Universal data editor

• US 20020161777A1
• Filed: 07/10/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knowledge Dynamics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Knowledge Dynamics Incorporated
• Inventors: Smialek, Michael Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,089,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/96 Object-relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system, method, and article of manufacture are disclosed wherein a plurality of objects, components, programming interfaces and user interfaces are defined to facilitate a universally applicable editing, testing and execution system for a plurality of configurable data processing systems and the edit-time data that drives them.

The system is comprised of a meta-model that provides for the specification of formations of edit-time data and constraints thereof.

The system is further comprised of meta-model data that specifies the allowable formations of edit-time data.

The system is further comprised of a user interface for displaying edit-time data and initiating edit actions to add, modify, and delete portions of edit-time data.

The system is further comprised of coded logic steps that interpret meta-model data together with edit-time data to cause user interface to visually represent edit-time data to the user in a specified formation. Said coded logic steps interpret user initiated edit actions with meta-model data and edit-time data to enforce that only valid edit actions are permitted to complete and only valid formations of edit-time data can be created.

The system is comprised in such a way as to not require source code changes to support varied and unanticipated edit-time data models resulting from different instantiations of the meta-model into meta-model data.

A preferred embodiment is directed at supporting a plurality of software engines that provide desired runtime behaviors and results by processing conforming static edit-time data together with dynamic run-time data.

Claims

1. ) A method of facilitating a universally applicable editing, testing and execution system for a plurality of configurable data processing (discourse engine) systems configured to process user generated data, the method comprising:

supplying a meta model and meta-model data;

specifying formations of user generated data and constraints according to a meta model;

specifying allowable formations of user generated data according to meta-model data;

displaying the user-generated data;

manipulating the user-generated data;

interpreting the meta-model data with the user-generated data according to a plurality of coded logic steps; and

visually representing the interpreted user-generated data.

2. A universal meta model comprising

a. means for representing a plurality of classes of objects;

b. means for representing a plurality of default class behavior categories;

c. means for representing a plurality of data members of classes of objects;

d. means for representing a plurality of default member behavior categories;

e. means for representing a plurality of relationships between classes of objects;

f. means for representing a plurality of relationships between objects; and

g. means responsive to at least one of a-f for modeling data formations and validation constraints thereon.

3. A universal meta model as in claim 2 comprising means for representing a plurality of optional additional class behaviors for a plurality of class behavior categories.

4. A universal meta model as in claim 2 comprising means for representing a plurality of optional additional member behaviors for a plurality of member behavior categories.

5. A universal meta model as in claim 2 comprising means for representing a plurality of links between relationships between classes of objects.

6. A universal meta model as in claim 5 comprising means for representing a plurality of composite relationships composed of a plurality of links between a plurality of relationships between classes of objects.

7. A universal meta model as in claim 5 comprising means for representing a plurality of composite relationships composed of a plurality of links between a plurality of relationships between classes of objects.

8. A universal meta model as in claim 5 comprising means for representing direction of relation links.

9. A universal meta model as in claim 2 comprising means for representing a plurality of default relationship behavior categories.

10. A universal data editor component comprising

a. a universal meta model as in claim 2;

b. means for storing data instantiations of said universal meta model classes;

c. means for storing data instantiations of said universal meta model members;

d. means for storing data instantiations of said universal meta model relations; and

e. means for storing data instantiations of said universal meta model relation links.

11. A universal data editor component as in claim 10 comprising

a. means for storing data instantiations of said universal meta model tree views;

b. means for storing data instantiations of said universal meta model tree levels;

12. A universal data editor component as in claim 10 comprising

a. means for storing data instantiations of said universal meta model elements representing instantiations of classes represented by said universal meta model classes;

b. means for storing data instantiations of said universal meta model values representing instantiations of said universal meta model members;

13. A universal data editor component as in claim 10 comprising

a. means for storing data instantiations of said universal meta model elements representing instantiations of classes represented by said universal meta model classes;

b. means for storing data instantiations of said universal meta model values representing instantiations of said universal meta model members;

14. A viewer and controller for universal data editor component comprising

a. a universal data editor component as in claim 10;

b. means for displaying a graphical representation of data;

c. means for displaying textual representation of data; and

d. means for displaying tabular representation of data;

15. A viewer and controller for universal data editor component as in claim 14

a. means for displaying a graphical representation of data formations;

b. means for displaying textual representation of data formations; and

c. means for displaying tabular representation of data formations;

16. A universal data editing, testing, and management system comprising

a. means for interfacing with a viewer and controller for universal data editor component;

b. means for interfacing with a plurality of data packaging components;

c. means for interfacing with a plurality of data deployment components; and

d. means for interfacing with a a plurality of simulated user interface components.