Method and system for selecting answers in answer set using a customizable table

• US 7,634,503 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amadeus (Amadeus Global Travel Distribution S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Amadeus (Amadeus Global Travel Distribution S.A.)
• Inventors: Venugopal, Mahenthiran, Hetzel, James E., Keagul, Mary G., Carapella, Sean Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo; Isaac M
• Application Number:
  US11/387,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20070118548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 16/90328 using search space presentation or visualization, e.g. category or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• 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 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method for assisting a person in viewing results of a database query uses query parameters to obtain query results from a database. A user interface displays a table having a selector column. The selector column includes a plurality of rows, with each row representing a set of values for a parameter selectable by a user from a set of selectable parameters. The table also has a selector row that includes a plurality of columns. Each column represents a set of values for a parameter selectable by a user from a set of selectable parameters. Parameters relate to data of the database, and some are computed or derived from database fields. A parameter may be a measure of a degree to which a travel itinerary satisfies a company or managed travel bias. The table further includes selector cells, with each cell corresponding to a row and column. A user can select subsets of query results for display in an answer table by selecting a column, row, or cell of the selection table.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a person in assessing results of a database query comprising:

obtaining a set of results from an electronic database query;

selecting a column parameter from a pre-existing list of column parameters;

selecting a row parameter from a pre-existing list of row parameters, the selected row parameter and selected column parameter defining selected table parameters;

creating a custom table based on the selected table parameters, a column of the custom table being populated with at least one column selector that defines a subset value of the selected column parameter, and a row of the custom table being populated with at least one row selector that defines a subset value of the selected row parameter;

populating each open cell with at least a portion of the set of obtained results based on the corresponding combination of the column selector and row parameter corresponding for each open cell; and

visually presenting the custom table as populated by said populating.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when said at least a portion of the set of obtained results based on the corresponding combination of the column selector and row parameter corresponding to a particular open cell is zero, said populating comprises populating said particular open cell with an indication that no responsive information exists.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least a portion of the set as populating into a particular open cell of a table is a link, said method further comprising selecting said link to obtain additional information from the set of obtained results from the corresponding combination of the column selector and row parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the visually presenting:

changing the table parameters by reselecting the column parameter and/or the selected row parameter;

substituting the custom table with a revised custom table based on the changed table parameters;

populating each open cell of the revised custom table with at least a portion of the set of obtained results consistent with the new table parameters; and

visually presenting the revised custom table as populated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said visually presenting comprises:

converting electronic data representations of the custom table as populated into a format displayable on a display screen; and

displaying the custom table on the display screen.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a row selector of the custom table;

creating a second table based on the selected a column parameter and a subset of secondary row selectors associated with the selected row selector;

populating the second table with additional information from the set of obtain results; and

visually presenting the second table as populated by said populating.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a column selector of the custom table;

creating a second table based on the selected row parameter and a subset of secondary column selectors associated with the selected column selector;

populating the second table with additional information from the set of obtained results; and

visually presenting the second table as populated by said populating.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-existing list of column parameters includes at least one parameter that is different from parameters of the database query.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-existing list of row parameters includes at least one parameter that is different from parameters of the database query.

10. A method for assisting a person in assessing results of a database query comprising:

obtaining a set of results from an electronic database query;

selecting a column parameter from a pre-existing list of column parameters;

identifying, from the selected column parameter and the set of obtained results, at least one column selector that defines a subset value of the selected column parameter;

selecting a row parameter from a pre-existing list of row parameters, the selected row parameter and selected column parameter defining selected table parameters;

identifying, from the selected row parameter and the set of obtained results, at least one row selector that defines a subset value of the selected row parameter;

creating a custom table based on the selected table parameters, a column of the custom table being populated with the at least one column selector, and a row of the custom table being populated with the at least one row selector;

populating the custom table with at least a portion of the set of obtained results based on, for open cells of the table, the results of the database query as it applies to the corresponding combination of the column selector and row parameter corresponding for each open cell; and

visually presenting the custom table as populated by said populating.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein when said at least a portion of the set of obtained results based on the corresponding combination of the column selector and row parameter corresponding to a particular open cell is zero, said populating comprises populating said particular open cell with an indication that no responsive information exists.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said at least a portion of the set as populating into a particular open cell of a table is a link, said method further comprising selecting said link to obtain additional information from the set of obtained results from the corresponding combination of the column selector and row parameter.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising, after the visually presenting:

changing the table parameters by reselecting the column parameter and/or the selected row parameter;

substituting the custom table with a revised custom table based on the changed table parameters;

populating each open cell of the revised custom table with at least a portion of the set of obtained results consistent with the new table parameters; and

visually presenting the revised custom table as populated.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein said visually presenting comprises:

converting electronic data representations of the custom table as populated into a format displayable on a display screen; and

displaying the custom table on the display screen.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting a row selector of the custom table;

creating a second table based on the selected column parameter and a subset of secondary row selectors associated with the selected row selector;

populating the second table with additional information from the set of obtained results; and

visually presenting the second table as populated by said populating.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting a column selector of the custom table;

creating a second table based on the selected row parameter and a subset of secondary column selectors associated with the selected column selector;

populating the second table with additional information from the set of obtained results; and

visually presenting the second table as populated by said populating.