Search-on-the-fly/sort-on-the-fly search engine

• US 7,574,432 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vilox Technologies LLC (Joseph L. De Bellis)
• Original Assignee: Pedestrian Concepts, LLC
• Inventors: De Bellis, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Cheyne D
• Application Number:
  US10/871,050
• Time in Patent Office: 1,877 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2423 Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• 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 707/99937 Sorting
• 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

A Sort-on-the-Fly/Search-on-the-Fly search engine provides an intuitive means for searching databases, allowing a user to access data in the database without having to know anything about the database structure. A user selects a desired search term, and the search engine searches the database for all instances of the desired term, even if a specific file or table does not contain the instance. The database need not have a specific file (in a flat database) or a table (in a relational database) of names. The user may specify other criteria, or constraints to narrow the search results, or for other reasons. The search engine then conducts a further search using this criteria and produces a second search result. Further narrowing or broadening of the search are permitted, with the search-on-the-fly search engine returning results based on any new constraints. If the returned data would be too large to be conveniently displayed at a terminal, the search engine executes a truncation routine so that the returned data is easily displayed.

Claims

1. A method implemented on a computer for searching databases on-the-fly, comprising:

Receiving by a request analyzer executed by the processor for a selection of one or more databases from a plurality of databases;

Presenting by the request analyzer a list of data fields in a first pull down menu from the selected databases;

Receiving by the request analyzer a selection of a data field from the first pull down menu, wherein the selection is stored by a constraint collator as a first constraint parameter;

Performing by a database driver executed by the processor a first search in the selected database based on the first constraint parameter;

Generating by the database driver a first search result of the first search request based on the first constraint parameter, wherein the first search result includes a plurality of entries presented in a second pull down menu;

Receiving by the request analyzer a selection of an entry from the second pull down menu, wherein the selection is stored by the constraint collator as a second constraint parameter;

combining by the constraint collator the first constraint parameter with the second constraint parameter;

performing by the database driver a second search on the selected database based on the combined constraint parameters; and

presenting a second search result of the second search based on the combined search parameters, wherein the plurality of entries of the first search result and entries of the second search result are displayed in a third pull down menu on a same screen as the first and second pull down menu.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second search result is truncated based on a context of the received selection such that all of the entries of the second search result are displayed on a display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein combining the first constraint parameter with the second constraint parameter comprises:

applying a boolean function between the first constraint parameter and the second constraint parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

combining the first search result with the second search result.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the first constraint parameter and a second constraint parameter in memory; and

storing the first search result and the second search result in memory.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a refresh request; and

in response to the request, erasing the first constraint parameter or second constraint parameter from memory.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a third constraint parameter after each of a plurality of second entries of the second search result is presented wherein the third constraint parameter is a narrowing constraint parameter;

combining the third constraint parameter with the first or second constraint parameter;

conducting a third search of the one or more databases based on the combined constraint parameter including the third constraint parameter; and

presenting a third search result of the third search.

8. A search engine for searching-on-the-fly executing on a computer including a processor, comprising:

a request analyzer executed by the processor for receiving a selection of one or more databases from a plurality of databases, wherein the request analyzer presents a list of data fields in a first pull down menu from the selected databases, and receives a selection of a data field from the first pull down menu;

a constraint collator executed by the processor for storing the selection as a first constraint parameter;

a database driver executed by the processor for performing a first search in the selected database based on the first constraint parameter,

wherein the database driver generates a first search result of the first search request based on the first constraint parameter, wherein the first search result includes a plurality of entries presented in a second pull down menu;

wherein the request analyzer receives a selection of an entry from the second pull down menu, wherein the selection is stored by the constraint collator as a second constraint parameter;

wherein the constraint collator combines the first constraint parameter with the second constraint parameter;

wherein the database driver performs a second search on the selected database based on the combined constraint parameters;

wherein a second search result of the second search is presented based on the combined search parameters, and wherein the plurality of entries of the first search result and entries of the second search result are displayed in a third pull down menu on a same screen as the first and second pull down menu.

9. The search engine of claim 8, wherein the constraint collator stores the second constraint parameter in memory.

10. The search engine of claim 8, wherein the database driver combines the first search result with the second search result.

11. The search engine of claim 8, further comprising:

a protocol analyzer to receive the search request and to format the request to be compatible with a database being searched.

12. The search engine of claim 8, further comprising:

a truncator to receive the first search result and to truncate the first search result to completely fit all of the plurality of entries of the first search result inside a display area.