Graphical user interface for filtering a population of items

A method, comprising:

• defining, by at least one hardware-based server, a library of available criteria to be used in filtering a plurality of items for an end-user to identify items of interest, each criterion in the library having a graphical representation;
• presenting a graphical user-interface (GUI) from at least one of the hardware-based servers to the end-user, the GUI presenting the graphical representations of the filtering criteria to the end-user for constructing a graphical filter builder for filtering the plurality of items based on an end-user selected set of criteria;
• receiving an indication of each of the selected set of criteria from the end-user;
• after receiving each selected set of criteria from the end-user, constructing and displaying to the end-user a graphical representation of the filter;
• constructing a query to identify the items of interest from the plurality of items using the selected set of criteria;
• and
• generating and displaying a list of the identified items of interest to the end-user.

A method of filtering items of interest, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a hardware-based server, an indication of each of a selected set of criteria from an end-user, the criteria being related to the items of interest;
• after receiving each selected set of criteria from the end-user, constructing and displaying to the end-user a graphical representation of a graphical filter;
• and
• constructing a query to identify the items of interest from a plurality of items using the selected set of criteria received from the end-user.

A computer-readable medium having no transitory signals and storing instructions that, when executed by at least one hardware-based processor, causes the at least one hardware-based processor to perform operations comprising:

• defining a library of available criteria to be used in filtering a plurality of items for an end-user to identify items of interest, each criterion in the library having a graphical representation;
• presenting a graphical user-interface (GUI) to the end-user, the GUI presenting the graphical representations of the filtering criteria to the end-user for constructing a graphical filter builder for filtering the plurality of items based on an end-user selected set of criteria;
• receiving an indication of each of the selected set of criteria from the end-user;
• after receiving each selected set of criteria from the end-user, constructing and displaying to the end-user a graphical representation of the filter;
• constructing a query to identify the items of interest from the plurality of items using the selected set of criteria;
• and
• generating and displaying a list of the identified items of interest to the end-user.