Identifier vocabulary data access method and system

• US 6,826,566 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2003
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SpeedTrack, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SpeedTrack, Inc.
• Inventors: Lewak, Jerzy, Yano, Miles Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Channavajjala, Srirama
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, KHANH B
• Application Number:
  US10/345,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20030195873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/6, 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 345/968, 345/762, 345/853
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/242 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9032 Query formulation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

A method of organizing, managing, and providing interactive access to data in a database is disclosed, along with a program and a system for implementing the method. Associations between each data Item and at least one ItemSelector are established and stored. A predefined (but modifiable) Vocabulary of ItemSelectors sufficient to describe each Item of the database is created. Presently selected Items are described by a combination of associations defined by an appropriate Boolean combination of each ItemSelector in a presently selected set of ItemSelectors. A user controls the presently selected set by adding an ItemSelector from a presented group, or by removing a previously selected ItemSelector. The system ideally makes available to the user all relevant ItemSelectors—those which, if added to the presently selected set, would result in a set that describes at least one extant data Item. The system ideally makes all presently selected Items available to the user.

Claims

1. A method of creating a Boolean expression for identifying data Items in a database, comprising:

a) initiating controlled-vocabulary formation of a query by presenting to a user a plurality of ItemSelectors each having a Boolean property associated therewith;

b) accepting a plurality of ItemSelectors selected by the user from among the presented plurality of ItemSelectors, the accepted plurality of ItemSelectors including;

i) at least a first ItemSelector having a first Boolean property associated therewith, and

ii) at least a second ItemSelector having a different second Boolean property associated therewith; and

c) deriving from the accepted ItemSelectors a Boolean expression encompassing the first ItemSelector and the second ItemSelector and reflecting the Boolean property of the first ItemSelector and the Boolean property of the second ItemSelector;

wherein each ItemSelector presented for selection by the user has previously been determined to describe at least one data Item in the database, when combined according to the corresponding Boolean properties with other ItemSelectors presently selected by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises presenting to the user a plurality of groups of ItemSelectors including:

i) a first group consisting of ItemSelectors associated with the first Boolean property, and

ii) a second group consisting of ItemSelectors associated with the second Boolean property.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first Boolean property is disjunctive, and wherein step (b)(i) comprises accepting a plurality of ItemSelectors belonging to the first group of ItemSelectors.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (c) comprises:

i) disjunctively joining the plurality of chosen ItemSelectors that belong to the first group within a parenthetical expression, and

ii) conjunctively joining the parenthetical expression to a Boolean expression containing the second ItemSelector.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein step (b)(ii) comprises accepting a plurality of ItemSelectors belonging to the second group of ItemSelectors;

and further comprising an act (c)(iii) of joining the accepted plurality of ItemSelectors that belong to the second group according to the second Boolean property to form the Boolean expression containing the second ItemSelector.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first Boolean property is disjunctive or exclusive-disjunctive;

and step (b)(i) comprises accepting a plurality of ItemSelectors that are associated with the first Boolean property.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein step (c) comprises:

i) disjunctively joining the plurality of accepted ItemSelectors that are associated with the first Boolean property within a parenthetical expression, and

ii) conjunctively joining the parenthetical expression to a Boolean expression containing the second ItemSelector.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ItemSelectors are each of a type selected from a group consisting of words, phrases, position-independent alphanumeric characters, position-dependent alphanumeric characters, numbers of alphanumeric characters in text of a data Item, value ranges, alphabetical ranges, graphical symbols, and pictures.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

d) creating a set of previously chosen ItemSelectors consisting of all ItemSelectors previously chosen by the user that have not been withdrawn;

e) adding an ItemSelector chosen by the user to the set of previously chosen ItemSelectors to form a set of presently chosen ItemSelectors;

f) presenting, responsive to the set of presently chosen ItemSelectors, a modified collection of ItemSelectors to the user for further selection.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein each ItemSelector presented to the user is a member of a predefined vocabulary of ItemSelectors developed for the particular database.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises graphically displaying to the user a representation of each presented ItemSelector.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein some graphically displayed representations differ from the presented ItemSelector represented.

