Systems and methods using generic database search models

A computer system comprising:

• memory;
• one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to search data contained in a plurality of database tables;
• and
• a database search model stored in one or more computer readable media, the database search model comprising:
• a plurality of structural containers and a search enabling container,
• wherein the plurality of structural containers represent objects having a structural relationship and contain property data of the objects, wherein the property data of the objects are obtained from the plurality of database tables,
• wherein the search enabling container specifies a scope of the data search and a display format of the search results,
• wherein the scope of the data search and the display format of the search results are excluded from the plurality of structural containers, wherein the structural relationship of the objects is excluded from the search enabling container,
• wherein the plurality of structural containers comprise respective source table references specifying underlying database tables from which the property data of the objects represented by the plurality of structural containers are obtained.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having encoded thereon computer-executable instructions causing one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

• receiving a search request for data search in a plurality of database tables;
• in response to the search request, searching the plurality of database tables using a database model;
• and
• displaying search results;
• wherein the database model comprises a plurality of structural containers and a search enabling container,
• wherein the plurality of structural containers represent objects having a structural relationship and contain property data of the objects, wherein the property data of the objects are obtained from the plurality of database tables,
• wherein the search enabling container specifies a scope of the data search and a display format of the search results,
• wherein the scope of the data search and the display format of the search results are excluded from the plurality of structural containers, wherein the structural relationship of the objects is excluded from the search enabling container,
• wherein the plurality of structural containers comprise respective source table references specifying underlying database tables from which the property data of the objects represented by the plurality of structural containers are obtained,
• wherein the search enabling container comprises a basic container reference which specifies a primary structural container, wherein the primary structural container is one of the plurality of structural containers,
• wherein the search enabling container comprises a list of unified fields, wherein a unified field in the search enabling container corresponds to an underlying field contained in one of the plurality of structural containers, and
• wherein the unified field in the search enabling container comprises a chain of links connecting the primary structural container to the one of the plurality of structural containers containing the underlying field.

A method comprising:

• receiving a search request via a computer interface for data search in a plurality of database tables;
• in response to the search request, searching, by one or more processors, the plurality of database tables using a database model which is stored in a computer readable media and specifies a scope of the data search;
• and
• displaying search results via the computer interface according to a display format specified by the database search model;
• wherein the database search model comprises a plurality of structural containers and a search enabling container,
• wherein the plurality of structural containers represent objects having a structural relationship and contain property data of the objects, wherein the property data of the objects are obtained from the plurality of database tables,
• wherein the search enabling container specifies the scope of the data search and the display format of the search results, wherein the scope of the data search and the display format of the search results are excluded from the plurality of structural containers, wherein the structural relationship of the objects is excluded from the search enabling container,
• wherein the plurality of structural containers comprise respective source table references specifying underlying database tables from which the property data of the objects represented by the plurality of structural containers are obtained.