Tabstrip user interface element for formulating boolean statements

• US 7,665,030 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2002
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Bergen, Axel Von, Schwarz, Arne, Sauermann, Volker
• Primary Examiner(s): PITARO, RYAN F
• Application Number:
  US10/287,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,660 Days
• Field of Search: 715/777, 715/968, 715/825, 715/866, 707/4
• US Class Current: 715/777
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence

Abstract

A user interface element for manipulating Boolean expressions includes at least one tab panel element operable to define a term of a Boolean expression with each term including one or more condition statements, and an add tab element operable to add an additional tab panel element. The defined terms of each of the tab panel elements are combined to form the Boolean expression.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a tabstrip widget including at least first and second tabs, each tab further including a tab conditions panel and a tab summary panel, the tab summary panel configured to display a first statistic associated with a term of a Boolean expression defined by the corresponding tab conditions panel, a first update element operable to, in response to user selection, update the first statistic, a second statistic associated with the entire Boolean expression, and a second update element operable to, in response to user selection, update the second statistic, and the tabstrip widget being configured to display a tab conditions panel and a tab summary panel of one tab at a time;

receiving a first user input defining a first term of the Boolean expression, the first term further comprising a first number of condition statements joined by a first Boolean operator;

displaying the first term of the Boolean expression including the first number of condition statements in the tab conditions panel of the first tab;

receiving a user selection indicative of a second tab;

superimposing the tab conditions panel of the second tab on the tab conditions panel of the first tab based upon receiving the user selection indicative of the second tab;

receiving a second user input defining a second term of the Boolean expression, the second term further comprising a second number of condition statements joined by the first Boolean operator, the second number of condition statements being different than the first number of condition statements;

displaying the second term of the Boolean expression including the second number of condition statements in the tab conditions panel of the second tab;

receiving a user selection indicative of a third tab;

superimposing the tab conditions panel of the third tab on the tab conditions panels of the first and second tabs based upon receiving the user selection indicative of the third tab;

receiving a third user input defining a third term of a Boolean expression, the third term further comprising a third number of condition statements joined by the first Boolean operator, the third number of condition statements being different than the first number of condition statements and the second number of condition statements;

displaying the third term of the Boolean expression including the third number of condition statements in the tab conditions panel of the third tab;

combining the first, second and third terms using a second Boolean operator, the second Boolean operator being different than the first Boolean operator;

outputting data satisfying the first, second and third terms of the Boolean expression in a chart, a graph, or a spreadsheet;

receiving a fourth user input redefining one of the terms of the Boolean expression;

in response to user selection of the first update element included in the tab summary panel of the second tab, updating the first statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab based on the second term of the Boolean expression including the second number of condition statements; and

in response to user selection of the second update element included in the tab summary panel of the second tab, updating the second statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab based on the entire Boolean expression defined by the first term of the Boolean expression including the first number of condition statements, the second term of the Boolean expression including the second number of condition statements, and the third term of the Boolean expression including the third number of condition statements.

2. A method comprising:

displaying a tabstrip widget including at least first and second tabs, each of the at least first and second tabs further including a tab conditions panel and a tab summary panel, the tab summary panel configured to display a first statistic associated with a term of a Boolean expression defined by the corresponding tab conditions panel, a first update element operable to, in response to user selection, update the first statistic, a second statistic associated with the entire Boolean expression, and a second update element operable to, in response to user selection, update the second statistic, and the tabstrip widget being configured to display one tab conditions panel of the at least first and second tabs at a time;

receiving a first user input defining a first term of a Boolean expression including a first number of condition statements;

displaying the first term of the Boolean expression in the tab conditions panel of the first tab;

superimposing the tab conditions panel of the second tab on the tab conditions panel of the first tab;

receiving a second user input defining a second term of the Boolean expression including a second number of condition statements, the second number of condition statements being different than the first number of condition statements;

displaying the second term of the Boolean expression in the tab conditions panel of the second tab;

in response to user selection of the first update element included in the tab summary panel of the second tab, updating the first statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab based on the second term of the Boolean expression including the second number of condition statements;

in response to user selection of the second update element included in the tab summary panel of the second tab, updating the second statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab based on the entire Boolean expression defined by the first term of the Boolean expression including the first number of condition statements and the second term of the Boolean expression including the second number of condition statements; and

outputting data satisfying the first and second terms of the Boolean expression.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

superimposing the tab conditions panel of a third tab on the tab conditions panels of the first and second tabs;

receiving a third user input defining a third teem of a Boolean expression including a third number of condition statements, the third number of condition statements being different than the first number of condition statements and the second number of condition statements;

displaying the third term of the Boolean expression in the tab conditions panel of the third tab; and

outputting data satisfying the first, second and/or third terms of the Boolean expression.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving user selection indicative of the second tab, wherein the tab conditions panel of the second tab is superimposed on the tab conditions panel of the first tab based upon receiving the user selection.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab includes a percentage and a count of total data matching the second term of the Boolean expression and the second statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab includes a percentage and a count of total data matching the entire Boolean expression.

