Search-on-the-fly/sort-on-the-fly search engine for searching databases

Abstract

A method implemented on a computer for searching databases includes the computer receiving a search query for a database, the database including database fields; and dynamically providing and displaying a list of a plurality of the database fields. The list includes a descriptor indicating a data category of each database field. The computer also dynamically determines a quantity of entries in each database field. For each database field, the computer dynamically sets a limit based on a capacity to display the quantity of entries and for each database field having the quantity of entries exceeding the limit, the computer truncates data by adjusting a size of the quantity of entries until a displayable quantity of entries is achieved. The computer then displays the truncated data.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method, implemented on a processor, for accessing data from a plurality of data sources, comprising:
 the processor receiving a command to access a data source;   using search-on-the-fly, displaying, by the processor, an initial view of the data source, the initial view comprising a dynamically-determined set of all available first data fields upon which data queries may be run;   executing a first search-on-the-fly data query operation, comprising:
 receiving as a selected first data field, a selection of one of the displayed first data fields, and 
 displaying as a first data query operation result, a set of all available first data elements of the selected first data field; 
   receiving a sort-on-the-fly command;   executing a sort-on-the-fly operation, comprising:
 displaying a subsequent view of the data source, the subsequent view comprising all remaining data fields from the initial view except the selected first data field; 
   executing a subsequent search-on-the-fly data query operation, comprising:
 receiving as a selected second data field, a selection of one of the remaining data fields of the subsequent view, and 
 determining as a Boolean AND, an intersection of the first data elements of the selected first data field and second data elements of the selected second data field; 
   displaying as a second data query operation result, a second set of data elements comprising the intersection of the first data elements and the second data elements; and   repeating search-on-the-fly and sort-on-the-fly operations until a desired result is displayed.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of data sources comprises two or more databases having disparate database schemas, first databases having a structured database schema and second databases having an unstructured database schema, the method further comprising:
 for a first database having a structured database schema including data fields, the processor dynamically displays a descriptor indicating a data category of each displayed data field; and   for a second database having an unstructured database schema, the processor displays a descriptor indicating a data category of the second database and the first and subsequent views of the second database are the same.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 displaying each of the sort-on-the-fly query operations and each of the sort-on-the-fly operations in an interface available to a user.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 truncating results of one or more queries based on a display capability of the interface, comprising:   adjusting a size of each data element provided for display in the first data query operation result that exceeds a specified limit such that each data element is represented in the first data query operation result, and the specified limit is based on a display capacity of the interface.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein adjusting a size of each data element comprises the processor, for each data element exceeding the specified limit, iteratively:
 deleting a trailing character of a data element to produce a reduced-size data element;   comparing the reduced-size data element to the specified limit; and   repeating the deleting and comparing until the specified limit is reached.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein repeating search-on-the-fly data queries comprises:
 receiving a successive constraint; and   applying the successive constraint to a most recent view of available data fields.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the successive constraint is selected from a list of possible constraints. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the successive constraint is received as a keyword entry. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 executing a refresh operation, comprising:
 receiving a refresh command; 
 determining at what view to apply the refresh operation; and 
 deleting query results subsequent to the view. 
   
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon machine instructions executable by a processor for accessing data from a data source, wherein execution of the machine instructions causes the processor to:
 receive a command to access the data source;   display, using search-on-the-fly, an initial view of the data source, the initial view comprising a dynamically-determined set of all available first data fields upon which data queries may be run;   execute a first search-on-the-fly data query operation, comprising:
 receiving as a selected first data field, a selection of one of the displayed first data fields, and 
 displaying as a first data query operation result, a set of all available first data elements of the selected first data field; 
   receive a sort-on-the-fly command;   execute a sort-on-the-fly operation, comprising:
 displaying a subsequent view of the data source, the subsequent view comprising all remaining data fields from the initial view except the selected first data field; 
   execute a subsequent search-on-the-fly data query operation, comprising:
 receiving as a selected second data field, a selection of one of the remaining data fields of the subsequent view, and 
 executing a Boolean AND operation to determine an intersection of the first data elements of the selected first data field and second data elements of the selected second data field; 
   display as a second data query operation result, a set of data elements comprising the intersection of the first data elements and the second data elements; and   repeat search-on-the-fly and sort-on-the-fly operations until a desired result is displayed.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of data sources comprises two or more databases having disparate database schemas, first databases having a structured database schema and second databases having an unstructured database schema, the method further comprising:
 for a first database having a structured database schema including data fields, the processor dynamically displays a descriptor indicating a data category of each displayed data field; and   for a second database having an unstructured database schema, the processor displays a descriptor indicating a data category of the second database and the first and subsequent views of the second database are the same.   
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim of  claim 10 , further comprising the processor:
 displaying each of the sort-on-the-fly query operations and each of the sort-on-the-fly operations in an interface available to a user.   
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 12 , further comprising the processor:
 truncating results of one or more queries based on a display capability of the interface, comprising:   adjusting a size of each data element provided for display in the first data query operation result that exceeds a specified limit such that each data element is represented in the first data query operation result, and the specified limit is based on a display capacity of the interface.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , wherein adjusting a size of each data element comprises the processor, for each data element exceeding the specified limit, iteratively:
 deleting a trailing character of a data element to produce a reduced-size data element;   comparing the reduced-size data element to the specified limit; and   repeating the deleting and comparing until the specified limit is reached.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , wherein repeating search-on-the-fly data queries comprises the processor:
 receiving a successive constraint; and   applying the successive constraint to a most recent view of available data fields.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the successive constraint is selected from a list of possible constraints. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the successive constraint is received as a keyword entry. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 10 , further comprising the processor:
 executing a refresh operation, comprising:
 receiving a refresh command; 
 determining at what view to apply the refresh operation; and 
 deleting query results subsequent to the view. 
   
     
     
         19 . A method, implemented on a processor, for searching data from data sources, comprising:
 providing, by the processor, a first plurality of available views of the data, the views corresponding to data fields, each data field identified by a data field descriptor, each data filed descriptor identifying general contents of its associated data field;   receiving a first query on the data comprising receiving a selection of a first view from the plurality of available views;   returning a first query result comprising one or more first icons representing data elements satisfying the first query, the first icons representing every data element satisfying the first query;   receiving a second search query comprising receiving a selection of a second view of the data; and   returning a second query result corresponding to the second view and including one or more second icons representing data elements satisfying the second query, the second icons representing every data element satisfying the first query and the second query.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the data source comprises a plurality of disparate data bases, and the plurality of data bases comprise structured data, semi-structured data, and unstructured data, the method further comprising:
 accessing the data source;   determining the available views of the data source; and   dynamically determining and displaying a second plurality of available views of the data, the second plurality of available views excluding the selected first view.