Method and apparatus for finding hidden patterns in the context of querying applications

• US 7,110,998 B1
• Filed: 10/12/1999
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Virtual Golf, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Virtual Golf, Inc.
• Inventors: Pratap, Rajiv, Bhandari, Inderpal S., Ramanujam, Krishnakumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert, Ella
• Application Number:
  US09/416,414
• Time in Patent Office: 2,534 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 5, 707/7, 382/229, 705/5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2465 Query processing support for facilitating data mining operations in structured databases
• 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 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

The querying application of the present invention provides method and apparatus to find related queries having the greatest-valued and/or least-valued results. Elements (or inputs) of the related queries overlap with the elements of the user query. Preferably, the querying application of the present invention enables the user to trace other queries having the greatest-valued and/or least-valued results that overlap other elements of the user query. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the querying application of the present invention provides method and apparatus to find non-related queries having the greatest-valued and/or least-valued results.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of finding queries having the greatest-valued or least-valued results, comprising the steps of:

receiving at the computer a user query consisting of at least one computation and an attribute-value list having one or more elements, each element being associated with an attribute having a value assigned by a user or a user process;

determining queries in a plurality of queries having said at least one computation and sharing one or more elements in common with the user query to provide a set of related queries;

computing a result of said at least one computation for the attribute-valued string associated with each query in said set of related queries; and

comparing the results associated with said set of related queries to determine one or more queries having the greatest-valued result, or one or more queries having the least-valued result.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving comprises the steps of:

selecting said at least one computation from a plurality of computations in response to a user input or a user input process;

selecting one or more attributes from a plurality of attributes in response to the user input or user input process; and

selecting a value for each attribute selected in response to the user input or user input process to form an element.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said at least one computation defines a relationship between said plurality of queries and a plurality of results.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the results associated with said set of related queries are numeric results.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of selecting one query as the query having a maximum result if it is determined that more than one query in said set of related queries has the greatest-valued result.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of generating a list of queries having said at least one computation, each query being associated with an attribute-valued string having the greatest-valued result of all queries in said plurality of queries sharing one or more elements in common with a preceding query or a succeeding query in said list of queries.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said list of queries yields a non-decreasing succession of numeric results and wherein the step of generating a list of queries comprises the steps of:

(a) adding the query in said set of related queries having the greatest-valued result as a last query in said list of queries;

(b) determining queries in said plurality of queries having said at least one computation and sharing one or more elements in common with said last query to provide a set of queries related to said last query;

(c) computing a result of said at least one computation for the attribute-valued string associated with each query in said set of queries related to said last query;

(d) comparing the results associated with said set of queries related to said last query to determine one or more queries having the greatest-valued result;

(e) selecting one query as the query having a maximum result if it is determined that more than one query in said set of queries related to said last query has the greatest-valued result;

(f) adding the query having the maximum result to the end of said list of queries as a new last query if it is determined that said new last query is not equivalent to said last query; and

(g) repeating steps (b) through (f) until there is no query in said plurality of queries having a result greater than the last query and sharing one or more elements in common with the last query.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of displaying the user query and the result of the user query along with each query and the corresponding greatest-valued result in said list.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of selecting one query as the query having a minimum result if it is determined that more than one query in said set of related queries has the least-valued result.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of generating a list of queries having said at least one computation, each query being associated with an attribute-valued string having the least-valued result of all queries in said plurality of queries sharing one or more elements in common with a preceding query or a succeeding query in said list of queries.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said list of queries yields a non-increasing succession of numeric results and wherein the step of generating a list comprises the steps of:

(a) adding the query in said set of related queries having the least-valued result as a last query in said list;

(b) determining queries in said plurality of queries having said at least one computation and sharing one or more elements in common with said last query to provide a set of queries related to said last query;

(c) computing a result of said at least one computation for the attribute-valued string associated with each query in said set of queries related to said last query;

(d) comparing the results associated with said set of queries related to said last query to determine one or more queries having the least-valued result;

(e) selecting one query as the query having a minimum result if it is determined that more than one query in said set of queries related to said last query has the least-valued result;

