Method and system for managing data objects
First Claim
1. A system for managing a plurality of data objects, comprising:
- a database having a plurality of tables, wherein each of the data objects is stored in at least one of the tables, and at least one of the tables is a metadata table, the metadata table including a plurality of metadata records, each of the plurality of metadata records conforming to a dublin core metadata schema, and each of the plurality of metadata records related to one of the data objects and containing metadata related thereto;
metadata tagging logic for tagging a data object; and
data object placement logic for placing a data object in a table of the database.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for managing a plurality of data objects with a database complying with the Dublin Core metadata schema. The database includes a plurality of tables including at least one metadata table containing metadata records conforming to the Dublin Core metadata schema and relating to data objects stored in one of the tables. In another embodiment, an electronic scientific laboratory notebook for managing a plurality of scientific laboratory notebook data objects including a computing device communicating with a system for managing the plurality of scientific laboratory notebook data objects. Data objects may be entered, searched and viewed through the electronic notebook. In another embodiment, a computer-readable medium containing a data structure for managing a plurality of data objects with a plurality of tables complying with the Dublin Core metadata schema. The data structure may include a modified relational database incorporating hierarchical structure between tables.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1. A system for managing a plurality of data objects, comprising:
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a database having a plurality of tables, wherein each of the data objects is stored in at least one of the tables, and at least one of the tables is a metadata table, the metadata table including a plurality of metadata records, each of the plurality of metadata records conforming to a dublin core metadata schema, and each of the plurality of metadata records related to one of the data objects and containing metadata related thereto;
metadata tagging logic for tagging a data object; and
data object placement logic for placing a data object in a table of the database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for managing a plurality of data objects, comprising:
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metadata classification logic for determining whether to classify the data object as a metadata-related data object;
a database having a plurality of metadata-related tables, wherein each of the metadata-related data objects is stored in at least one of the metadata-related tables, at least one metadata table, the metadata table related to each of the plurality of metadata-related tables, the metadata table having a plurality of metadata records, each of the plurality of metadata records conforming to a dublin core metadata schema, each of the plurality of metadata records related to one of the metadata-related data objects and containing metadata related thereto, and each of the plurality of metadata-related data objects related to one of the metadata records, and at least one non-metadata-related table, wherein each of the data objects which is not related to a metadata record is stored, and wherein each of the plurality of metadata-related tables and each of the at least one non-metadata-related tables are related to at least one other of each of the plurality of metadata-related tables or of each of the at least one non-metadata-related tables;
metadata tagging logic for tagging a metadata-related data object; and
data object placement logic for placing a data object in a table of the database. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A system for managing a plurality of scientific laboratory notebook data objects relating to a plurality of topics, comprising:
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metadata classification logic for determining whether to classify the scientific laboratory notebook data object as a metadata-related data object;
a modified relational database having a plurality of metadata-related tables, each of the metadata-related tables related hierarchically with a plurality of levels of hierarchy, the hierarchical relationship characterized by a parent-child relationship wherein each parent-level table has at least one child-level table related thereto, and each child-level table has one parent-level table related thereto, and wherein each of the metadata-related data objects is stored in at least one of the metadata-related tables, at least one metadata table, the metadata table related to each of the plurality of metadata-related tables, the metadata table having a plurality of metadata records, each of the plurality of metadata records conforming to a dublin core metadata schema, each of the plurality of metadata records related to one of the metadata-related data objects and containing metadata related thereto, and each of the plurality of metadata-related data objects related to one of the metadata records, and a plurality of non-metadata-related tables, wherein each of the scientific laboratory notebook data objects which is not related to a metadata record is stored, and wherein each of the plurality of metadata-related tables and each of the plurality of non-metadata-related tables are related to at least one other of each of the plurality of metadata-related tables or of each of the plurality of non-metadata-related tables;
metadata tagging logic for tagging a metadata-related data object;
metadata search logic for searching the metadata-related data;
data object placement logic for placing a data object in a table of the database; and
output logic for outputting search results. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An electronic scientific laboratory notebook for managing a plurality of scientific laboratory notebook data objects, the electronic notebook comprising a computing device communicating with a system for managing the plurality of scientific laboratory notebook data objects, the system including:
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metadata classification logic for determining whether to classify the scientific laboratory notebook data object as a metadata-related data object;
