COMPUTING SYSTEM FOR INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

• US 20010054042A1
• Filed: 05/16/1997
• Published: 12/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Softscape Software LLC
• Original Assignee: Pavonix, Inc. (Cornerstone Ondemand Incorporated)
• Inventors: WATKINS, DAVID V., WATKINS, RICHARD M., WATKINS, HENRY C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,457,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

An information management system includes an indexing subsystem and a document management subsystem. The system layers an object-oriented architecture over a relational database to manage folders and files from a variety of file systems. Managed files are incrementally indexed by the indexing subsystem and can be retrieved by a user by knowing content of a managed file. Folders and documents are also logically organized for presentation to the user.

Claims

1. A computing system for managing a plurality of files from a file system, comprising:

a database for storing attributes of the managed files; and

an object-oriented manager coupled to the database, the manager affecting changes to a managed file by modifying the stored attributes in the database.

2. The system of

claim 1

wherein the database is a relational database.

3. The system of

claim 1

wherein the manager includes a plurality of instantiated base objects, the relationships between the base objects being defined by information stored in the database.

4. The system of

claim 3

wherein the base objects represent a subsection of the plurality of files.

5. The system of

claim 1

wherein the manager includes recursive processing.

6. The system of

claim 1

wherein the stored attributes include an ordered sequence between a plurality of sibling files.

7. The system of

claim 1

further comprising an indexer for maintaining an index of all managed files.

8. The system of

claim 1

further comprising a general purpose file viewer for display contents of a file having a format from a plurality of supported formats.

9. A computing implemented method for managing a plurality of files from a file system, comprising:

storing attributes of the managed files in a database;

coupling an object-oriented manager to the database; and

from the manager, affecting changes to a managed file by modifying the stored attributes in the database.

10. The method of

claim 9

wherein the database is a relational database.

11. The method of

claim 9

further comprising, from the manager, the step of instantiating a plurality of base objects, the relationships between the base objects being defined by information stored in the database.

12. The method of

claim 11

further comprising the step of representing a subsection of the plurality of files with the base objects.

13. The method of

claim 9

further comprising, from the manager, the step of recursively processing data.

14. The method of

claim 9

wherein the stored attributes include an ordered sequence between a plurality of sibling files.

15. The method of

claim 9

further comprising the step of maintaining an index of all managed files.

16. The method of

claim 9

further comprising the step of displaying contents of a file having a format from a plurality of supported formats.

17. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer-readable medium;

a computer program in the medium for managing a plurality of files from a file system, the computer program including the steps of;

storing attributes of the managed files in a database;

coupling an object-oriented manager to the database; and

from the manager, affecting changes to a managed file by modifying the stored attributes in the database.

18. The article of

claim 17

wherein the database is a relational database.

19. The article of

claim 17

further comprising, from the manager, the step of instantiating a plurality of base objects, the relationships between the base objects being defined by information stored in the database.

20. The article of

claim 17

further comprising the step of representing a subsection of the plurality of files with the base objects.

21. The article of

claim 17

further comprising, from the manager, the step of recursively processing data.

22. The article of

claim 17

wherein the stored attributes include an ordered sequence between a plurality of sibling files.

23. The article of

claim 17

further comprising the step of maintaining an index of all managed files.

24. The article of

claim 17

further comprising the step of displaying contents of a file having a format from a plurality of supported formats.