(f) adding the query having the minimum result to the end of said list as a new last query if it is determined that said new last query is not equivalent to the last query; and

(g) repeating steps (b) through (f) until there is no query in said plurality of queries having a result less than the last query and sharing one or more elements in common with the last query.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of displaying the user query and the result of the user query along with each query and the corresponding least-valued result in said list.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(a) assigning one query from said set of related queries as a first query;

(b) determining queries in said plurality of queries having said at least one computation and sharing one or more elements in common with said first query to provide a set of queries related to said first query;

(c) computing a result of said at least one computation for the attribute-valued string associated with each query in said set of queries related to said first query;

(d) comparing the results associated with said set of queries related to said first query to determine one or more queries having the greatest-valued result, or one or more queries having the least-valued result;

(e) assigning another query in said set of related queries as said first query; and

(f) repeating steps (b) through (e) for every query in said set of related queries.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step (d) further comprises the steps of determining whether said first query has the greatest-valued result or the least-valued result.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step (d) further comprises the step of displaying the user query and the result of the user query along with said first query and the corresponding greatest-valued result if it is determined that said first query has the greatest-valued result.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step (d) further comprises the step of displaying the user query and the result the user query along with said first query and the corresponding least-valued result if it determined that said first query has the least-valued result.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating pre-computed greatest-valued and pre-computed least-valued lists by pre-determining for each query in said plurality of queries whether said each query has a greatest-valued result or a least-valued result for all queries in said plurality of queries having said at least one computation and sharing one or more elements in common with said each query.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether any query in said set of related queries is in said pre-computed greatest-valued list to provide a set of maxi queries; and

determining whether any query in said set of related queries is in said pre-computed least-valued list to provide a set of minimum queries.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

determining whether any query in said pre-computed greatest-valued list is not in said set of maximum queries; and

determining whether any query in said pre-computed least-valued list is not in said set of minimum queries.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the user query and the result of the user query along with the greatest-valued result and one or more queries having the greatest-valued result.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of displaying further displays the least-valued result and one or more queries having the least-valued result.

22. A computer implemented method of finding queries having the greatest-valued or least-valued results from a plurality of queries, each query having at least one computation and consisting of an attribute-valued string having one or more elements, each element being associated with an attribute having a value, comprising the steps of:

generating pre-computed greatest-valued and pre-computed least-valued lists for each computation in a plurality of computations by;

pre-determining queries in said plurality of queries having said each computation to provide a set of computationally related queries; and

pre-determining for each query in said set of computationally related queries whether said each query has the greatest-valued result or the least-valued result for all queries in said set of computationally related queries sharing one or more elements in common with said each query;

receiving at the computer a user query consisting of at least one computation and one or more elements assigned by a user or a user process;

selecting said pre-computed greatest-valued list and said pre-computed least-valued list associated with said at least one computation of the user query;

determining queries in said selected pre-computed greatest-valued list sharing one or more elements in common with the user query to provide one or more queries having corresponding greatest-valued results to provide a set of maximum queries; and

determining queries in said selected pre-computed least-valued list sharing one or more elements in common with the user query to provide one or more queries having corresponding least-valued results to provide a set of minimum queries.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein each computation in said plurality of computations defines a relationship between said plurality of queries and a plurality of results.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of displaying the user query and the result of the user query along with each query and the corresponding greatest-valued result in said set of maximum queries.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of displaying displays each query and the corresponding least-valued result in said set of minimum queries.

26. A computer implemented method of finding queries having the greatest-valued or least-valued results from a plurality of queries, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving at the computer a user query consisting of a plurality of computations and an attribute-valued string having one or more elements, each element being associated with an attribute having a value assigned by a user;

(b) assigning one computation from said plurality of computations as a first computation;

(c) determining queries in said plurality of queries having said first computation to provide a set of computationally related queries;

(d) determining queries in said set of computationally related queries sharing one or more elements in common with the user query to provide a set of related queries;

(e) computing a result of said first computation for the attribute-valued string associated with each query in said set of related queries;

(f) comparing the results associated with said set of related queries to determine one or more queries having the greatest-valued result or one or more queries having the least-valued result;

(g) assigning another computation from said plurality of computations as said first computation; and

