Method and apparatus for searching a large volume of data with a pointer-based device in a data processing system
US5680605A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 7, 1995 |
| Grant date | Oct 21, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 7, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S707/99935
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a pointer-based query formulation methodology for use with a computer having a pointer-based device associated therewith. The method of the present invention provides the user with a displayed n-grid of n-tuples of keys in a display window of a display device where the n-tuples of keys are attributes associated with the data set to be searched. Once the data set to be search has been selected and the n-grid generated and displayed, the user can use the pointer-based device to select one or more grid elements or n-tuples. The method then converts the selected grid elements into a search query that is then applied to the data set and the data entries containing or matching the search query are accumulated and displayed in a second display window for user review. The method can further include techniques for query refinement by activating a refinement procedure associated with each grid element using either a hot corner in a cursor magnifier or using an active window associated with the grid cursor. The refinement causes the generation and display of a refined grid comprising all trinary and ternary combination tuples containing the selected n-tupl…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.