Searching data on an interactive user interface

Abstract

A computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, causes a computer to implement a method. The method includes displaying an interactive user interface (UI) to manage searching of data. The UI has a first display panel and a second display panel. At least one facet, corresponding to a category of the data, and at least one of elements and subelements of the data, organized within the facet, are displayed on the first display panel. The method also includes choose an algorithm for selecting and relating the elements and the subelements of the data, and a global indicator to indicate the chosen algorithm. In response to selection of at least one of the elements and the subelements of the data, at least one of the data and links to the data are displayed on the second display panel.

1 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a computer readable storage medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, causes a computer to implement a method, wherein the method comprises:   displaying an interactive user interface (UI), the UI comprising a first display panel configured to display at least one facet, each facet corresponding to a category of the data, and a second display panel configured to display at least one of the data and links to the data;   expanding the at least one facet, thereby displaying at least one of elements and subelements of the data, the elements and the subelements of the data organized within the associated facet;   choosing an algorithm for selecting and relating the elements and the subelements of the data, the chosen algorithm indicated via a global indicator displayed on the first display panel;   selecting at least one of the elements and the subelements of the data to cause at least one of the data and the links to the data to be displayed in the second display panel; and   viewing at least one of the data and the links to the data displayed in the second display panel in response to the selection of at least one of the elements and the subelements of the data;   wherein the choosing an algorithm comprises choosing an algorithm for selecting and relating more than one of the elements and the subelements of the data within one facet; and   wherein the choosing an algorithm comprises choosing at least one of:
 a Single Select algorithm, for selecting one element or subelement within each facet; 
 an All Selections algorithm, for selecting more than one element and subelement within each facet, and relating them via a Boolean AND; and 
 an Any Selections algorithm, for selecting more than one element and subelement within each facet, and relating them via a Boolean OR. 
   
   
   
       2 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , wherein the choosing an algorithm comprises choosing a global algorithm to be applied to all facets. 
   
   
       3 . The computer program product of  claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:
 choosing a local algorithm, the local algorithm corresponding to each facet;   wherein the chosen local algorithm is applied to the corresponding facet and overrides the chosen global algorithm.   
   
   
       4 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the choosing an algorithm results in a local indicator associated with each facet displayed on the first display panel to indicate the chosen algorithm associated with each facet.   
   
   
       5 . The computer program product of  claim 1 , wherein the displaying further comprises:
 displaying a results indicator associated with each element and subelement of the data displayed on the first display panel to indicate a quantity of the data associated with each element and subelement of the data in response to the chosen algorithm.