Metadata search interface

• US 8,156,144 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2008
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Begley, John, Squires, Sean, Kryatov, Max
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Khanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): LODHI, ANDALIB FT
• Application Number:
  US12/018,197
• Publication Number:
  US 20090187542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/707, 707/769, 707/779, 707/781, 707/E17.014, 707/E17.061, 707/E17.067, 707/E17.108, 707/999.003, 707/999.107, 707/774, 707/802, 707/803
• US Class Current: 707/774
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/907 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually

Abstract

A system and method for implementing a metadata search interface is disclosed. The technology creates a configuration file for the metadata search interface comprising a predicate describing a search parameter of the metadata search interface. The configuration file further comprises a control attribute which associates the predicate with a control describing how a display element displayed on the metadata search interface is displayed and a correlation between the display element and the predicate. The technology further comprises generating the metadata search interface in runtime based upon the control.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for implementing a metadata search interface, said computer-implemented method comprising:

accessing a configuration file for said metadata search interface, said configuration file comprising;

a predicate describing a search parameter of said metadata search interface, said predicate supporting full text searches and corresponding to a where clause that supports multiple nested predicate types, and

a control attribute which associates said predicate with a control that includes a definition describing how a display element displayed on said metadata search interface is displayed and a correlation between said display element and said predicate;

generating said metadata search interface in runtime based upon said control;

accessing the display element to determine a value selected for the predicate;

determining the search parameter defined by the predicate based upon the control; and

constructing a query to a search engine architecture based upon the search parameter and the value.

2. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema type to describe said predicate and said control attribute.

3. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

accessing said definition associated with said control;

automatically creating said metadata search interface wherein said display element is rendered in runtime when said configuration file is executed.

4. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 3 further comprising:

accessing a reflection library to access said control.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 3 further comprising:

re-configuring said configuration file wherein a second predicate for said metadata search interface is included in said configuration file; and

automatically creating said metadata search interface wherein said second display element is rendered in runtime when said configuration file is executed based upon a second control associated with said second predicate.

6. A computer-usable storage medium storing instructions wherein the instructions when executed cause a computer system to perform a method for implementing a metadata search interface, said method comprising:

accessing a configuration file for said metadata search interface, said configuration file comprising;

a predicate describing a search parameter of said metadata search interface, said predicate supporting full text searches and corresponding to a where clause that supports multiple nested predicate types, and

a control attribute which associates said predicate with a control that includes a definition describing how a display element displayed on said metadata search interface is displayed and a correlation between said display element and said predicate; and

generating said metadata search interface in runtime based upon said control;

accessing the display element to determine a value selected for the predicate;

determining the search parameter defined by the predicate based upon the control; and

constructing a query to a search engine architecture based upon the search parameter and the value.

7. The computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 6 wherein said method further comprises:

utilizing an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema type to describe said predicate and said control attribute.

8. The computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 6 wherein said method further comprises:

accessing said definition associated with said control;

automatically creating said metadata search interface wherein said display element is rendered in runtime when said configuration file is executed.

9. The computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 8 wherein said method further comprises:

accessing a reflection library to access said control.

10. The computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 8 wherein said method further comprises:

re-configuring said configuration file wherein a second predicate for said metadata search interface is selected; and

automatically creating said metadata search interface wherein said second display element is rendered in runtime when said configuration file is executed based upon a second control associated with said second predicate.

11. A metadata search interface system comprising:

a first component for accessing a configuration file for said metadata search interface and determining a display element corresponding to a predicate of a query, said first component further for displaying said display element in said metadata search interface, said predicate supporting full text searches and corresponding to a where clause that supports multiple nested predicate types; and

a second component at least partially executed by a processor for accessing a value describing a search parameter and for accessing a control associated with said predicate which describes a correlation between said value and said predicate of said metadata search interface, said second component further for automatically generating a metadata query based upon said predicate and said value.

12. The metadata search interface system of claim 11 wherein said first component is further for automatically displaying said metadata search interface in runtime based upon at least one of said predicates within said configuration file.

13. The metadata search interface system of claim 11 wherein said first component accesses an Extensible Markup Language (XML) schema type which correlates said control with said predicate.

14. The metadata search interface system of claim 13 wherein said second component accesses said XML schema type to determine said control element and to determine said predicate.

15. The metadata search interface system of claim 11 wherein said first component dynamically creates said metadata search interface in runtime by accessing at least one of said control via a reflection library.