Method and system for providing access to a database

• US 20030135479A1
• Filed: 10/25/2002
• Published: 07/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hulu LLC (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hacigumus, Vahit H., Iyer, Balakrishna R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,315,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/954 Relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method and system for providing user-friendly access to a database are described. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide a database server. There is at least one database coupled to the database server, wherein the database server enables access to the at least one database. A user-defined interface configured to have access to the at least one database, wherein the user-defined interface is customized to have functionality to suit specific needs of a user.

Claims

1. A database system comprising:

a database server;

at least one database coupled to the database server, wherein the database server enables access to the at least one database; and

a user-defined interface configured to have access to the at least one database, wherein the user-defined interface is customized to have functionality to suit specific needs of a user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the database server is managed by a database manager and the user-defined interface is created and managed by the user.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the user-defined interface can be modified as changes are needed.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein a modification to the user-defined interface can be accomplished without authorization from the database manager.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a database interface used to configure the user-defined interface during an initial setup session, wherein the user-defined interface can have access to the at least one database after the initial setup session.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the database system is a relational database system.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the database interface is a relational database interface.

8. A database system comprising:

a database server;

at least one database coupled to the database server, wherein the database server enables access to the at least one database;

a first interface configured to have access to the database server; and

a second interface, wherein the first interface is used to configure the second interface to have access to the at least one database, wherein the second interface is customized with functionality to suit specific needs of a user.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the second interface is configured during an initial setup session, wherein the second interface can have access to the at least one database after the initial setup session.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the database server is managed by a database manager and the user-defined interface is created and managed by the user.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the user-defined interface can be modified as changes are needed.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein a modification to the user-defined interface can be accomplished without authorization from the database manager.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the database system is a relational database system.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the first interface is a relational database interface.

15. A user-defined interface used in a database system, the database system including a database server and at least one database, the database server enabling access to the at least one database, the user-defined interface comprising:

a field for entering user information, wherein the user information associates the user-defined interface with the at least one database; and

a uniform resource locator that is used to connect the user-defined interface to the database system, wherein the user-defined interface is configured to have access to the at least one database, wherein the user-defined interface is customized with functionality to suit specific needs of a user.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the user-defined interface is configured during an initial setup session, and wherein the user-defined interface can have access to the at least one database after the initial setup session.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the database server is managed by a database manager and the user-defined interface is created and managed by a user.

18. A database system comprising:

a database server;

at least one database coupled to the database server, wherein the database server enables access to the at least one database;

an interface configured to have access to the database server, wherein the interface is used to configure one or more other interfaces to have access to the at least one database; and

a user-defined interface configured to have access to the at least one database, wherein the user-defined interface is customized, the user-defined interface having functionality to suit specific needs of a user, wherein the user-defined interface is configured during an initial setup session, wherein the user-defined interface can have access to the at least one database after the initial setup session, wherein the database server is managed by a database manager and the user-defined interface is created and managed by the user.

19. A method for providing access to a database system, the database system including at least one database, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) configuring the database system to enable a user-defined interface to access the at least one database; and

(b) connecting the user-defined interface to the least one database, wherein the user-defined interface is customized with functionality to suit specific needs of a user.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the database server is managed by a database manager and the user-defined interface is created and managed by the user.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the configuring step (a) is accomplished via a database interface during an initial setup session.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the connecting step (b) comprises the step of (b1) receiving user information to allow the user to log into the database system.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the same user information used to log into the database system during the configuration step (a) is the same user information used to log into the database system during the connecting step (b).

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the user information includes a user identification (ID) and password.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step (c) querying the database system for list of tables.

26. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step (c) querying the database system for list of stored procedures.

27. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step (c) querying the database system for list of user-defined functions.

28. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step (c) sending more than one SQL query to the database system in one click.

29. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step (c) creating stored procedures.

30. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step (c) extending one or more built-in functions supplied by a database manager.

31. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step (c) uploading data from a user'"'"'s computer to a user table.

32. A method for providing access to a database system, the database system including at least one database, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving user information associated with a user-defined interface, wherein the user-defined interface is customized with functionality to suit specific needs of a user; and

(b) connecting the user-defined interface to the at least one database.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the database system is a NetDB2 database system.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the connecting step (b) comprises the step of (b1), creating an identification (ID) object from the user information.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the ID object includes a session ID.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the session ID includes a browser ID and a user ID, wherein the session ID corresponds to a user database.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the browser ID is associated with a user-defined interface and the user ID is associated with a particular user system.

38. A computer-readable medium including program instructions for connecting a user-defined interface to at least one database, the program instructions for:

(a) configuring a database system to enable the user-defined interface to access the at least one database; and

(b) connecting the user-defined interface to the least one database, wherein the user-defined interface is customized with functionality to suit specific needs of a user.

39. A computer-readable medium including program instructions for connecting a user-defined interface to at least one database, the program instructions for:

(a) receiving user information associated with the user-defined interface, wherein the user-defined interface is customized with functionality to suit specific needs of a user; and

(b) connecting the user-defined interface to the at least one database.

40. A method for providing a user-defined interface used in a database system, the database system including a database server and at least one database, the database server enabling access to the at least one database, the method comprising:

(a) providing a field for entering user information, wherein the user information associates the user-defined interface with the at least one database; and

(b) providing a uniform resource locator that is used to connect the user-defined interface to the database system, wherein the user-defined interface is configured to have access to the at least one database, wherein the user-defined interface is customized with functionality to suit specific needs of a user.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the user-defined interface is configured during an initial setup session, and wherein the user-defined interface can have access to the at least one database after the initial setup session.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein the database server is managed by a database manager and the user-defined interface is created and managed by a user.

43. A computer readable medium including program instructions for providing a user-defined interface used in a database system, the database system including a database server and at least one database, the database server enabling access to the at least one database, the program instructions:

(a) providing a field for entering user information, wherein the user information associates the user-defined interface with the at least one database; and

(b) providing a uniform resource locator that is used to connect the user-defined interface to the database system, wherein the user-defined interface is configured to have access to the at least one database, wherein the user-defined interface is customized with functionality to suit specific needs of a user.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 43 wherein the user-defined interface is configured during an initial setup session, and wherein the user-defined interface can have access to the at least one database after the initial setup session.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 43 wherein the database server is managed by a database manager and the user-defined interface is created and managed by a user.