Method, apparatus, and system for searching based on search visibility rules

• US 7,464,072 B1
• Filed: 06/18/2001
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Subramaniam, Pavitra, Ying, Jian-Jung, Zoss, Jason, Caltabiano, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): AL HASHEMI, SANA A
• Application Number:
  US09/883,755
• Time in Patent Office: 2,731 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/3, 707/9, 707/100
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2423 Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2457 with adaptation to user needs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• 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 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in which a search request containing search criteria is received from a first user. A search is performed based upon the search criteria and the first user'"'"'s organizational identifier to identify data records that match the search criteria and to which the first user is allowed to access based upon the first user'"'"'s organizational identifier. In another embodiment, a search is performed based upon the search criteria and a list of categories to which the first user is authorized to access to identify records that match the search criteria and to which the first user is allowed to access based upon the list of categories.

Claims

1. A computerized method comprising:

receiving a search request comprising search criteria from a first user, wherein

the search criteria comprises at least one search category, and

the search criteria comprises at least one search keyword; and

in response to said receiving the search request,

determining the first user'"'"'s organizational identifier corresponding to an organization with which the first user is associated, and

performing a search of one or more databases for records corresponding to the search criteria by;

selecting a first set of records from the one or more databases, wherein

the first set of records are visible to users that have the same organizational identifier as the first user'"'"'s organizational identifier;

selecting a second set of records that are a subset of the first set of records, wherein

the second set of records match the at least one search category specified in the search criteria; and

presenting to the first user a third set of records that are a subset of the second set of records, wherein

the third set of records match the at least one search keyword specified in the search criteria.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one search category is associated with a particular search index.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the search request from the first user includes:

providing the first user with a first user interface to specify the search criteria.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the search includes:

identifying, from the subset of records, those records that match the at least one search category.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the particular search index corresponds to a particular business component.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein performing the search further includes:

executing a query constructed based upon the search criteria and the first user'"'"'s organizational identifier.

7. The method of claim 4, further including:

generating search results based upon the identified data records.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the particular business component represents a logical view of one or more database tables.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the query is constructed based upon Structured Query Language (SQL) specification.

10. A computerized system comprising:

logic to receive a search request comprising search criteria from a first user, wherein

the search criteria comprises at least one search category, and

the search criteria comprises at least one search keyword; and

in response to the search request,

logic to determine the first user'"'"'s organizational identifier corresponding to an organization with which the first user is associated, and

logic to perform a search of one or more databases for records corresponding to the search criteria by;

selecting a first set of records from the one or more databases, wherein

the first set of records are visible to users that have the same organizational identifier as the first user'"'"'s organizational identifier;

selecting a second set of records that are a subset of the first set of records, wherein

the second set of records match the at least one search category specified in the search criteria; and

presenting to the first user a third set of records that are a subset of the second set of records, wherein the third set of records match the at least one search keyword specified in the search criteria.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the search criteria includes at least one search keyword.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the at least one search category is associated with a particular search index.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein logic to receive the search request from the first user includes:

logic to provide the first user with a first user interface to specify the search criteria.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein logic to perform the search further includes:

logic to identify, from the subset of records, those records that match the at least one search category.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the particular search index corresponds to a particular business component.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein logic to perform the search including:

logic to execute a query constructed based upon the search criteria and the first user'"'"'s organizational identifier.

17. The system of claim 14, further including:

logic to generate search results based upon the identified data records; and

logic to display search results to the first user.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the particular business component represents a logical view of one or more database tables.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the query is constructed based upon Structured Query Language (SQL) specification.

20. A machine-readable medium comprising:

a first set of instructions, executable by a processor, configured to receive a search request comprising search criteria from a first user via a graphical user interface generated by a computing device, wherein the search criteria comprises at least one search category and at least one search keyword;

a second set of instructions, executable by the processor, configured to execute in response to the search request

a third set of instructions, executable by the processor, configured to determine the first user'"'"'s organizational identifier corresponding to an organization with which the first user is associated, and

a fourth set of instructions, executable by the processor, configured to perform a search of one or more databases for records corresponding to the search criteria by;

selecting a first set of records from the one or more databases, wherein

the first set of records are visible to users that have the same organizational identifier as the first user'"'"'s organizational identifier;

selecting a second set of records that are a subset of the first set of records, wherein

the second set of records match the at least one search category specified in the search criteria; and

presenting to the first user a third set of records that are a subset of the second set of records, wherein the third set of records match the at least one search keyword specified in the search criteria.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 20 wherein the third set of instructions further comprises:

a sixth set of instructions, executable by the processor, configured to execute a query constructed based upon the search criteria and the first user'"'"'s organizational identifier.