US5752016A — Method and apparatus for database interrogation u…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 185 words

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.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 185 words

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.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 48 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of adding one or more further user-selectable row and/or column headings for the select table from those available in the dimensions, and re-executing the database search program to search said computer database and fill the empty cells.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the records are records of quantities and the said data corresponding to the set intersections is the summation of the quantities of the records of the intersection.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the dimensions include subheadings which may be used as column and row sub-headings in the select table.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 78 words

A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the headings and sub-headings for each particular row and each particular column are respectively aligned to define a row heading set intersection and a column heading set intersection and comprising executing a program which fills in said cells at the crossing of each said particular row and each said particular column with data corresponding to the set intersection of the row heading set intersection and the column heading set intersection.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 59 words

A method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the dimensions are tree structures having nodes representing said value sets from which branch further nodes representing value sub-sets, each record includes a locator field designating its node in each of said dimensions, and for each of said nodes there is available a list of the records appropriate to that node.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 76 words

A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of said list of records appropriate to each node is stored as a bit string of length corresponding to the total number of records and with bits turned on or off according to whether the record corresponding to that bit is present at the node or not, and the bit strings corresponding to the nodes selected in the select table are logically ANDed to obtain set intersections.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 31 words

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the results of a query are further processed for one or more natural language queries which may include exclusion qualifiers or size delimiters.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 163 words

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.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 163 words

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.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 94 words

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, further comprising first input means for permitting a user to specify said row headings and said column headings in said select table, second input means for permitting a user to make natural language input, means for processing the natural language input in order to define further row and/or column headings, and means for combining attributes selected using the first input means with those embodied in the natural language input so as to evaluate empty cells at the crossings of all of the relevant row headings and column headings.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 178 words

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.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 178 words

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.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 37 words

The method recited in claim 11, further comprising the steps of summing data from a plurality of records in accordance with the row and column headings and filling the empty cells with data indicative of the sums.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 77 words

The method recited in claim 12, wherein the headings and sub-headings for each particular row and each particular column are respectively aligned to define a row heading set intersection and a column heading set intersection and comprising executing a program which fills in said cells at the crossing of each said particular row and each said particular column with data corresponding to the set intersection of the row heading set intersection and the column heading set intersection.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method recited in claim 13, wherein the dimensions comprise nodes corresponding to headings and sub-headings and further comprising creating for each node a list of the records appropriate to that node.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method recited in claim 14, wherein each list of records is stored as a bit string of length corresponding to the total number of records and with bits turned on or off according to whether the record corresponding to that bit is appropriate to the node or not.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 30 words

The method recited in claim 15, wherein the determination of intersections is effected by successive logical AND operations on the bit strings for the nodes selected in the select table.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method recited in claim 16, further comprising the step of qualifying the results of a query by one or more natural language queries that include exclusion qualifiers and/or size delimiters.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 173 words

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.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 173 words

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.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 37 words

The computer system recited in claim 18, further comprising means for summing data from a plurality of records in accordance with the row and column headings and filling the empty cells with data indicative of the summations.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 77 words

The computer system recited in claim 19, the headings and sub-headings for each particular row and each particular column are respectively aligned to define a row heading set intersection and a column heading set intersection and comprising executing a program which fills in said cells at the crossing of each said particular row and each said particular column with data corresponding to the set intersection of the row heading set intersection and the column heading set intersection.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 37 words

The computer system recited in claim 20, further comprising means for defining nodes of each dimension corresponding to headings and sub-headings, and means for creating for each node a list of the records appropriate to that node.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 50 words

The computer system recited in claim 21, further comprising means for storing each list of records as a bit string of length corresponding to the total number of records and with bits turned on or off according to whether the record corresponding to that bit is appropriate to the node.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 27 words

The computer system recited in claim 22, further comprising means for performing logical AND operations on the bit strings for the nodes selected in the select table.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 25 words

The computer system recited in claim 23, further comprising means for further processing the results of a query by one or more natural language queries.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 183 words

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.

Claim 30

Independent Claim 183 words

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.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-05-11	2001-11-10	2002-05-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-05-11	2005-11-10	2006-05-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-05-11	2009-11-10	2010-05-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for database interrogation using a user-defined table

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