Single graphical approach for representing and merging boolean logic and mathematical relationship operators

• US 6,658,404 B1
• Filed: 09/20/1999
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zarbana Digital Fund LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Libera Inc
• Inventors: Cecchini, Albert B. P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kim
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAM V
• Application Number:
  US09/399,370
• Time in Patent Office: 1,534 Days
• Field of Search: 345/835, 345/968, 345/769, 345/764, 345/837, 345/7, 345/8, 345/762, 345/763, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103.R, 707/103.Y, 707/103, 707/103.Z, 707/104.1, 707/4, 707/3
• US Class Current: 707/758
• 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 16/243 Natural language query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/954 Relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

System and method for generating graphic queries which intuitively represent Boolean and evaluation expressions where the graphic language includes “vocabulary”, “grammar”, “structure”, and “meaning”. Graphic “sentences” construct queries to databases that denote specific Boolean relationships and evaluation expressions. Items enclosed within graphic objects result in “sentences” based on the shape and/or juxtaposition of the graphic objects, format of the line segments and point size of the graphic objects. The graphic Boolean objects are used to enclose words, values, fields, or other objects thereby generating query syntax. Dictionaries representing the meaning of the graphic syntax can be swapped to produce different syntactical representations.

Claims

1. A method of graphically generating a query expression for use by a database system comprising the steps of:

first generating graphical objects, representing prescribed query elements according to a prescribed syntax, in response to user inputs to a graphic user interface; and

second generating the query elements from the graphical objects based on a correlation thereof with the prescribed syntax, said graphical objects syntactically encapsulating the vocabulary, structure, and meaning of at least one of a Boolean operator, arithmetic value relationship, or wild card expression thereby defining the search in its entirety.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the graphical objects include at least one enclosure enclosing at least a second of the other graphical objects.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the second generating step includes selecting a query relation for the at least the second of the other graphical objects based on a line segment format of the enclosure.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the selecting step includes determining an expressional relationship of the at least the second of the other graphical objects enclosed by the enclosure based on a shape of the enclosure.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the determining step includes identifying one of a Boolean OR relationship and a Boolean AND relationship based on an arrangement of the other graphical objects within the enclosure.

6. A method according to claim 2, second generating step includes identifying an expressional relationship between at least two of the graphical objects based on respective sizes of the at least two graphical objects.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein a first and second of the at least two objects have first and second sizes, respectively, the expressional relationship of the first of the two objects and the second of the two objects being the first object greater than the second object if the first size is greater than the second object, the expressional relationship of the first object and the second object being the first object less than the second object if the first size is less than the second size, and the expressional relationship of the first object and the second object being equal if the first size is equal to the second size.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the second generating step includes selecting at least one of a logical and expressional relationship between the objects based on a selected dictionary that specifies the prescribed syntax.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising outputting the query elements to a query translator for generation of the query expression according to a prescribed format.

10. A method of graphically generating a database search query, comprising the steps of:

a) first generating one or more graphical objects which represent respective query elements;

b) second generating query elements from the graphical objects; and

c) third generating the database search query from the query elements, said graphical objects syntactically encapsulating the vocabulary, structure, and meaning of at least one of a Boolean operator, arithmetic value relationship, or wild card expression thereby defining the search in its entirety.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the graphical objects include at least one enclosure enclosing at least a second of the other graphical objects.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the second generating step includes selecting a query relation for the at least the second of the other graphical objects based on a line segment format of the enclosure.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the selecting step includes determining a Boolean relationship of the at least the second of the other graphical objects enclosed by the enclosure based on a shape of the enclosure.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the determining step includes identifying one of a Boolean OR relationship and a Boolean AND relationship based on an arrangement of the other graphical objects within the enclosure.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the second generating step includes identifying an expressional relationship between at least two of the graphical objects based on respective sizes of the at least two graphical objects.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein a first and second of the at least two objects have first and second sizes, respectively, the expressional relationship of the first of the two objects and the second of the two objects being the first object greater than the second object if the first size is greater than the second size, the expressional relationship of the first object and the second object being the first object less than the second object if the first size is less than the second size, and the expressional relationship of the first object and the second object being equal if the first size is equal to the second size.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the second generating step includes selecting at least one of a logical and expressional relationship between the objects based on a selected dictionary that specifies the prescribed syntax.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the third generating step includes outputting the query elements to a query translator for generation of the query expression according to a prescribed format.

24. The method of claim 11, wherein the second generating step includes selecting at least one of a logical and expressional relationship between the objects based on a selected dictionary that specifies the prescribed syntax.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the third generating step includes outputting the query elements to a query translator for generation of the query expression according to a prescribed format.

19. A method of searching a database of records, comprising the steps of:

a) first generating one or more graphical objects which represent respective query elements;

b) second generating the query elements from the graphical objects;

c) third generating a database search query from the query elements; and

d) searching for records in the database based on the database search query,

wherein said graphical objects syntactically encapsulate the vocabulary, structure, and meaning of at least one of a Boolean operator, arithmetic value relationship, or wild card expression thereby defining the search in its entirety.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the graphical objects include at least a second of the enclosure enclosing at least one other graphical object and the second generating step includes selecting a query relation for the at least the second of the other graphical objects based on a line segment format of the enclosure.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the selecting step includes determining a Boolean relationship of the at least the second of the other graphical objects enclosed by the enclosure based on a shape of the enclosure, the determining step including identifying one of a Boolean OR relationship and a Boolean AND relationship based on the shape of the enclosure.

22. A method according to claim 21, wherein the second generating step includes identifying an expressional relationship between at least two of the graphical objects based on respective sizes of the at least two graphical objects.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein a first and second of the at least two objects have first and second sizes, respectively, the expressional relationship of the first of the two objects and the second of the two objects being the first object greater than the second object if the first size is greater than the second object, the expressional relationship of the first object and the second object being the first object less than the second object if the first size is less than the second size, and the expressional relationship of the first object and the second object being equal if the first size is equal to the second size.

26. An apparatus for generating a search query for a database of records, comprising:

a graphic user interface configured for generating graphical objects in response to user inputs; and

a graphic query generator for generating the search query according to a prescribed syntax based on the graphical objects, said graphical objects syntactically encapsulating the vocabulary, structure, and meaning of at least one of a Boolean operator, arithmetic value relationship, or wild card expression thereby defining the search in its entirety.

27. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the graphical objects include at least one enclosure enclosing at least one other graphical object and the enclosure includes at least one line segment, the graphic query generator selecting a query relation of objects enclosed by the enclosure based on a format of the line segment varies according to a Boolean relationship.

28. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein graphic query generator identifies a Boolean relationship of objects enclosed by the enclosure and the enclosure as one of a Boolean OR relationship and a Boolean AND relationship based on a shape of the enclosure.

29. An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the enclosure encloses a first object having a first size and a second object having a second size, the graphic query generator determines an expressional relationship between the first object and the second object based on the respective first and second sizes.

30. An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the graphic query generator determines that the first object is greater than the second object if the first size is greater than the second size, the Boolean relationship of the first object and the second object is the first object is less than the second object if the first size is less than the second size, and the first object is equal to the second object if the first size is equal to the second size.