The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 27, 2009
Filed:
May. 17, 2002
Shannon Matthew Farrington, Gilroy, CA (US);
Tracy Hutcheson, Salinas, CA (US);
Wei Zhou, Pacifica, CA (US);
Shannon Matthew Farrington, Gilroy, CA (US);
Tracy Hutcheson, Salinas, CA (US);
Wei Zhou, Pacifica, CA (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for specifying a criteria for searching an information hierarchy and displaying search results in a tree-based view that indicates the location of matching elements within the information hierarchy. The location of matching elements within the information hierarchy is emphasized using techniques that include highlighting instances of matching elements within a treeview display, graphically connecting a plurality of matching elements within a treeview display, and displaying a first matching element while presenting a graphical link to the next matching element within the treeview display. Search criteria can be specified using a pop-up search-test input window, or by simply right/left/double clicking upon an element within the information hierarchy. Search results are displayed within a treeview display that presents matching elements within the path-based context of the original information hierarchy but in which non-matching elements are selectively hidden based upon user configuration options selected.