Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-30
2004-06-01
Robinson, Greta (Department: 2177)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06745182
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for searching for data in at least two databases, in particular for searching for telephone directory, address book or appointments diary entries or the like in at least two telephone directory, address book or appointments diary databases or the like, and also to a database system having at least two databases which is particularly suitable for carrying out the inventive method for searching for data.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
As electronic devices such as mobile telephones, that is to say car telephones and ‘mobiles’, cordless telephones, which communicate via a base station connected to the landline network, electronic notebooks and PCs, which contain databases, such as personal telephone directories, appointments diaries, personal address books, task lists and the like, become more and more widespread, there is the increasing problem that a user needs to manage various electronic telephone directories and/or electronic appointments diaries. If a user uses a cordless telephone with an electronic telephone directory at home in his apartment, for example, then the electronic telephone directory primarily stores private telephone numbers, whereas his work mobile primarily stores work telephone numbers. Further telephone directory entries may be stored in the car telephone, and if he additionally uses a private mobile telephone or mobile as well, this contains further, private and work telephone numbers. In this context, important telephone numbers are frequently stored in a plurality of communication devices used by the user, while other telephone numbers can be found only in a single one of the personal telephone directories in each case. In addition, the user may also have access to electronic telephone directories in his private and/or workplace PC.
In addition, a lot of mobile telephones operated with a SIM card (subscriber identity module) have the facility to store telephone directory entries either in the memory of the SIM card or in a further memory of the appliance itself. This is the case with the Nokia 9110 Communicator, for example. While the SIM card can hold 125 entries in the case of the current prior art, several 100 to several 1000 entries can be made in the memory area of the Nokia 9110 Communicator, depending on the additional memory used.
Parallel access to the various memory areas or the various electronic telephone directories is currently not possible, which means that a user must either constantly coordinate all his available telephone directories with one another if he wants to have all telephone numbers constantly available, or he needs to search through the individual electronic telephone directories one after the other. The problem described in this case in connection with electronic telephone directories with mobile and cordless telephones also concerns, by way of example, address books, appointments diaries and other databases which are provided in PCs, electronic appointments diaries and planners and the like, however.
DE 196 44 104 C1 discloses a communication device which has a main data memory in a mobile telephone and has a call number memory in a voice dialling unit connected to the mobile telephone by means of a cable. In this context, the main data memory serves as a database for a personal telephone directory, while the call number memory stores some of the data recorded in the personal telephone directory, which data can be used to access the telephone directory entries in order to select a stored telephone number. In this case, the main data memory has access to the call number memory and is able to change and/or add to entered data in order to ensure that the telephone numbers stored in the main data memory can be reliably accessed using the call number memory.
It is not necessary to search through the two interconnected memories simultaneously in this case, since the call number memory does not represent another personal telephone directory, but rather only a data list which stores for telephone directory entries in the main data memory the name of the entry and the memory location.
Against this background, the invention is based on the object of providing a method and a database system of the type mentioned in the introduction which allows simultaneous access to two or more databases in order to be able to perform a search therein as in a single database.
This object is achieved by the method according to Claim 1 and by the database system according to Claim 9. Advantageous developments of the method and of the database system are described in the respective subordinate subclaims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The inventive method is distinguished in that, following entry of a search term, on the basis of the entered search term, the predecessor or a plurality of predecessors and the successor or a plurality of successors to the search term and, if available, the search term itself from each of the databases are stored in a search table, and the search term, if stored in the search table, or that term from the successors stored in the search table which comes closest after the entered search term is displayed. In this context, it is particularly advantageous for the displayed successor to be used as a search term for updating the search table.
According to the invention, a search table is thus set up in which, for each connected database, at least the immediate predecessor and the immediate successor to the entered search term and, if the search term itself has likewise been found in the database, the search term itself are also stored. If the search term itself has not been found in any of the connected databases, then, among the immediate successors stored in the search table, the one selected is that which comes closest after the search term. This selected successor is then displayed to a user. On the basis of this, the user can then display the next term or the previous term. He thus has the impression that he is searching for the desired information in a single database. This allows the user to search in various databases just as simply as when searching in a single database.
Another fundamental advantage of the inventive method is that, of the individual databases, in each case only the entries which come closest to the entered search term need be transferred from the database to the search table. This is particularly advantageous if the individual databases are stored in different electronic devices which communicate with one another only via communication links. In this case, the transfer time is significantly reduced, so that the electronic appliance which controls the search on the basis of the entry by the user reacts very quickly to the user entry, which represents a high level of convenience of use. Another advantage is that the search table requires only relatively little memory space, since, in the simplest case, each connected database requires only three memory locations for storing the respective names or terms, and only one memory location is required for storing the database entry associated with the respective term displayed.
The inventive method is thus suitable for searching in databases particularly where, despite low memory capacities and low data transfer rates, it is necessary to search a plurality of databases quickly so that the user feels as though he is searching through a single database.
Since, in the event of the entered search term not having been found in one of the databases, the displayed successor to the search term is used as the new search term for updating the search table, the search becomes not only even faster for the user, but also more convenient, since the search is performed in the precise order of sorting, that is to say in alphabetical order when searching for names in telephone directory or address book databases, for example. According to the invention, the search is performed as though all the available databases were to form a single database sorted on the basis of the selected
Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd.
Perman & Green LLP
Rayyan Susan F.
Robinson Greta
LandOfFree
Method for searching for data in at least two databases, and... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for searching for data in at least two databases, and..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for searching for data in at least two databases, and... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3365264