(h) repeating steps (f) through (g) for every computation in said plurality of computations.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step (d) further comprises the steps of:

(i) assigning one query from said set of related queries as a first query;

(j) determining queries in said set of computationally related queries sharing one or more elements in common with said first query to provide a set of queries related to said first query;

(k) computing a result of said first computation for the attribute valued string associated with each query in said set of queries related to said first query;

(l) comparing the results associated with said set of queries related to said first query to determine one or more queries having the greatest-valued result, or one or more queries having the least-valued result;

(m) assigning another query in said set of related queries as said first query; and

(n) repeating steps (j) through (m) for every query in said set of related queries.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step (l) further comprises the step of determining whether said first query has the greatest valued-result or the least-valued result.

29. A computer system for finding queries having the greatest-valued or least-valued results, comprising:

an input device for receiving a user query consisting of at least one computation and an attribute-value having one or more elements, each element being associated with an attribute having a value assigned by a user;

a computing device for determining queries in said plurality of queries having said at least one computation and one or more elements in common with the user query to provide a set of related queries, and computing a result of said at least one computation for the attribute-valued string associated with each query in said set of related queries; and

a comparator for comparing the results associated with said set of related queries to determine one or more queries having the greatest-valued result or one or more queries having the least-valued result.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said input device is operable to select said at least one computation from a plurality of computations, one or more attributes from a plurality of attributes, a value for each attribute selected to form an element in response to a user input or a user input process.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said at least one computation defines the relationship between said plurality of queries and a plurality of results.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the results associated with said set of related queries are numeric results.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising a selecting device for selecting one query as the query having a maximum result if it is determined that more than one query in said set of related queries has the greatest-valued result.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising a generating device for generating a list of queries having said at least one computation, each query being associated with an attribute-valued string having the greatest-valued result of all queries in said plurality of queries sharing one or more elements in common with a preceding query or a succeeding query in said list of queries.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said list of queries yields a non-decreasing succession of numeric results and wherein said generating device comprises a control device for:

adding the query having the greatest-valued result as a last query in said list of queries;

operating said computing device to provide a set of queries related to said last query; and

adding the query having the maximum result to end of said list of queries as a new last query if it is determined that said new last query is not equivalent to said last query.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising a display device for displaying the user query and the result of the user query along with each query and the corresponding greatest-valued result in said list.

37. The system of claim 32, further comprising a selecting device for selecting one query as the query having a minimum result if it is determined that more than one query in said set of related queries has the least-valued result.

38. The system of claim 37, further comprising a generating device for generating a list of queries having said at least one computation, each query being associated with an attribute-valued string having the least-valued result of all queries in said plurality of queries sharing one or more elements in common with a preceding query or a succeeding query in said list of queries.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said list of queries yields a non-decreasing succession of numeric results and wherein said generating device comprises a control device for:

adding the query in said set of related queries having the least-valued result as a last query in said list of queries;

operating said computing device to provide a set of queries related to said last query; and

adding the query having the least-valued result to end of said list of queries as a new last query if it is determined that said new last query is not equivalent to said last query.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising a display device for displaying the user query and the result of the user query along with each query and the corresponding least-valued result in said list.

41. The system of claim 29, further comprising a control device for:

assigning one query from said set of related queries as a first query;

operating said computing device to provide a set of queries related to said first query; and

assigning another query in said set of related queries as said first query.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein said control device is operable to control said device to determine whether said first query has the greatest-valued result or the least-valued result.

43. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

a pre-computing device for generating pre-computed greatest-valued and pre-computed least-valued lists by pre-determining for each query in said plurality of queries whether said each query has the greatest-valued result or the least-valued result for all queries in said plurality of queries having said at least one computation and sharing one or more elements in common with said each query, and

a storing device for storing said pre-computed greatest-valued and pre-computed least-valued results.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein said control device is operable to operate said computing device to determine whether any query in said set of related queries is in said pre-computed greatest-valued list to provide a set of maximum queries and to determine whether any query in said set of related queries is in said pre-computed least-valued list to provide a set of minimum queries.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said control device is operable to operate said computing device to determine whether any query in said pre-computed greatest-valued list is not in said set of maximum queries and to determine whether any query in said pre-computed least-valued list is not in said set of minimum queries.