10. A method of creating a Boolean expression for identifying data Items in a database, comprising:

a) initiating controlled-vocabulary formation of a query by presenting to a user a plurality of ItemSelectors each having a Boolean property associated therewith;

b) accepting a plurality of ItemSelectors selected by the user from among the presented plurality of ItemSelectors, the accepted plurality of ItemSelectors including;

i) at least a first ItemSelector having a first Boolean property associated therewith, and

ii) at least a second ItemSelector having a different second Boolean property associated therewith; and

c) deriving from the accepted ItemSelectors a Boolean expression encompassing the first ItemSelector and the second ItemSelector and reflecting the Boolean property of the first ItemSelector and the Boolean property of the second ItemSelector;

d) creating a set of previously chosen ItemSelectors consisting of all ItemSelectors previously chosen by the user that have not been withdrawn;

e) adding an ItemSelector chosen by the user to the set of previously chosen ItemSelectors to form a set of presently chosen ItemSelectors;

f) presenting, responsive to the set of presently chosen ItemSelectors, a modified collection of ItemSelectors to the user for further selection; and

g) identifying as relevant ItemSelectors that have a property whereby addition of such ItemSelector to the set of presently chosen ItemSelectors creates a set of ItemSelectors that describe at least one data Item within the database.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein step (f) comprises restricting the modified collection of ItemSelectors to ItemSelectors that are identified relevant according to step (g).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein step (f) further comprises making available to the user all ItemSelectors preassociated with the database that are identified as relevant according to step (g).

16. A controlled vocabulary method of interactively creating a Boolean expression for identifying data Items in a database, the method comprising:

a) assigning a multiplicity of ItemSelectors among a plurality of ItemSelector groups including a first group and a second group;

b) implicitly associating each ItemSelector assigned to the first group with a Boolean property associated with the first group, and implicitly associating each ItemSelector assigned to the second group with a Boolean property associated with the second group;

c) initiating a query formation by presenting to a user ItemSelectors assigned to the first group and ItemSelectors assigned to the second group;

d) accepting a plurality of ItemSelectors chosen by the user including at least one ItemSelector assigned to the first group and at least one ItemSelector assigned to the second group;

e) forming a first parenthetical Boolean expression including one or more chosen ItemSelectors assigned to the first group that are joined to each other according to the Boolean property of the first group;

f) forming a second parenthetical Boolean expression including one or more chosen ItemSelectors assigned to the second group that are joined to each other according to the Boolean property of the second group; and

g) joining the first and second parenthetical Boolean expressions as a Boolean conjunction to create the Boolean expression identifying one or more data Items in the database;

wherein each ItemSelector presented to the user for selection has been previously associated with at least one data Item in the database.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the Boolean property associated with the first group is different from the Boolean property associated with the second group.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the Boolean property associated with the first group is disjunctive or exclusive-disjunctive.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the Boolean property associated with each group is a member of a set of Boolean properties consisting of conjunctive, disjunctive, exclusive-disjunctive, and negative Boolean properties.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein step (c) comprises presenting to a user at least a third ItemSelector that is not assigned to the first group or to the second group, step (d) comprises accepting the third ItemSelector after it is chosen by the user, and step (g) comprises conjoining a Boolean expression containing the third ItemSelector to create the Boolean expression identifying one or more data Items in the database.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising (h) creating a vocabulary of ItemSelectors sufficient to describe each data Item in the database.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising (h) determining presently selected data Items as those data Items identified by the Boolean expression that is based upon an existing set of all ItemSelectors previously chosen and not withdrawn by the user.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising (i) presenting data Items determined in step (h) to the user as selectable data Items.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising (i) determining relevant ItemSelectors in each simple group, from which no ItemSelector with a disjunctive Boolean property has been chosen, as those that are related to at least one selected Item, and (j) determining relevant ItemSelectors in each complex group, from which at least one disjunctive ItemSelector has been chosen, as those that are related to at least one Item in a set of Items that is described by the existing set of ItemSelectors reduced by removing therefrom all ItemSelectors in the complex group.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein step (c) further comprises restricting ItemSelectors presented to be chosen by the user to those determined relevant in step (i).

