Search-on-the-fly report generator

Claim 2

A computer-based method for creating a data report, comprising: receiving a query, whereby the query comprises a database search request, and wherein the database is searched using an on-the-fly search; a query tweaker generating a defined query of the database from the received query, wherein generating the defined query includes the query tweaker performing transformations and corrections on the received query; accessing one or more databases, using a search engine, per the defined query; generating a search result based on the database access, wherein the search result includes one or more descriptors indicating corresponding data categories; and creating a template of the search result, wherein the template comprises links to the data categories described by the one or more descriptors.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more databases comprise more than one database schema, the method further comprising translating the more than one database schema into a consistent database schema.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: generating a list of database fields; receiving one or more selections from the list of database fields; and integrating the one or more selections to create the template.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 , wherein the template is generated based on a default selection of database fields.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving a request to create the data report; returning a report field menu; receiving one or more menu selections based on the report field menu; generating a defined query; and searching the one or more databases using the defined query, whereby the search result is generated.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 , wherein generating the defined query, comprises: generating a select clause based on the received one or more menu selections; generating a from clause based on the select clause; and combining the select clause and the from clause to generate the defined query.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: sending a prompt to save the search result; receiving a response to the save prompt; and saving the search result based on the received response.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 , further comprising: performing a subsequent database access using the template, whereby a subsequent search result is generated; and saving the subsequent search result.

Claim 10

The method of claim 8 , further comprising searching the search result and the subsequent search result using an alternate template.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving one or more changes to the template.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving user feedback based on the returned search result.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of creating the search result comprises: generating a list of data fields; receiving a first data field selection from the list of data fields; receiving a first constraint, wherein the first constraint is related to a data element in a data field; and receiving one or more subsequent constraints, wherein search results are generated based on a combination of the first and the one or more subsequent constraints.

Claim 14

The method of claim 12 , further comprising: determining a first quantity indicative of a number of entries of the selected data field; if the first quantity exceeds a specified limit, reducing a size of data to be displayed from the selected data field; and displaying data from the selected data field.

Claim 15

The method of claim 13 , wherein the specified limit is fixed.

Claim 16

The method of claim 13 , wherein the specified limit is variable.

Claim 17

The method of claim 13 , wherein the data are displayed on a terminal, and wherein the specified limit is determined dynamically, based on a characteristic of the terminal.

Claim 18

The method of claim 13 , wherein the specified limit is a user-determined limit.

Claim 19

The method of claim 13 , wherein the method for reducing the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field comprises: performing a truncation that reduces the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field; comparing the reduced size to the specified limit; and if the reduced size exceeds the specified limit, repeating the truncation and comparing steps until the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field is less than or equal to the specified limit.

Claim 20

The method of claim 18 , wherein a parameter is related to the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field, and wherein the truncation comprises decrementing or incrementing the parameter.

Claim 21

The method of claim 19 , wherein the parameter is decremented or incremented by a value of one.

Claim 22

The method of claim 19 , wherein a parameter is related to the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field, and wherein the truncation comprises dividing the parameter by a value.

Claim 23

The method of claim 21 , wherein the value is two.

Claim 24

The method of claim 18 , wherein a parameter is related to the size of the data to be displayed from the selected data field, and wherein the truncation comprises multiplying the parameter by a value.

Claim 25

The method of claim 1 , wherein performing transformations and corrections on the received query includes setting up JOIN operations based on a database schema, applying filters and plug-ins, and applying GROUP BY clauses.

Claim 26

A computer-based method for generating search result reports, comprising: receiving a query, whereby the query comprises a database search request, and wherein the database is searched using an on-the-fly search; a query tweaker generating a defined query of the database from the received query, wherein generating the defined query includes the query tweaker performing transformations and corrections on the received query; searching a reports database for existence of a search template corresponding to the defined query; if the search template is found: retrieving the search template, searching the database, whereby search-on-the-fly search results are generated, and formatting the search results according to the search template; and if the search template is not found, completing a new search, comprising: displaying a search-on-the-fly search menu, receiving search parameters, wherein the search parameters define a scope of the search, and returning search-on-the fly search results, and generating a second search template based on the returned search-on-the fly search results.

Claim 27

A computer-based method for generating search result reports, comprising: receiving a query, whereby the query comprises a database search request, and wherein the database is searched using an on-the-fly search; a query tweaker generating a defined query of the database from the received query, wherein generating the defined query includes the query tweaker performing transformations and corrections on the received query; searching a reports database for existence of a search template corresponding to the defined query; if the search template is found: retrieving the search template, searching the database, whereby search-on-the-fly search results are generated, and formatting the search results according to the search template; and if the search template is not found, completing a new search, comprising: displaying a search-on-the-fly search menu, receiving search parameters, wherein the search parameters define a scope of the search, and returning search-on-the fly search results, and generating a second search template based on the returned search-on-the fly search results.

Claim 28

The method of claim 25 , further comprising generating the query, comprising: retrieving an existing where query clause; generating a select clause; generating a from clause; and combining the select clause and the from clause to generate the query.

Claim 29

The method of claim 26 , further comprising: generating a reports fields menu based on the search results; returning the reports field menu; and receiving one or more selections from the reports field menu, whereby the select clause is generated.

Claim 30

The method of claim 25 , further comprising reformatting the search template based on a user feedback.

Claim 31

The method of claim 28 , further comprising saving a reformatted search template, whereby a prior search template is overwritten.

Claim 32

The method of claim 25 , further comprising saving the search results.

Claim 33

The method of claim 25 , wherein performing transformations and corrections on the received query includes setting up JOIN operations based on a database schema, applying filters and plug-ins, and applying GROUP BY clauses.

Claim 36

The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein the report generator, comprises: a request selector that receives a report generation request; a fields accessor, coupled to the request selector, that receives a create report request, and accesses the reports database to locate a search template corresponding to the requested create report request; and a report serializer, coupled to the request selector, that receives a do report request, and initiates presentation of a corresponding search report, wherein the report generation request comprises the report generation request and the create report request.

Claim 37

The apparatus of claim 33 , wherein the report serializer, comprises: a fields serializer that obtains information related to fields in the databases to be searched; a query serializer that receives the do report request; a report package controller that receives the do report request from the query serializer, wherein the do report request includes a list of database fields, and that requests a report query and metadata related to the list of database fields, wherein the report package controller packages the report query and the metadata to create the search report template; and a database updater that receives the search report template that saves the search report template in the reports database and obtains the unique report identification for the search report.

Claim 38

The apparatus of claim 34 , wherein the report generator further comprises a report generator front end, comprising: a search database accessor that runs the defined query against one or more databases and produces a dataset object; and a formatter that fetches records from the one or more databases according to the dataset object and formats the search report according to the information obtained by the fields serializer.

Claim 39

The apparatus of claim 35 , further comprising a user feedback module, whereby the search report is modifiable by a user.

Claim 40

The apparatus of claim 36 , wherein the user feedback module is operable to modify the search report template.

Claim 41

The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein the transformations and corrections performed by the query tweaker on the received query includes setting up JOIN operations based on a database schema, applying filters and plug-ins, and applying GROUP BY clauses.