Method for searching layered data

• US 7,647,302 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Sullivan, David, Endo, Rich, Brookler, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Khanh B
• Application Number:
  US11/217,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/33 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/025 Systems for the transmission of digital non-picture data, e.g. of text during the active part of a television frame transmission of digital non-picture data during the vertical blanking interval only H04N7/088
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Enables search and test for at least one value in layers of audience specific data comprising language, regional, regulatory and/or cultural specific values per layer. The word “audience” for the purposes of this specification means a group of document consumers such as people or computers that are associated with a language, country, region, regulation, culture or any other user defined division. A search utilizing at least one embodiment of the invention occurs with respect to data that makes use of rule-based inheritance. Testing multiple audience layers for all values that meet a specific fine or coarse grained search criteria allows quality assurance testing across all target audiences for a document before publication.

Claims

1. A method for searching layered data in a computer database used for generating an audience layered document to test said document generation comprising:

obtaining at least one audience identifier associated with an audience-specific layer of layered data stored in a computer database;

obtaining at least one data identifier associated with a field in at least one layer of said layered data;

obtaining a first audience inheritance list for a first audience identifier selected from said at least one audience identifier, wherein said first audience inheritance list comprises information on inherited audiences for an audience identified by said first audience identifier;

accepting an operator;

checking for a first value in a plurality of fields associated with said computer database using said first audience inheritance list based on said operator, wherein said first value is associated with said at least one data identifier and said audience identifier;

obtaining a second audience inheritance list for a second audience identifier selected from said at least one audience identifier, wherein said second audience inheritance list comprises information on inherited audiences for an audience identified by said second audience identifier;

checking for a second value in a plurality of fields associated with said computer database using said second audience inheritance list based on said operator, wherein said second value is associated with said at least one data identifier and said second audience identifier;

returning a result for a search based on said checking.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said operator is a coarse grained operator.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said operator is a fine grained operator.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting said result to a user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first value and said second value comprises a link to at least one field associated with said at least one data identifier and at least one of said first audience identifier and said second audience identifier.

6. A computer system for searching hierarchically layered audience specific data in a computer database used for generating an audience layered document to test said document generation comprising:

a computer system configured to;

obtain at least one audience identifier associated with an audience-specific layer of layered data stored in a computer database;

obtain at least one data identifier associated with a field in at least one layer of said layered data;

obtain a first audience inheritance list for a first audience identifier selected from said at least one audience identifier, wherein said first audience inheritance list comprises information on inherited audiences for an audience indentified by said first audience identifier;

select an operator;

search for data in fields associated with said computer database for said first audience inheritance list and said at least one data identifier related to said operator;

obtain a second audience inheritance list for a second audience identifier selected from said at least one audience identifier, wherein said second audience inheritance list comprises information on inherited audiences for an audience indentified by said second audience identifier;

search for data in fields associated with said computer database for said second audience inheritance list and said at least one data identifier related to said operator; and

,

return a result of said search.

7. The computer system of claim 6 wherein said operator is a coarse grained operator.

8. The computer system of claim 6 wherein said operator is a fine grained operator.