29. The method of claim 28, wherein step (c) further comprises presenting all ItemSelectors that are members of a predefined vocabulary of ItemSelectors and are relevant according to step (i).

22. A method of interactively creating a Boolean expression for identifying data Items in a database, the method comprising:

a) assigning a multiplicity of ItemSelectors among a plurality of ItemSelector groups including a first group and a second group;

b) implicitly associating each ItemSelector assigned to the first group with a Boolean property associated with the first group, and implicitly associating each ItemSelector assigned to the second group with a Boolean property associated with the second group;

c) presenting to a user ItemSelectors assigned to the first group and ItemSelectors assigned to the second group;

d) accepting from the user only a plurality of ItemSelectors chosen by the user from among ItemSelectors presented to the user, including at least one ItemSelector assigned to the first group and at least one ItemSelector assigned to the second group;

e) forming a first parenthetical Boolean expression including one or more chosen ItemSelectors assigned to the first group that are joined to each other according to the Boolean property of the first group;

f) forming a second parenthetical Boolean expression including one or more chosen ItemSelectors assigned to the second group that are joined to each other according to the Boolean property of the second group;

g) joining the first and second parenthetical Boolean expressions as a Boolean conjunction to create the Boolean expression identifying one or more data Items in the database; and

(h) determining relevant ItemSelectors as those ItemSelectors in a predefined vocabulary of ItemSelectors which, when further combined with an existing set of ItemSelectors previously chosen by the user, will create a set of Item Selectors that describe at least one data Item in the database.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein step (c) comprises restricting ItemSelectors presented to the user to those determined relevant according to step (h).

24. The method of claim 23, wherein step (c) comprises making available to the user all ItemSelectors of the predefined vocabulary that are relevant according to step (h).

30. A computer program for implementing interactive procedures to aid a user searching for predefined data Items, the data Items existing in a database and being preassociated with one or more of a predefined vocabulary of ItemSelectors, the program configured to direct a computer system to perform operations comprising:

a) initiating controlled-vocabulary formation of a query by presenting graphically for selection by a user a collection of ItemSelectors from the vocabulary that each define at least one data Item in the database when combined with a set of ItemSelectors previously chosen by the user;

b) accepting an ItemSelector selected by the user from among the presented collection of ItemSelectors;

c) incorporating the ItemSelector selected in step (b) with the previously chosen set of ItemSelectors to establish a presently selected set of ItemSelectors;

d) forming a Boolean expression involving each ItemSelector in the presently selected set to describe data Items;

e) determining data Items of the database described by the Boolean expression of step (d); and

f) presenting, responsive to step (b), data Items determined in step (e) for selection by the user.

31. The program of claim 30, further configured to direct a computer system to perform operations comprising (g) creating an ItemSelector look-up table having a name and a unique identifier for each ItemSelector in the database.

32. The program of claim 30, further configured to direct a computer system to perform operations comprising (g) creating an Item lookup table having a name, a location specification, and a unique identifier for each Item in the database.

33. The program of claim 30, further configured to direct a computer system to perform operations comprising (g) storing associations between the ItemSelectors and the Items preassociated therewith in an array of ItemSelector Vectors that are configured to contain Item identifiers as components.

34. The program of claim 33, wherein the components are stored in each ItemSelector Vector as an ordered set.

35. The program of claim 33, wherein the array index of each ItemSelector Vector within the array is the identifier of a corresponding ItemSelector.

36. The program of claim 30, further configured to direct a computer system to perform operations comprising (g) storing associations between the ItemSelectors and the Items preassociated therewith in an array of ItemSelector Vectors that are configured to contain ItemSelector identifiers as components.