6. The method of claim 2,

wherein each term further comprises a plurality of Boolean expressions,

wherein each of the Boolean expressions comprising the first term and the second term include a first Boolean operator,

wherein the first term and the second term are combined using a second Boolean operator, and

wherein the first and second Boolean operators are different.

7. The method of claim 6,

wherein the first Boolean operator is a logical-and operator, and

wherein the second Boolean operator is a logical-or operator.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein each term defines a disjunction or a conjunction of a series of variables.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein each tab further comprises a logical operator selector effectuating the selection of a desired logical operation to be applied to the term of the Boolean expression displayed by the each tab.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the data is output in a graph, a chart or a spreadsheet.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving a third user input redefining the first term of the Boolean expression, the redefined first term of the Boolean expression including a third number of condition statements that is different than the first number of condition statements.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising de-activating the tab conditions panel of the first tab based upon superimposing the tab conditions panel of the second tab on the tab conditions panel of the first tab.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprising hiding the tab conditions panel of the first tab based upon superimposing the tab conditions panel of the second tab on the tab conditions panel of the first tab.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising superimposing the tab conditions panel of the first tab on the tab conditions panel of the second tab.

15. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage medium, wherein the computer program product comprises instructions that, when read by a machine, operate to cause a data processing apparatus to:

display a tabstrip widget including at least first and second tabs, each of the at least first and second tabs further including a tab conditions panel and a tab summary panel, the tab summary panel configured to display a first statistic associated with a term of a Boolean expression defined by the corresponding tab conditions panel, a first update element operable to, in response to user selection, update the first statistic, a second statistic associated with the entire Boolean expression, and a second update element operable to, in response to user selection, update the second statistic, and the tabstrip widget being configured to display one tab conditions panel of the at least first and second tabs at a time;

receive a first user input defining a first term of a Boolean expression including a first number of condition statements;

display the first term of the Boolean expression in the tab conditions panel of the first tab;

superimpose the tab conditions panel of the second tab on the tab conditions panel of the first tab;

receive a second user input defining a second term of the Boolean expression including a second number of condition statements, the second number of condition statements being different from the first number of condition statements;

display the second term of the Boolean expression in the tab conditions panel of the second tab;

in response to user selection of the first update element included in the tab summary panel of the second tab, update the first statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab based on the second term of the Boolean expression including the second number of condition statements;

in response to user selection of the second update element included in the tab summary panel of the second tab, update the second statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab based on the entire Boolean expression defined by the first term of the Boolean expression including the first number of condition statements and the second term of the Boolean expression including the second number of condition statements; and

output data satisfying the first and second terms of the Boolean expression.

16. A system comprising:

one or more computers; and

a computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more computers having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

displaying a tabstrip widget including at least first and second tabs, each tab further including a tab conditions panel and a tab summary panel, the tab summary panel configured to display a first statistic associated with a term of a Boolean expression defined by the corresponding tab conditions panel, a first update element operable to, in response to user selection, update the first statistic, a second statistic associated with the entire Boolean expression, and a second update element operable to, in response to user selection, update the second statistic, and the tabstrip widget being configured to display a tab conditions panel and a tab summary panel of one tab at a time,

receiving a first user input defining a first term of the Boolean expression, the first term further comprising a first number of condition statements joined by a first Boolean operator,

displaying the first term of the Boolean expression including the first number of condition statements in the tab conditions panel of the first tab,

receiving a user selection indicative of a second tab,

superimposing the tab conditions panel of the second tab on the tab conditions panel of the first tab based upon receiving the user selection indicative of the second tab,

receiving a second user input defining a second term of the Boolean expression, the second term further comprising a second number of condition statements joined by the first Boolean operator, the second number of condition statements being different than the first number of condition statements,

displaying the second term of the Boolean expression including the second number of condition statements in the tab conditions panel of the second tab,

