System and a method for a database search, and a medium for storing database searching programs

• US 6,629,091 B1
• Filed: 04/29/1999
• Issued: 09/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Miura, Iwao, Sakaki, Youko
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): HWANG, JOON H
• Application Number:
  US09/301,620
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-10, 707/501, 707/100-102, 707/103, 707/104.1, 709/200-203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A database search system searches a database through a network. The database reduces the load maintained in a server, and allows users of a client terminal to direct the search condition and to change the method for displaying a list of the search results. Database information and search information are included in a hypertext part defining a screen for the search. A CGI processing part generates automatically a database search sentence (an SQL sentence) based on the information described in the hypertext part. A screen input control part includes a function editing by a graphical user interface the hypertext source defining a screen in the client terminal.

Claims

1. A database searching system, comprising:

a database having tables comprised of fields;

a client;

a server sending hypertext defining a screen for a database search and containing database information relating to a plurality of fields in a plurality of relationally linked tables, search condition information defining search contents that can be searched, and editing information that enables a client to edit the search condition, receiving from the client search direction information based on the search information, making a search sentence based on the search direction information, relationally searching the database according to the search sentence, and sending search results resulting from the search; and

said client receives the hypertext sent by the server, makes the search direction information by selecting database fields with graphical controls based on the editing information, and sends the search direction information to the server, wherein the database is a relational database further comprising an intermediate table having information interrelating tables having one of direct and indirect common fields, the intermediate table being used to make the search sentences.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the search direction information comprises:

item information reflective of whether each item included in the database information and the search information is to be a search item;

a list item condition of the search result reflective of whether to display the search results with the list item; and

sort condition information reflective of whether the search result is to be sorted when displayed.

3. A method for searching a database in a system comprising plural terminals connected through a network, comprising:

receiving by a terminal A a screen directing a relational search from another terminal B, and receiving by the terminal B a search direction from the terminal A to search a database, and sending a search result to the terminal A; and

at the terminal A, creating the search direction based on a hypertext screen containing search information defining search contents that can be searched, and database information relating to a plurality of fields in a plurality of relationally linked tables, and editing information comprising information that enables a client to edit the search contents;

sending the search direction to the terminal B; and

at the terminal B, creating automatically a search sentence for relationally querying the database using the search information, the database information, and information interrelating tables in the database, wherein the database is a relational database comprised of the plurality of tables and an intermediate table containing the information interrelating the plurality of tables, which tables have one of direct and indirect common fields, the terminal A is a client terminal and the terminal B is a server, and the screen sent from the terminal B to the terminal A is hypertext for a browser, and the server creates the search sentence based on the search information, the database information, and the interrelating information in the intermediate table.

4. A memory medium storing a program implemented in a server of a system for searching a database by a browser based on hypertext, the program comprising:

a process sending database information of a relational search object, comprising database information relating to a plurality of fields in a plurality of relationally linked tables, search information defining search contents that can be searched, and editing information comprising information that enables a client to edit the search contents, in hypertext for defining a screen of a database relational search stored in advance to the client terminal by a search direction; and

a process automatically generating a database relational search sentence based on the information described in the hypertext by the request of the search direction of client terminal, and outputting a search result of the database generated by the database relational search sentence to the client terminal making the request, wherein the server further comprises an intermediate table having information interrelating the plurality of tables, which have one of direct and indirect common fields, and the intermediate table being used to make the search sentences.

5. A memory medium storing a program implemented in a server of a system for searching a database by a browser based on hypertext, the program comprising:

a process sending database information of a relational search object, comprising database information relating to a plurality of fields in a plurality of relationally linked tables, search information defining search contents that can be searched, and editing information comprising information that enables a client to edit the search contents, in hypertext for defining a screen of a database relational search stored in advance to the client terminal by a search direction; and

a process automatically generating a database relational search sentence based on the information described in the hypertext by the request of the search direction of client terminal, and outputting a search result of the database generated by the database relational search sentence to the client terminal making the request, wherein the server further comprises an intermediate table having information interrelating the plurality of tables, which have one of direct and indirect common fields, and where the intermediate table is used to automatically make the search sentences that implement relational queries.

6. A memory medium storing a program implemented in a server of a system for searching a database by a browser based on hypertext, the program comprising:

a process sending database information of a relational search object, comprising database information relating to a plurality of fields in a plurality of relationally linked tables, search information defining search contents that can be searched, and editing information comprising information that enables a client to edit the search contents, in hypertext for defining a screen of a database relational search stored in advance to the client terminal by a search direction; and

a process automatically generating a database relational search sentence based on the information described in the hypertext by the request of the search direction of client terminal, and outputting a search result of the database generated by the database relational search sentence to the client terminal making the request, wherein the server further comprises an intermediate table having information interrelating the plurality of tables, which have one of direct and indirect common fields, and where the intermediate table is used to make the search sentence for relationally querying the database.