US09/195,549
• Time in Patent Office: 1,090 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/100, 707/102, 707/104, 345/346, 345/326, 345/339, 345/340
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A data management method of obtaining accurately the number of data satisfying a retrieval condition and the number of data not satisfying a retrieval condition is employed in a data management apparatus including: a storage device storing a plurality of data, each data having an attribute and an attribute value associated with each attribute; a display device; a control circuit for displaying on the display device a region for each attribute value of a certain attribute and a plurality of icons representing the plurality of data, respectively, on each region; and a circuit to retrieve data by a filter to which an attribute and an attribute value are related. The data management method includes the steps of displaying the plurality of icons on a region provided for every attribute value as to a certain attribute; generating a filter overlapping the region; moving or modifying the configuration of the filter on the region arbitrarily; entering a retrieval condition as to an attribute and an attribute value related to the filter; detecting whether the region has an overlapping section with the filter; and detecting data that meets the retrieval condition when the region has an overlapping section with the filter.

Claims

1. A data management method in a data management apparatus including storage means for storing a plurality of data of interest, and an attribute value respectively assigned to said plurality of data as to an arbitrary number of attributes,

a display device,

operation designation input means for receiving operation designation from a user through an operation by the user with respect to an object displayed on said display device, and

data operation means for carrying out an operation on said plurality of data according to operation designation obtained by said operation designation input means, said data management method comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of icons representing said plurality of data respectively inside a certain region in a display screen of said display device;

having a new attribute defined by a user using said operation designation input means;

adding a new region differing from said certain region into the display screen of said display device using said operation designation input means to generate a plurality of regions;

having an attribute value defined to each of said plurality of regions by a user using said operation designation input means;

detecting movement of any of said plurality of icons between said plurality of regions by said operation designation input means;

determining which of said regions said moved icon is shifted to; and

modifying the attribute value of the data corresponding to the moved icon to an attribute value defined to the region in which the moved icon is located;

generating another new region when there is data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute; and

displaying an icon representing said data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute within said new region.

2. A data management method in a data management apparatus including storage means for storing a plurality of data of interest, and an attribute value assigned respectively to said plurality of data as to an arbitrary number of attributes,

a display device,

operation designation input means for receiving operation designation from a user through an operation by the user for an object displayed on said display device, and

data operation means for carrying out an operation on said plurality of data according to operation designation obtained by said operation designation input means, said data management method comprising the steps of:

preparing in said storage means a plurality of data to which an attribute values is respectively assigned as to first and second attributes;

prescribing a plurality of regions not overlapping each other on the display screen of said display device, prepared for every attribute value defined as to said first attribute;

prescribing a display position of a plurality of icons representing respective data having an attribute value corresponding to each said region with respect to said first attribute to display said plurality of icons within each said region;

displaying said plurality of regions and said plurality of icons at a prescribed display position within the display screen of said display device;

defining a first filter related to a desired attribute value with respect to said second attribute on said display screen using said operation designation input means;

classifying said displayed icon in said region partially overlapping with said first filter according to whether an assigned attribute value as to said second attribute for the data represented by said icon has a predetermined relationship with the attribute value to which said first filter is related, and moving said icon inside and outside said first filter;

generating a new region when there is data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute; and

displaying an icon representing said data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute within in said new region.

3. The data management method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

having an attribute value related to said first filter input by an user using said operation designation input means; and

when an instruction of modifying an attribute value of data corresponding to an icon displayed within said first filter into an attribute value of said first filter is input by a user using said operation designation input means, modifying an attribute value of the data corresponding to the icon displayed in said first filter into an attribute value of said first filter.

4. The data management method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of, when an overlapping section of said region and said filter is selected by said operation designation input means and an enlarged display of said overlapping section is requested, displaying said overlapping section and the icon displayed in said overlapping section in an enlarged manner, and displaying an attribute and an attribute value of the data represented by said icon.

5. The data management method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of, when an overlapping section of said region and said filter is selected by said operation designation input means and another display of said overlapping section is requested, displaying the icon located in said overlapping section and the attribute and attribute value of data corresponding to said icon in respective different regions.

