Patent Document ID: 6144968
Application ID: 09033777

Base Claim:
1. A computer software menu management system consisting of, storing a keyword in a controlled vocabulary and its predetermined code in a database that links each said keyword to a parent keyword at a parent level thereby creating a hierarchical organization that has a plurality of levels, selecting a set of keywords from said database that are linked to the same said parent keyword and are located at an identical level in said hierarchical organization, generating a list menu based on said set of keywords, adding a navigation control to said menu system, adding a search control to said menu system, displaying said list menu, fetching a selection made by an end-user associated with said navigation control, with said search control, and with said set of keywords in said list menu, generating another said list menu representing a parent and a child level in said hierarchical organization depending upon the type of navigation control selected by said end-user, fetching at least one said keyword selected by said end-user from said list menu selected when said search control is selected by said end-user, generating a database query that includes at least one said keyword selected by said end-user in said list menu when said search control is selected by said end-user.

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Claim 4:
4. The menu management system of claim 1 wherein said database query is implemented in a database command language that is compatible with at least on database management system.