37. The program of claim 36, further configured to direct a computer system to perform operations comprising (h) storing associations between the ItemSelectors and the Items preassociated therewith in an array of ItemSelector Vectors that are configured to contain Item identifiers as components.

38. The program of claim 36, wherein the components are stored in each ItemSelector Vector as an ordered set.

39. The program of claim 36, wherein the array index of each ItemSelector Vector within the array is the identifier of a corresponding Item.

40. The program of claim 30, further configured to direct a computer system to perform operations comprising (g) storing associations between the ItemSelectors and the Items preassociated therewith in a binary matrix wherein non-zero elements identify the associations by their position within the binary matrix.

41. A method of identifying Data Items (“

DIs”

) in a database on the basis of a Boolean combination of associated ItemSelectors (“

ISs”

), comprising;

a) establishing a plurality of ItemSelector (“

IS”

) Groups that each impose Group-specific properties on all IS members of such Group, the properties including;

i) an IS-DI association property that defines a necessary relationship between an IS and content of an associated DI,

ii) an intra-Group Boolean property, and

iii) a pre-defined Group Title that limits a scope of semantic meaning of IS Group members, the plurality of Groups including different Groups having corresponding different intra-Group Boolean properties;

b) presenting to a user a plurality of ISs belonging to one or more of said plurality of IS Groups;

c) accepting a plurality of ISs chosen by the user from among the presented plurality of ISs; and

d) identifying one or more DIs associated with the chosen ISs according to the corresponding Group-specific IS-DI property, in a combination that also satisfies the corresponding Group-specific intra-Group Boolean property for ISs from a common Group, and an inter-Group Boolean property.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the pre-defined Group Title of each IS Group limits the semantic meaning of all ISs in such IS Group irrespective of a literal meaning of any IS member of such IS Group.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the established plurality of IS Groups further includes different IS Groups having corresponding different IS-DI association properties.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the ISs accepted in step (c) include a plurality of ISs belonging to one of the plurality of IS Groups, and at least one IS belonging to a different one of the plurality of IS Groups, and wherein the one or more DIs identified in step (d) are associated with such portion of all IS Groups from which an IS has been chosen as required to satisfy the inter-Group Boolean property, and are associated with each such IS Group by virtue of an association between the one or more DIs and so many of the ISs chosen from such IS Group as required to satisfy the intra-Group Boolean property of such IS Group.

45. A method of interactively creating a Boolean expression for identifying DataItems (“

DIs”

) in a database, the method comprising;

a) assigning each of a multiplicity of ItemSelectors to one of a plurality of ItemSelector (“

IS”

) Groups, each IS member of each such IS Group implicitly including;

i) an intra-Group Boolean property corresponding to the IS Group,

ii) a Boolean IS-DI association property corresponding to the IS Group, and

iii) a contextual semantic meaning that is limited, irrespective of a literal semantic meaning of any IS member of such IS Group, in accordance with a pre-defined Title of the IS Group;

b) presenting, to a user, a plurality of ISs assigned to a plurality of such IS Groups;

c) accepting a plurality of ISs chosen by the user from the presented ISs as a chosen combination of ISs;

d) effectively generating a Boolean DI selection equation that reflects

i) the IS-DI association property corresponding to each of the chosen ISs,

ii) the intra-Group Boolean property corresponding to each of the chosen ISs belonging to an IS Group from which more than one IS has been chosen, and

iii) an inter-Group Boolean property corresponding to all IS Groups from which ISs have been chosen; and

e) identifying, as selected, one or more DIs that satisfy the Boolean DI selection equation effectively generated in step (d).

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the plurality of IS Groups includes different IS Groups having corresponding different intra-Group Boolean properties.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the plurality of IS Groups includes different IS Groups having corresponding different IS-DI association properties.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein the plurality of IS Groups includes different IS Groups having corresponding different IS-DI association properties.