6. The data management method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of detecting movement of one of said plurality of icons to a section in said first filter and overlapping with one of said plurality of regions to modify an attribute value of said second attribute and an attribute value of said first attribute with respect to the data represented by said moved icon to an attribute value related to said first filter and to an attribute value related to the region in which said moved icon is newly located, respectively.

7. The data management method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

assigning an attribute value as to a third attribute to said plurality of data;

defining a second filter associated with a desired attribute value with respect to said third attribute on said display screen using said operation designation input means; and

classifying said displayed icon depending upon whether the assigned attribute value as to said second and third attributes for the data represented by said icon has a predetermined relationship with the attribute value related to said first and second filters, respectively, and moving said icon to any of a region inside both said first and second filters, a region inside either said first or second filter, or region in neither said first nor second filter for display.

8. The data management method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of detecting movement of one of said plurality of icons to a section in a region inside both said first and second filters and overlapping one of said plurality of regions, and modifying an attribute value of said third attribute, an attribute value of said second attribute, and an attribute value of said first attribute with respect to data represented by said moved icon to an attribute value related to said second filter, an attribute value associated with said first filter, and an attribute value associated with the region in which said moved icon is newly located, respectively.

9. The data management method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of, when there is no region where said first and second filters overlap each other, and when a same icon is displayed in a region inside said fist filter and a region inside said second filter, displaying said same icon in an emphasized manner.

10. The data management method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of, when there is no region where said first and second filters overlap each other, and when a same icon is displayed in a region inside said first filter and a region inside said second filter, deforming said first and second filters respectively so as to produce a region where said first and second filters overlap each other, and moving said same icon to a region inside both said first and second filters for display.

11. The data management method according to claim 5, wherein said first and second filters are displayed in different colors, and a region inside both said first and second filters is displayed in a color differing from the colors of said first and second filters.

12. The data management method according to claim 5, wherein said first filter, said second filter, and a region inside both said first and second filters respectively have a height, and are displayed in a three dimensional manner.

13. A data management method in a data management apparatus including storage means for storing a plurality of data of interest, and an attribute value assigned respectively to said plurality of data as to an arbitrary number of attributes,

a display device,

operation designation input means for receiving operation designation from a user through an operation by the user for an object displayed on said display device, and

data operation means for carrying out an operation on said plurality of data according to operation designation obtained by said operation designation input means, said data management method comprising the steps of:

preparing in said storage means a plurality of data to which an attribute value is respectively assigned as to first and second attributes;

prescribing a plurality of regions not overlapping each other on the display screen of said display device, prepared for every attribute value defined as to said first attribute;

prescribing a display position of a plurality of icons representing respective data having an attribute value corresponding to each said region with respect to said first attribute to display said plurality of icons within each said region;

displaying said plurality of regions and said plurality of icons at a prescribed display position within the display screen of said display device;

defining a first filter related to a desired attribute value with respect to said second attribute on said display screen using said operation designation input means, and

detecting movement of one of said plurality of icons to a section in said first filter and overlapping with one of said plurality of regions, and modifying an attribute value of said second attribute and an attribute value of said first attribute of the data represented by said moved icon into an attribute value related to said first filter and an attribute value related to the region in which said moved icon is newly located, respectively;

generating a new region when there is data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute; and

displaying an icon representing said data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute within in said new region.

14. The data management method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

assigning an attribute value as to a third attribute to said plurality of data;

defining a second filter associated with a desired attribute value of said third attribute on said display screen using said operation designation input means; and

detecting movement of one of said plurality of icons to a section inside both said first and second filters and overlapping one of said plurality of regions, and modifying an attribute value of said third attribute, an attribute value of said second attribute, and an attribute value of said first attribute with respect to data represented by said moved icon into an attribute value related to said second filter, an attribute value related to said first filter and an attribute value related to the region in which said moved icon is newly located, respectively.