a database having a plurality of metadata-related tables, wherein each of the metadata-related data objects is stored in at least one of the metadata-related tables, at least one metadata table, the metadata table related to each of the plurality of metadata-related tables, the metadata table having a plurality of metadata records, each of the plurality of metadata records conforming to a dublin core metadata schema, each of the plurality of metadata records related to one of the metadata-related data objects and containing metadata related thereto, and each of the plurality of metadata-related data objects related to one of the metadata records, and at least one non-metadata-related table, wherein each of the scientific laboratory notebook data objects which is not related to a metadata record is stored, and wherein each of the plurality of metadata-related tables and each of the at least one non-metadata-related tables are related to at least one other of each of the plurality of metadata-related tables or of each of the at least one non-metadata-related tables;
metadata tagging logic for tagging a metadata-related data object;
data object placement logic for placing a data object in a table of the database;
metadata search logic for searching the metadata-related data objects; and
output logic for outputting search results to the electronic notebook. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure for use in allocating memory, the data structure containing:
a database having a plurality of tables, wherein each of the data objects is stored in at least one of the tables, and at least one of the tables is a metadata table, the metadata table including a plurality of metadata records, each of the plurality of metadata records conforming to a dublin core metadata schema, and each of the plurality of metadata records related to one of the data objects and containing metadata related thereto. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure for use in allocating memory for storing a plurality of data objects and metadata-related data objects, the data structure containing:
a database having a plurality of metadata-related tables, wherein each of the metadata-related data objects is stored in at least one of the metadata-related tables, at least one metadata table, the metadata table related to each of the plurality of metadata-related tables, the metadata table having a plurality of metadata records, each of the plurality of metadata records conforming to a dublin core metadata schema, each of the plurality of metadata records related to one of the metadata-related data objects and containing metadata related thereto, and each of the plurality of metadata-related data objects related to one of the metadata records, and at least one non-metadata-related table, wherein each of the data objects which is not related to a metadata record is stored, and wherein each of the plurality of metadata-related tables and each of the at least one non-metadata-related tables are related to at least one other of each of the plurality of metadata-related tables or of each of the at least one non-metadata-related tables. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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43. A computer-readable medium containing a data structure for use in allocating memory for storing a plurality of scientific laboratory notebook data objects and metadata-related scientific laboratory notebook data objects, the data structure containing:
a modified relational database having a plurality of metadata-related tables, each of the metadata-related tables related hierarchically with a plurality of levels of hierarchy, the hierarchical relationship characterized by a parent-child relationship wherein each parent-level table has at least one child-level table related thereto, and each child-level table has one parent-level table related thereto, and wherein each of the metadata-related data objects is stored in at least one of the metadata-related tables, at least one metadata table, the metadata table related to each of the plurality of metadata-related tables, the metadata table having a plurality of metadata records, each of the plurality of metadata records conforming to a dublin core metadata schema, each of the plurality of metadata records related to one of the metadata-related data objects and containing metadata related thereto, and each of the plurality of metadata-related data objects related to one of the metadata records, and a plurality of non-metadata-related tables, wherein each of the scientific laboratory notebook data objects which is not related to a metadata record is stored, and wherein each of the plurality of metadata-related tables and each of the plurality of non-metadata-related tables are related to at least one other of each of the plurality of metadata-related tables or of each of the plurality of non-metadata-related tables. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A method for managing a plurality of scientific laboratory notebook data objects with a dublin core metadata schema comprising the steps of:
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gathering the data objects in digital form;
tagging at least one data object with metadata conforming to a dublin core metadata schema, whereby the metadata is stored in a metadata record which is related to the data object for which the metadata describes, and wherein the metadata record is stored in at least one metadata table;
storing each of the tagged data objects as a record in at least one of a plurality of tables of a modified relational database, each of the plurality of tables related to the metadata table;
searching the plurality of data objects by searching the metadata records associated with the data objects; and
outputting results of a search. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A method for populating a modified relational database with a plurality of scientific laboratory notebook data objects, the database having a plurality of tables for storing data objects and at least one metadata table having at least one metadata record related to each data object stored in each of the plurality of tables which is metadata-related, each of the metadata records conforming to a dublin core metadata schema, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining at least one data object in digital form;
providing metadata relating to the data object which complies with the dublin core metadata schema; and
submitting the data object for storage in the database. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A method for accessing a modified relational database with a plurality of scientific laboratory notebook data objects, the database having a plurality of tables for storing data objects and at least one metadata table having at least one metadata record related to each data object stored in each of the plurality of tables which is metadata-related, each of the metadata records conforming to a dublin core metadata schema, the method comprising the steps of:
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submitting at least one data object search parameter including at least one value for at least one dublin core metadata element included in the metadata records; and
receiving the data objects which have related metadata records which have at least one element value which matches a submitted search parameter.
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Specification