Abstract:
An data search apparatus includes: a storage unit, storing a plurality of data; an input unit, inputting a data name, selecting a plurality of preference sets, and inputting a grading set by a user; a process unit, receiving the data name for searching for a plurality of candidate data from the data stored in a storage unit and generating a ranking result.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This Application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application No.101139867, filed on Oct. 29, 2012, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The disclosure is related to data search, and, more particularly, the application of preferential conditions of different types of users to generate a ranking result for data search. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    General search functions do not provide preferential conditions for different types of users. Therefore, search results do not satisfy every user, and users are sometimes unable to search for desired information. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An embodiment of the invention provides an data search apparatus, comprising: a storage unit, storing a plurality of data; an input unit, inputting a data name, selecting a plurality of preference sets and inputting a grading set, by a user; a process unit, receiving the data name for searching for a plurality of candidate data from the data stored in a storage unit and generating a ranking result according to the candidate data, the preference sets and the grading set; and a display unit, displaying the ranking result. 
         [0007]    An embodiment of the invention provides a method for data search, comprising: obtaining a data name; searching a plurality of candidate data from a plurality of data stored in a storage unit by a process unit according to the data name; obtaining preference sets and a grading set; generating a ranking result according to the candidate data, the preference sets and the grading set; and displaying the ranking result by a display unit. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The invention will become more fully understood by referring to the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating the data search apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating the process unit  130  according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a data search method according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of the step S 340  of  FIG. 3  according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating the data search apparatus  100  according to an embodiment of the invention. In the  FIG. 1 , the data search apparatus  100  comprises a storage unit  110 , an input unit  120 , a process unit  130  and a display unit  140 . 
         [0014]    In an embodiment of the invention, a storage unit  110  is configured to store a plurality of data. For example, the plurality of data may comprise the information corresponding to the different types of devices, such as a device name, device price, and device weight. The input unit  120  is configured to input a data name, search preference sets and a grading set, by a user, wherein the data name is the name of a device, and the preference sets comprise the price, weight, rank, examine times, the result of a quality test, and Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) of the device. The factors of the preference sets can be provided to different types of users, such as research and development (RD) personal, quality assurance engineers and procurement engineers, and the different types of users can select the factors of the preference sets according to their preference. In addition, the user can set a grading set according to the selected factors after the user has selected the factors of the preference sets. For example, if a user selects the price, examine times and Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), the user may set a grading set for the three factors and the user can set the factors as different grades according to pre-set grade intervals (such as: 1-9 point), for example, the price is set as 9 points, the examine times is set as 6 points, and the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) is set as 3 points. A preference matrix is generated from the grading set. The detailed description of the preference matrix will introduce below. 
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram illustrating the process unit  130  according to an embodiment of the invention. In an embodiment of the invention, the process unit  130  comprises a search module  131 , quantification module  132  and a measuring module  133 . The search module  131  is configured to search the plurality of candidate data from the storage unit  110  according to the data name which the user inputted. In an embodiment of the invention, the candidate data searches by the search module  131  can also be filtered by a sorting mechanism in advance. For example, a user may need a device with a lower price, therefore, the candidate data with a price higher than a minimum can be filtered in advance, or the user may need the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) to be a green light, therefore, the candidate data with the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) of yellow or red may be filtered in advance. Also, the limitation of the device in specification list which the customer indicates also can also be used to sort the candidate data in advance. The examples described above are only for illustration and does not limit the invention. Those who are skilled in this technology can still use other appropriate sorting mechanisms to select the candidate data. 
         [0016]    A user will select desired preference sets, after the search module  131  searches the candidate data. Then the quantification module  132  will quantify parts of the selected preference sets which have not been quantized. For example, the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) must be a green, yellow or red light for determining different hazardous substances, therefore, the quantification module  132  will quantify the options of the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), for example, the green light is set as 3, the yellow light is set as 2, and the red light is set as 1. Finally, the measuring module  133  generates a ranking result corresponding to the candidate data according to the candidate data, the quantified preference sets and the grading set. The user may select a desired device according to the ranking result. 
         [0017]    The detailed process of the measuring module  133  will described below. In an embodiment of the invention, the measuring module  133  may generate a preference matrix according to the selected preference sets and the values of the grading set, and the measuring module  133  performs a weighting process for the preference matrix for generating a first weighted result. Then, the measuring module  133  may generate a data factor matrix according to a plurality of information corresponding to the preference sets in the candidate data, wherein the measuring module  133  programs a weighting process for the data factor matrix for generating a second weighted result. Then, the measuring module  133  will generate the ranking result corresponding to the candidate data according the first weighed result and the second weighted result. 
         [0018]    In an embodiment of the invention, a display unit  140  may display the ranking result corresponding to the candidate data, and the user may select a desired device according to the ranking result. In an embodiment of the invention, the process unit  130  may transmit the ranking result to the storage unit  110  and update the ranked information corresponding to the candidate date in the storage unit  110 . In an embodiment of the invention, the preference sets can comprise preference ranks, and the preference ranks are different for different types of users, for example, research and development (RD) personal may have their own preference rank, quality assurance engineers may have their own preference rank and procurement engineers may have their own preference rank. Therefore, the user can also select the preference rank as an option of the selected preference sets when the user selects the preference sets, and the results of the preference rank could be updated according to the ranking result corresponding to the different types of users. In an embodiment of the invention, the preference rank can also apply to different customers, and the user can select the preference rank as an option of the selected preference sets when the user selects the preference set, wherein the preference rank corresponds to a customer of the user. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a data search method according to an embodiment of the invention. In step S 310 , a data name is obtained. In step S 320 , a plurality of candidate data is selected from a plurality of data stored in a storage unit, by a process unit according the data name. In step S 330 , preference sets and a grading set are obtained. In step S 340 , a ranking result corresponding to the candidate data is generated according to the candidate data, the preference sets and the grading set. In step S 350 , the ranking result is displayed by a display unit. In an embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises quantifying the parts of the selected preference sets which have not been quantified. In an embodiment of the invention, the process unit may transmit the ranking result to the storage unit, and update ranked information of the candidate data in the storage unit. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a flowchart of the step S 340  of  FIG. 3  according to an embodiment of the invention. In an embodiment of the invention, the step S 340  comprises the step S 342 , step S 344  and step S 346 . In step S 342 , a preference matrix is generated according to the selected preference sets and the grading set, and a first weighted result is generated according to the preference matrix. In step S 344 , a data factor matrix is generated according to a plurality of information corresponding to the preference sets in the candidate data, and a second weighted result is generated according to the data factor matrix. In step S 346 , the ranking result is generated corresponding to the candidate data according to the first weighted result and the second weighted result. 
         [0021]    The data search method in the invention can provide different preference search results for different users. For example, research and development (RD) personal, quality assurance engineers and procurement engineers can search for devices according to their preference. In addition, the data search method in the invention can provide preference search results for different customers. Therefore, the data search method in the invention provides a more convenient and reliable method of data search, and users may select the most appropriate device according to their preferences. 
         [0022]    The above paragraphs describe many aspects of the invention. The teaching of the invention can be accomplished by many methods, and any specific configurations or functions in the disclosed embodiments only present a representative condition. Those who are skilled in this technology can understand that all of the disclosed aspects in the invention can be applied independently or be incorporated. 
         [0023]    While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those who are skilled in this technology can still make various alterations and modifications without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention shall be defined and protected by the following claims and their equivalents.