15. A data management apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing a plurality of data, each data including a plurality of attributes and a plurality of attribute values associated with said plurality of attributes, respectively;

a display device;

means for providing control to display regions not overlapping each other and provided for every attribute value of a certain attribute on said display device, and to display a plurality of icons representing said plurality of data respectively on said region;

means for providing control to detect movement of said icon between said regions, and to modify an attribute value of data represented by said moved icon to an attribute value defined to the region in which said moved icon is newly located;

generating a new region when there is data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute; and

displaying an icon representing said data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute within in said new region.

16. The data management apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

means for defining a filter associated with a desired attribute and a attribute value for display on said display device; and

classifying said displayed icon inside said region partially overlapping said filter according to whether an assigned attribute as to an attribute associated with said filter with respect to data represented by said icon has a predetermined relationship with an attribute value related to said filter, and moving said icon inside and outside said filter for display.

17. The data management apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising means for detecting movement of one of said plurality of icons to a section in said filter and overlapping one of said plurality of regions, and modifying an attribute value of an attribute related to said filter with respect to data represented by said moved icon to an attribute value related to said filter.

18. A computer-readable recording medium in which is recorded a data management program for executing with a computer a data management method of displaying a plurality of icons corresponding to a plurality of data in a region provided for every attribute value of a certain attribute, not overlapping each other, each data including a plurality of attributes and a plurality of attribute values respectively associated with said plurality of attributes, said data management method comprising the steps of:

displaying said plurality of icons representing said plurality of data respectively within a certain region;

having a new attribute defined by an user;

adding a new region differing from said certain region to generate a plurality of regions;

having an attribute value defined for each of said plurality of regions by a user;

detecting movement of any of said plurality of icons between said plurality of regions;

determining which of the regions the moved icon is shifted to; and

modifying an attribute value of data corresponding to said moved icon into an attribute value defined to the region in which said moved icon is newly located;

generating another new region when there is data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute; and

displaying an icon representing said data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute within in said new region.

19. A computer-readable recording medium in which is recorded a data management program for executing with a computer a data management method to display a plurality of icons corresponding to a plurality of data in a region provided for every attribute value of a certain attribute and not overlapping each other, each data including a plurality of attributes and a plurality of attribute values related to said plurality of attributes, said data management method comprising the steps of:

preparing said plurality of data to which an attribute value is assigned as to first and second attributes;

prescribing a plurality of regions not overlapping each other, prepared for every attribute value defined as to said first attribute;

prescribing a display position of said plurality of icons representing respective data having an attribute value corresponding to each said region with respect to said first attribute to display said plurality of icons in each said region;

displaying said plurality of regions and said plurality of icons at respective prescribed display positions;

defining a first filter associated with a desired attribute value of said second attribute on said plurality of regions;

classifying said displayed icon in said region partially overlapping with said first filter according to whether an assigned attribute value as to said second attribute for the data represented by said icon has a predetermined relationship with an attribute value related to said first filter, and shifting said icon inside and outside said first filter for display;

generating a new region when there is data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute; and

displaying an icon representing said data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute within in said new region.

20. The computer-readable recording medium in which a data management program is recorded according to claim 19, said data management method further comprising the steps of:

having an attribute value related to said first filter input by a user; and

when an instruction of modifying an attribute value of data corresponding to an icon displayed within said first filter into an attribute value of said first filter is input by a user, modifying an attribute value of the data corresponding to the icon displayed within said first filter into an attribute value of said first filter.

21. The computer-readable recording medium in which a data management program is recorded according to claim 19, said data management method further comprising the step of, when an overlapping section of said region and said filter is selected and an enlarged display of said overlapping section is requested, displaying said overlapping section and the icon displayed within said overlapping section in an enlarged manner, and displaying an attribute and an attribute value of the data represented by said icon.

22. The computer-readable recording medium in which a data management program is recorded according to claim 19, said data management method further comprising the step of, when an overlapping section of said region and said filter is selected and another display of said overlapping section is requested, displaying the icon located within said overlapping section and the attribute and attribute value of data corresponding to said icon in respective different regions.

