Method and apparatus for database interrogation using a user-defined table
First Claim
1. A method of interrogation of a computer database, the database having a number of records and a number of dimensions in which each of said records is represented, each dimension comprising a range of possible values, the dimensions including headings denoting value sets in the range of possible values for the respective dimension and the method comprising the steps of:
- displaying a blank elementary select table and a plurality of user-selectable row and column headings;
adding a plurality of user-selectable row headings and a plurality of user-selectable column headings for the table from those available in the dimensions so as to specify value sets, thereby defining a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns and empty cells at the crossings of the rows and columns; and
executing a database search program which searches said computer database using the value sets of the row and column headings for each of said empty cells and fills in each respective empty cell with data from said computer database corresponding to an intersection of the value sets of the row and column headings for said respective empty cell.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A graphical method of interrogating a computer database is provided, the database having a number of records and a number of dimensions in which each record is represented, the dimensions including headings and the method comprising providing a blank elementary select table, adding user-determined row and column headings and executing a program which fills in the cells with data corresponding to the set intersections of the row and column headings.
42 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method of interrogation of a computer database, the database having a number of records and a number of dimensions in which each of said records is represented, each dimension comprising a range of possible values, the dimensions including headings denoting value sets in the range of possible values for the respective dimension and the method comprising the steps of:
-
displaying a blank elementary select table and a plurality of user-selectable row and column headings; adding a plurality of user-selectable row headings and a plurality of user-selectable column headings for the table from those available in the dimensions so as to specify value sets, thereby defining a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns and empty cells at the crossings of the rows and columns; and executing a database search program which searches said computer database using the value sets of the row and column headings for each of said empty cells and fills in each respective empty cell with data from said computer database corresponding to an intersection of the value sets of the row and column headings for said respective empty cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. Apparatus comprising a computer with a storage medium holding a database, the database having a number of records and a number of dimensions in which each of said records is represented, each dimension comprising a range of possible values, the dimensions including headings denoting value sets in the range of possible values for the respective dimension, and the computer comprising
means for presenting a blank elementary select table and row and column headings to a user for enabling said user to add row and column headings for the select table from those available in the dimensions so as to specify value sets, thereby defining rows and columns and empty cells at the crossings of the rows and columns; - and
means for searching said database using the value sets of the row and column headings for each of said empty cells and filling the cells with data from the database corresponding to the set intersections of the row and column headings for each cell. - View Dependent Claims (10)
- and
-
11. A method for interrogation of a computer database having a plurality of records and a plurality of dimensions in which each record is represented, each dimension comprising a range of possible values, the dimensions including headings denoting value sets in the range of possible values for the respective dimension, the method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) displaying a blank elementary select table and a plurality of user selectable headings; (b) selecting row and column headings from a plurality of dimensions; (c) adding said selected headings as row and column headings in said select table so as to specify value sets, thereby defining a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns and empty cells at the intersections of said rows and columns; and (d) searching said computer database using the value sets of the row and column headings for each of said empty cells and filling the empty cells with data from said computer database derived from the value sets in the computer database corresponding to an interaction of the row and column heading for each empty cell. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A computer system, comprising:
-
(a) a computer database comprising a plurality of records each of which is represented in a plurality of dimensions, each dimension comprising a range of possible values, the dimensions including headings denoting value sets in the range of possible values for the respective dimension; and (b) program means for interrogation of the database, comprising; (i) means for generating a blank elementary select table and representations of a plurality of dimensions and displaying the same to a user; (ii) means for reading input from the user who selects desired dimensions from said plurality of dimensions; (iii) means for adding to said select table row and column headings that respectively correspond to user-selected dimensions so as to specify value sets; and (iv) means for filling empty cells in said select table with data derived from the intersection of the value sets defined by the respective row and column headings in the computer database, said empty cells defined by the intersections of row and columns corresponding to said row and column headings. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A method of interrogating a computer database, the database having a number of records and a number of dimensions in which each of said records is represented, each dimension comprising a range of possible values, the dimensions including headings denoting value sets in the range of possible values for the respective dimension, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a) displaying a predetermined set of headings defining value sets of data in said database and a table consisting of at least rows and columns of cells; b) allowing the user to select one or more of the headings for a search of said database; c) allowing the user to select one or more of the rows for placing the headings selected in the step b) to specify row headings; d) allowing the user to select one or more of the columns for placing the headings selected in the step b) to specify column headings; and e) retrieving relevant data specified by the value sets of the user-selected row headings and column headings from the database for display in the respective cells of the table.
-
Specification