46. The system of claim 29, further comprising a display device for displaying the user query and the result of the user query along with the greatest-valued result and one or more queries having the greatest-valued result.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said display device is operable to display the least-valued result and one or more queries having the least-valued result.

48. A computer system for finding queries having the greatest-valued or least-valued results from a plurality of queries, each query having at least one computation and consisting of an attribute-valued string having one or more elements, each element being associated with an attribute having a value, said system comprising:

a pre-computing device for generating pre-computed greatest-valued and pre-computed least-valued lists for each computation in a plurality of computations to provide a set of computationally related queries;

a device for receiving a user query consisting of at least one computation and one or more elements assigned by a user or a user process;

a selector for selecting said pre-computed greatest-valued list and said pre-computed least-valued list associated with said at least one computation of the user query; and

a computing device for determining queries in said selected pr-computed greatest-valued list sharing one or more elements in common with the user query to provide a set of maximum queries and determining queries in said selected pre-computed least-valued list sharing one or more elements in common with the user query to provide a set of minimum queries.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein each computation in said plurality of computations defines a relationship between said plurality of queries and a plurality of results.

50. The system of claim 48, further comprising a display device for displaying the user query and the result of the user query along with each query and the corresponding greatest-valued result in said set of maximum queries.

51. The system of claim 48, wherein the step of displaying displays each query and the corresponding least-valued result in said set of minimum queries.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein said computing device is operable to compute results for sports data.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein said sports data includes tennis data.

54. The system of claim 52, wherein said sports data includes soccer data.

55. The system of claim 52, wherein said sports data includes golf data.

56. The system of claim 52, wherein said sports data includes football data.

57. The system of claim 52, wherein said sports data includes basketball data.

58. The system of claim 52, wherein said sports data includes baseball data.

59. The system of claim 52, wherein said sports data includes cricket data.

60. The system of claim 51, wherein said computing device is operable to compute results for call center data.

61. The system of claim 51, wherein said computing device is operable to compute results for customer relationship management data.

62. The system of claim 51, wherein said computing device is operable to compute results for banking data.

63. The system of claim 51, wherein said computing device is operable to compute results for multimedia data.

64. The system of claim 51, wherein said computing device is operable to compute results for textual data.

65. A computer system of finding queries having the greatest-valued or least-valued results from a plurality of queries, comprising:

a device for receiving a user query consisting of a plurality of computations and an attribute-valued string having one or more elements, each element being associated with an attribute having a value assigned by a user;

an assigning device for assigning one computation from said plurality of computations as a first computation;

a computing device for determining queries in said plurality of queries having said first computation to provide a set of computationally related queries and determining queries in said set of computationally related queries sharing one or more elements in common with the user query to provide a set of related queries, and computing a result of said first computation for the attribute-valued string associated with each query in said set of related queries;

a comparator for comparing the results associated with said set of related queries to determine one or more queries having the greatest-valued result or one or more queries having the least-valued result; and

a control device for controlling said assigning device to assign another computation from said plurality of computations as said first computation.

66. The system of claim 65, wherein said control device is operable to operate:

said assigning device to assign one query from said set of related queries as a first query;

said computing device to provide a set of queries related to said first query; and

said assigning device to assign another query in said set of related queries as said first query.

67. The system of claim 66, wherein said comparator is operable to determining whether said first query has the greatest valued-result or the least-valued result.

68. A computer system of finding queries having the greatest-valued or least-valued results from a plurality of queries, comprising:

a device for receiving a plurality of user queries, each user query being associated with a different user or user process and consisting of at least one computation and an attribute-valued string having one or more elements, each element being associated with an attribute having a value assigned by the associated user or user process;

a computing device for determining queries in said plurality of queries having said at least one computation and sharing one or more elements in common with the user query to provide a set of related queries, and computing a result of said at least one computation for the attribute-valued string associated with each query in said set of related queries; and

a comparator for comparing the results associated with said set of related queries to determine one or more queries having the greatest-valued result or one or more queries having the least-valued result.