Patent ID: 7693852

Claim:
A method of presenting data records, wherein each in a plurality of such data records includes both identification data and user data, and each data record is included in either a highest hierarchical grouping level or is included in a level subordinate to a data record group in the highest grouping level, so that each data record group is either included in the highest grouping level or in the next level directly subordinate to the highest grouping level such that any data record group subordinate to the highest grouping level includes at least one element in a level subordinate to a data record group in the highest grouping level, wherein every directly subordinated element is either a data record group or a data record, the method comprising: specifying a selection criterion for a computer search by a user to identify and provide a list from which only data record groups or data records meeting the selection criterion can be displayed; applying the selection criterion to search data among each in the plurality of data records and determine, on the basis of the searched data, which of the data records satisfy the criterion; assembling into a list for display to the user on a display device, only those of the searched data records and data record groups which satisfy the search criterion such that data records and data record groups not satisfying the search criterion cannot be displayed on the display device simultaneously with display of the searched data records and data record groups which satisfy the search criterion, this resulting in a list including only those of the subordinated elements which satisfy the selection criterion, wherein display on the display device of the searched data records and data record groups which satisfy the search criterion includes displaying such identification data of each data record included in the highest grouping level satisfying the selection criterion; and wherein display on the display device of the searched data records and data record groups which satisfy the search criterion includes displaying only such data record groups included in the highest grouping level having at least one data record subordinate to the data record group, the at least one data record satisfying the selection criterion, and not permitting display of any subordinated elements included in the highest grouping level that do not have at least one data record satisfying the selection criterion; and wherein the display on the display device of the searched data records and data record groups which satisfy the search criterion includes such data record groups directly superordinated to any subordinated data record satisfying the selection criterion but not included in the highest grouping level; and sorting the list according to an ordering criterion independent from the selection criterion.