Browser-based database-access engine apparatus and method

• US 20010037331A1
• Filed: 04/25/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServStor Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Inshift Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Lloyd, Steven D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,460,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A method and apparatus are herein described for a browser-based, database-access engine. Access to and modification of database data and schema are made available to a user remotely through a network, such as the Internet. The invention is configured to interpret special tags embedded within HTML encoded web pages. The special tags may be configured to be interpreted into SQL in order to communicate with an SQL compliant database, or the special tags may be configured to be interpreted to any other database language. The special tags may also be configured to embed and/or introduce logic into HTML encoded web pages. The invention may coordinate the functioning of a browser application, web server, and database all on one computing machine or each may be located on different computing machines connected by the Internet at opposite sides of the globe. Advantages of the present invention include the capability for remote database management and the ability to maintain and modify a web site from any remote Internet-connected location. Thus, the present invention makes a simple Browser application connected to the Internet a convenient database management tool.

Claims

1. An apparatus for using a database through a web-based interface, the apparatus comprising

a processor configured to execute executable data structures;

a memory device connected to the processor for storing the executable data structures and associated operational data structures, the executable and operational data structures comprising;

a database server configured to host a database having both data and schema;

a web server configured to receive requests from and publish responses to a browser, the browser being in operable communication with the web server; and

a service module configured to store and retrieve web pages located in the database.

2. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the service module is further configured to interpret requests received by the web server from the browser into a database language for communicating with the database, thereby allowing a user to view and modify the data and schema of the database.

3. The apparatus of

claim 2

, wherein the service module is further configured to provide user management of a plurality of users, thereby providing each user an arbitrary level of access and control of the database data and schema.

4. The apparatus of

claim 3

, wherein the service module further comprises a web management module configured to allow a user to embed logic within the source code of web pages, the embedded logic allowing the web pages to be dynamically updated by data in the database.

5. The apparatus of

claim 4

, wherein the service module interprets the embedded logic in the web pages into the database language.

6. The apparatus of

claim 5

, wherein the embedded logic further includes instructions executable by the processor.

7. The apparatus of

claim 6

, wherein the database language is SQL.

8. The apparatus of

claim 7

, wherein the service module further comprises a table management module configured to design and populate tables within the database.

9. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the service module is further configured to interpret requests received by the web server from the browser into a database language for communicating with the database, thereby allowing a user to view and modify the data and schema of the database.

10. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the service module is further configured to provide user management of a plurality of users, thereby providing each user an arbitrary level of access and control of the database data and schema.

11. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the service module further comprises a web management module configured to allow a user to embed logic within the source code of web pages, the embedded logic allowing the web pages to be dynamically updated by data in the database.

12. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the service module is further configured to allow a user to embed logic within the source code of web pages and interpret the embedded logic into the database language.

13. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the service module is further configured to allow a user to embed logic within the source code of web pages, the embedded logic comprising instructions executable by the processor.

14. The apparatus of

claim 9

, wherein the database language is SQL.

15. The apparatus of

claim 1

, wherein the service module further comprises a table management module configured to design and populate tables within the database.

16. A method for viewing web pages stored in a database, the method comprising:

establishing a communication link between a browser and a web server, wherein a user makes a request through the browser to the web server to view web pages in a database;

forwarding the request from the web server for processing by a service module, wherein processing by the service module comprises;

receiving the request from the web server; and

executing the request, thereby providing a result, wherein executing the request comprises;

retrieving the web page from the database corresponding to the request;

parsing the web page and executing any logic found therein; and

forwarding the result to the web server; and

forwarding the result from the web server to the browser.

18. A method for manipulating the data and schema of a database through a web-based interface, the method comprising:

establishing a communication link between a browser and a web server, wherein a user makes a request through the browser to the web server to manipulate the data and schema of a database;

forwarding the request from the web server for processing by a service module, wherein processing by the service module comprises;

determining the level of access granted to the user;

permitting the user to modify the data of the database corresponding to the level of access granted thereto;

receiving the request from the web server; and

executing the request, thereby providing a result, wherein executing the request comprises;

manipulating the data and schema of the database corresponding to the request;

parsing the data and executing any logic found therein; and

forwarding the result to the web server; and

forwarding the result from the web server to the browser.

17. The method of

claim 18

, wherein the service module interprets requests made by the web server into a language necessary to communicate with the database.

19. The method of

claim 18

, wherein manipulating is selected from the group consisting of viewing and modifying.

20. The method of

claim 19

, wherein the data is web pages.