receiving a user selection indicative of a third tab,

superimposing the tab conditions panel of the third tab on the tab conditions panels of the first and second tabs based upon receiving the user selection indicative of the third tab,

receiving a third user input defining a third term of a Boolean expression, the third term further comprising a third number of condition statements joined by the first Boolean operator, the third number of condition statements being different than the first number of condition statements and the second number of condition statements,

displaying the third term of the Boolean expression including the third number of condition statements in the tab conditions panel of the third tab,

combining the first, second and third terms using a second Boolean operator, the second Boolean operator being different than the first Boolean operator,

outputting data satisfying the first, second and third terms of the Boolean expression in a chart, a graph, or a spreadsheet,

receiving a fourth user input redefining one of the terms of the Boolean expression,

in response to user selection of the first update element included in the tab summary panel of the second tab, updating the first statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab based on the second term of the Boolean expression including the second number of condition statements, and

in response to user selection of the second update element included in the tab summary panel of the second tab, updating the second statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab based on the entire Boolean expression defined by the first term of the Boolean expression including the first number of condition statements, the second term of the Boolean expression including the second number of condition statements, and the third term of the Boolean expression including the third number of condition statements.

17. A system comprising:

one or more computers; and

a computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more computers having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

displaying a tabstrip widget including at least first and second tabs, each of the at least first and second tabs further including a tab conditions panel and a tab summary panel, the tab summary panel configured to display a first statistic associated with a term of a Boolean expression defined by the corresponding tab conditions panel, a first update element operable to, in response to user selection, update the first statistic, a second statistic associated with the entire Boolean expression, and a second update element operable to, in response to user selection, update the second statistic, and the tabstrip widget being configured to display one tab conditions panel of the at least first and second tabs at a time,

receiving a first user input defining a first term of a Boolean expression including a first number of condition statements,

displaying the first term of the Boolean expression in the tab conditions panel of the first tab,

superimposing the tab conditions panel of the second tab on the tab conditions panel of the first tab,

receiving a second user input defining a second term of the Boolean expression including a second number of condition statements, the second number of condition statements being different than the first number of condition statements,

displaying the second term of the Boolean expression in the tab conditions panel of the second tab,

in response to user selection of the first update element included in the tab summary panel of the second tab, updating the first statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab based on the second term of the Boolean expression including the second number of condition statements,

in response to user selection of the second update element included in the tab summary panel of the second tab, updating the second statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab based on the entire Boolean expression defined by the first term of the Boolean expression including the first number of condition statements and the second term of the Boolean expression including the second number of condition statements, and

outputting data satisfying the first and second terms of the Boolean expression.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:

superimposing the tab conditions panel of a third tab on the tab conditions panels of the first and second tabs;

receiving a third user input defining a third term of a Boolean expression including a third number of condition statements, the third number of condition statements being different than the first number of condition statements and the second number of condition statements;

displaying the third term of the Boolean expression in the tab conditions panel of the third tab; and

outputting data satisfying the first, second and/or third terms of the Boolean expression.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise receiving user selection indicative of the second tab, wherein the tab conditions panel of the second tab is superimposed on the tab conditions panel of the first tab based upon receiving the user selection.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the first statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab includes a percentage and a count of total data matching the second term of the Boolean expression and the second statistic included in the tab summary panel of the second tab includes a percentage and a count of total data matching the entire Boolean expression.

21. The system of claim 17,

wherein each term further comprises a plurality of Boolean expressions,

wherein each of the Boolean expressions comprising the first term and the second term include a first Boolean operator,

wherein the first term and the second term are combined using a second Boolean operator, and

wherein the first and second Boolean operators are different.

22. The system of claim 21,

wherein the first Boolean operator is a logical-and operator, and

wherein the second Boolean operator is a logical-or operator.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein each term defines a disjunction or a conjunction of a series of variables.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein each tab further comprises a logical operator selector effectuating the selection of a desired logical operation to be applied to the term of the Boolean expression displayed by the each tab.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the data is output in a graph, a chart or a spreadsheet.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a third user input redefining the first term of the Boolean expression, the redefined first term of the Boolean expression including a third number of condition statements that is different than the first number of condition statements.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise de-activating the tab conditions panel of the first tab based upon superimposing the tab conditions panel of the second tab on the tab conditions panel of the first tab.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise hiding the tab conditions panel of the first tab based upon superimposing the tab conditions panel of the second tab on the tab conditions panel of the first tab.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise superimposing the tab conditions panel of the first tab on the tab conditions panel of the second tab.