Configurable search graphical user interface and engine

• US 7,567,964 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2003
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Kennedy, Sargent L., Brice, John, Phelps, James N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam; Shahid A
• Application Number:
  US10/434,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20070185826A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,273 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/3, 707/6, 707/9, 707/10, 707/100, 704/9, 713/201, 715/743, 726/4, 345/853
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/217 Database tuning G06F16/2282 takes precedence; database performance monitoring G06F11/3409
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2423 Interactive query statement specification based on a database schema
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A configurable search engine is provided in which, in an embodiment, by running the search engine an administrator can configure the search options available to a user by selecting from a choice of options without writing code. The user may be able to further configure the search options. In an embodiment, the search engine combines searches of multiple tables in a manner that appears seamless to the user.

Claims

1. A data retrieval system for providing a configurable search engine, comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory device storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

display a first set of search engine related options to a user having a first level of access, the first set of search engine related options being displayed in a configuration portion of a search engine interface, the first set of search engine related options comprising a plurality of search fields usable for performing searches;

allow the user to specify which of the first set of search engine related options will be available to each of a plurality of searchers having a second level of access, the plurality of searchers comprising a first searcher and the search engine related options specified for the first searcher constituting a second set of search engine related options, and to further specify an extent to which each searcher is able to personalize the set of search engine related options specified for the searcher, wherein at least one search field included in the first set of search engine related options is not included in the second set of search engine related options specified for the first searcher;

display the second set of search engine related options to the first searcher having the second level of access in a personalization portion of the search engine interface;

allow the first searcher to specify at least one personalization setting related to at least one option in the second set of search engine related options available to that searcher in a searcher portion of the search engine interface up to the extent specified by the user; and

display the searcher portion of the search engine interface to the first searcher to allow the first searcher to execute a search using the search engine, the searcher portion displaying the second set of search engine related options according to the at least one personalization setting specified by the first searcher.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the search engine includes a window for displaying a Structured Query Language (SQL) search query formed in response to the first searcher inputting a search query in a location other than the window.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the search engine is structured such that in response to a search query being entered into the search engine in a first form, the search engine converts the search query into a second form that is used for conducting a search.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the second form is a programming language.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the configuration portion comprises:

a search options section for configuring search options of the searcher portion; and

a search fields section for configuring the search fields used in the searcher portion.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a database that is accessible for storing and retrieving data.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the database stores configuration data for configuring the search engine.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the database stores personalization data for personalizing the search engine within parameters allowed by the configuration data.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the database stores tables containing component information.

10. The system of claim 6 further comprising a web server for handling communications over a network.

11. A method for providing a configurable search engine, comprising:

providing a user with a first set of search engine related options for the configurable search engine, the user having a first level of access, the first set of search engine related options comprising a plurality of search fields usable for performing searches;

allowing the user to specify which of the first set of search engine related options will be available to each of a plurality of searchers having a second level of access, the plurality of searchers comprising a first searcher and the search engine related options specified for the first searcher constituting a second set of search engine related options, and to further specify an extent to which each searcher is able to personalize the set of search engine related options specified for the searcher, wherein at least one search field included in the first set of search engine related options is not included in the second set of search engine related options specified for the first searcher;

displaying the second set of search engine related options to the first searcher having the second level of access;

allowing the first searcher to specify at least one personalization setting related to at least one option in the second set of search engine related options available to that searcher to the extent specified by the user; and

displaying a searcher portion of the configurable search engine to the first searcher to allow the first searcher to execute a search using the search engine, the searcher portion displaying the second set of search engine related options according to the at least one personalization setting specified by the first searcher.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first set of search engine related options includes operators that are available to the searcher for searching a designated search field.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein allowing the user to specify which of the first set of search engine related options will be available includes allowing the user to select at least a search field from a predetermined list of search fields.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising automatically adding new fields to the list of search fields.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising associating two search fields.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising, in response to a searcher entering a search definition:

searching for information about a component by using a category identification for searching a first category of information stored in a first table;

extracting a component identification from the information about the component; and

using the component identification for finding information from a second category of information stored in a second table.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the component identification is a synchronization identifier.

18. A computer readable storage medium storing a computer program product for controlling a processor to provide a configurable search engine, the computer program product comprising:

code for providing a user with a first set of search engine related options for the configurable search engine, the user having a first level of access, the first set of search engine related options comprising a plurality of search fields usable for performing searches;

code for allowing the user to specify which of the first set of search engine related options will be available to each of a plurality of searchers having a second level of access, the plurality of searchers comprising a first searcher and the search engine related options specified for the first searcher constituting a second set of search engine related options, and to further specify an extent to which each searcher is able to personalize the set of search engine related options specified for the searcher, wherein at least one search field included in the first set of search engine related options is not included in the second set of search engine related options specified for the first searcher;

code for displaying the second set of search engine related options to the first searcher having the second level of access;

code for allowing the first searcher to specify at least one personalization setting related to at least one option in the second set of search engine related options available to that searcher to the extent specified by the user; and

code for displaying a searcher portion of the configurable search engine to the first searcher to allow the searcher to execute a search using the search engine, the searcher portion displaying the second set of search engine related options according to the at least one personalization setting specified by the first searcher.