23. The computer-readable recording medium in which a data management program is recorded according to claim 19, said data management method further comprising the step of detecting movement of one of said plurality of icons to a section in said first filter and overlapping one of said plurality of regions, and modifying an attribute value of said second attribute and an attribute value of said first attribute with respect to data represented by said moved icon into an attribute value related to said first filter and an attribute value related to the region in which said moved icon is newly located, respectively.

24. The computer-readable recording medium in which a data management program is recorded according to claim 19, said data management method further comprising the steps of:

assigning an attribute value as to a third attribute to said plurality of data;

defining a second filter associated with a desired attribute value of said third attribute on said plurality of regions; and

classifying said displayed icon according to whether an assigned attribute value as to said second and third attributes for the data represented by said icon has a predetermined relationship with the attribute values associated with said first and second filters respectively, and moving said icon into any of a region inside both said first and second filters, a region inside either said first or second filter, and a region in neither the first nor second filter for display.

25. The computer-readable recording medium in which a data management program is recorded according to claim 24, said data management method further comprising the steps of:

detecting movement of one of said plurality of icons to a section inside both said first and second filters and overlapping one of said plurality of regions, and modifying an attribute value of said third attribute, an attribute value of said second attribute, and an attribute value of said first attribute with respect to the data represented by said moved icon into an attribute value related to said second filter, an attribute value related to said first filter, and an attribute value related to the region in which said moved icon is newly located, respectively.

26. The computer-readable recording medium in which a data management program is recorded according to claim 24, said data management method further comprising the steps of:

when there is no region where said first and second filters overlap each other, and when a same icon is displayed in a region inside said first filter and a region inside said second filter, displaying said same icon in an emphasized manner.

27. The computer-readable recording medium in which a data management program is recorded according to claim 24, said data management method further comprising the steps of:

when there is no region where said first and second filters overlap each other, and a same icon is displayed in a region inside said first filter and a region inside said second filter, deforming said first and second filters respectively so as to produce a region where said first and second filters overlap each other, and moving said same icon to a region inside both said first and second filters for display.

28. The computer-readable recording medium in which a data management program is recorded according to claim 24, wherein said first and second filter are displayed in different colors, and a region inside both said first and second filters is displayed in a color differing from the colors of said first and second filters.

29. The computer-readable recording medium in which a data management program is recorded according to claim 24, wherein said first filter, said second filter, and a region inside both said first and second filters respectively have a height, and are displayed in a three dimensional manner.

30. A computer-readable recording medium in which is recorded a data management program for executing with a computer a data management method to display a plurality of icons corresponding to a plurality of data in a region provided for every attribute value of a certain attribute, not overlapping each other, each data including a plurality of attributes and a plurality of attribute values related to said plurality of attributes, said data management method comprising the steps of:

preparing said plurality of data to which an attribute value is assigned as to first and second attributes;

prescribing a plurality of regions not overlapping each other, prepared for every attribute value defined as to said first attribute;

prescribing a display position of said plurality of icons representing respective data having an attribute value corresponding to each said region with respect to said first attribute to display said plurality of icons in each said region;

displaying said plurality of regions and said plurality of icons at respective prescribed display positions;

defining a first filter associated with a desired attribute value with respect to said second attribute on said plurality of regions, and

detecting movement of one of said plurality of icons into a section in said first filter and overlapping one of said plurality of regions, and modifying an attribute value of said second attribute and an attribute value of said first attribute with respect to the data represented by said moved icon into an attribute value related to said first filter and an attribute value related to the region in which the moved icon is newly located, respectively;

generating a new region when there is data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute; and

displaying an icon representing said data that does not have an attribute value for a certain attribute within in said new region.

31. The computer-readable recording medium in which a data management program is recorded according to claim 30, said data management method further comprising the steps of

assigning an attribute value as to a third attribute to said plurality of data;

defining a second filter associated with a desired attribute value with respect to said third attribute on said plurality of regions; and

detecting movement of one of said plurality of icons to a section in a region inside both said first and second filters and overlapping one of said plurality of regions, and modifying an attribute value of said third attribute and an attribute value of said second attribute with respect to the data represented by the moved icon into an attribute value related to said first filter and into an attribute value related to the region in which the moved icon is newly located, respectively.