Graphical user interface for filtering items of interest

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a graphical user interface (GUI) for filtering items of interest. In various embodiments, the GUI may be implemented as a method on a hardware-based system such as a computer server or other computing device. In one embodiment, the method includes defining a library of available criteria to be used in filtering a population of items for an end-user to identify items of interest. Each of the available criteria has a graphical representation. A GUI is presented to the end-user of the filtering criteria for constructing a graphical filter builder. An indication is received of each of the selected set of criteria from the end-user to construct and display a graphical representation of the filter. A query is constructed to identify the items of interest using the selected set of criteria. The identified items of interest are generated and displayed to the end-user.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method, comprising:
 displaying, on a graphical user interface of a computing device, a plurality of graphical representations, each of the plurality of graphical representations being associated with a criterion that filters a population of items to identify items of interest;   receiving, in the graphical user interface, a selection of at least one of the plurality of graphical representations;   displaying, in the graphical user interface, an ordered arrangement of the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations along with one or more previously selected graphical representations;   receiving, in the graphical user interface, a selection of the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations; and   in response to receiving the selection of the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations:   filtering the population of items using the criterion associated with the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations to identify items of interest; and   displaying the filtered items of interest in the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations is associated with a tier. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein received input causes the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations to be associated with the tier. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving, in the graphical user interface, input to change a position of the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations in the ordered arrangement. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the criterion is defined by a user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the criterion is predefined. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the criterion is associated with a category. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving, in the graphical user interface, input to remove at least one of the plurality of graphical representations from the ordered arrangement. 
     
     
         10 . A computing device, comprising:
 at least one processing unit; and   a memory coupled to the at least one processing unit and storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, perform a method, comprising:   displaying, on a graphical user interface of the computing device, a plurality of graphical representations, each of which represent a criterion that filter a population of items;   receiving, in the graphical user interface, a selection of at least one of the plurality of graphical representations;   displaying, in the graphical user interface, an ordered arrangement of the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations along with one or more previously selected graphical representations;   receiving, in the graphical user interface, a selection of the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations; and   in response to receiving the selection of the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations:   filtering the population of items using the criterion associated with the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations to identify items of interest; and   displaying the filtered items of interest in the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         11 . The computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations and the one or more previously selected graphical representations are associated with a tier. 
     
     
         12 . The computing device of  claim 11 , further comprising instructions for associating the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations with the tier in response to received input. 
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 10 , further comprising instructions for receiving, in the graphical user interface, input to change a position of one or more of the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations and the one or more previously selected graphical representations. 
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the criterion is defined by a user. 
     
     
         15 . The computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the criterion is predefined. 
     
     
         16 . The computing device of  claim 10 , wherein the criterion is associated with a category. 
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 10 , further comprising instructions for receiving, in the graphical user interface, input to remove at least one of the plurality of graphical representations from the ordered arrangement. 
     
     
         18 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, in a graphical user interface of a computing device, a selection of at least one of a plurality of displayed graphical representations, wherein each of the plurality of displayed graphical representations is associated with a filter;   in response to receiving the selection, displaying, in the graphical user interface, the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations along with one or more previously selected graphical representations, the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations and the one or more previously selected graphical representations being displayed in an ordered arrangement;   receiving, in the graphical user interface, a selection of at least one of the graphical representations in the ordered arrangement; and   in response to receiving the selection:   filtering a population of items using the filter associated with the selected one of the graphical representations in the ordered arrangement to identify items of interest; and   displaying the filtered items of interest in the graphical user interface.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the ordered arrangement includes a tier. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising receiving input to remove one or more of the graphical representations from the ordered arrangement. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the filters are predefined.