# How to Build Complex Database Searches Using Venn Diagrams > A method for searching databases by visually connecting Venn diagrams to represent complex logical relationships between different sets of data. - **Patent:** US 5966126 - **Original title:** Graphic user interface for database system - **Owner:** Individual - **Granted:** 1999 - **Status:** Public domain (expired) - **Times cited:** 859 - **Field:** software, ai_ml, ecommerce ## What it does This patent describes a way to make database searching more intuitive by using visual icons that resemble Venn diagrams. Instead of typing complex code or SQL queries, a user selects specific regions within these circular icons to define how different data sets should overlap or exclude each other. The system then takes these visual selections and the lines connecting them to build a formal search query that a database can understand. For example, a user could drag or resize parts of a Venn diagram to tell the computer to find records that are in 'Set A' but not in 'Set B', and then link that result to another diagram to further narrow the search. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover text-based query languages like SQL or natural language processing. - Does not cover search interfaces that rely solely on keyword input fields. - Does not cover the underlying database storage or retrieval engine itself. - Does not cover systems that do not use visual icons to represent set inclusion properties. ## The clever bit The innovation lies in treating the graphical representation not just as a picture, but as a dynamic input method where gestures (like resizing or moving a circle) directly translate into logical parameters for a database query. ## Real-world examples 1. Visual query builders in business intelligence software 2. Advanced data filtering tools in research databases 3. Graphical interfaces for set-based data analysis ## Why it matters This patent was filed in 1996, a time when database searching was almost exclusively the domain of experts writing code. It represents an early attempt to democratize data access by mapping abstract Boolean logic (AND, OR, NOT) to familiar geometric shapes. It is highly cited because it anticipated the need for visual query builders in the burgeoning era of web-based data exploration. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How to Build Complex Database Searches Using Venn Diagrams cover? A method for searching databases by visually connecting Venn diagrams to represent complex logical relationships between different sets of data. ### Who owns patent US 5966126? Individual owns this patent, granted in 1999. ### When does this patent expire? This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely. ### What is patent US 5966126 cited by? This patent has been cited by 859 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? This patent was filed in 1996, a time when database searching was almost exclusively the domain of experts writing code. It represents an early attempt to democratize data access by mapping abstract Boolean logic (AND, OR, NOT) to familiar geometric shapes. It is highly cited because it anticipated the need for visual query builders in the burgeoning era of web-based data exploration. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover text-based query languages like SQL or natural language processing. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5966126/graphic-user-interface-for-database-system **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US5966126 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How Computers Match and Join Messy Data from Different Sources](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9607103/amazon-athena) — A method for merging datasets by identifying related but non-identical items using flexible matching rules rather than strict equality. - [How AI Connects Different Databases Using Knowledge Graphs](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11507851/system-and-method-of-integrating-databases-based-on-knowledge-graph) — This patent describes a server-based method that uses artificial intelligence and two learning models to automatically find and integrate connections between data fields and data values across multiple databases that have different structures. - [How Software Automatically Translates Database Queries for Different Storage Systems](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9535948/facebook-watch) — A system that intercepts database queries written for traditional relational databases and automatically translates them to work with non-relational databases, allowing developers to switch storage systems without rewriting their application code. - [How eBay Uses Image Fingerprints to Search for Products](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8825660/sql-server) — A system that lets you search for items on a marketplace by uploading a photo instead of typing text, using image 'fingerprints' to find matching products. - [How Computers Find Hidden Connections Between Different Fields of Knowledge](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6523026/google-search-query-processing) — A method for finding related ideas in completely different subjects by using math to map how words appear together, even when the subjects use different vocabulary.