Interface system for accessing data in a database

• US 20040093318A1
• Filed: 07/30/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ENABLON (Wolters Kluwer Nv)
• Original Assignee: Marc Vogel
• Inventors: Vogel, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 7,461,078 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/213 with details for schema evolution support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

An interface system for accessing data stored in corresponding storage elements includes at least a zone (2) for storing data proper and a zone (3) for storing a data dictionary defining structurally the database, the data base being accessible through elements forming an access interface (4). The elements forming an access interface are associated with a dictionary (5) of interface defining descriptors, accessible through elements modifying its content to enable programming of the configuration of the elements forming an interface to be programmed by creating, suppressing or modifying descriptors in the dictionary (5) of interface defining descriptors and elements (6) are provided for automatically updating the dictionary (3) of data structurally defining the database to adapt the latter to the programmed configuration of the elements forming an interface.

Claims

1. An interface system for access to the data of a database stored in corresponding storage means (1), comprising at least one area (3) for storing the data proper and one area (2) for storing a data dictionary for the structural definition of this database, the database being accessible through means forming an access interface (4), characterized in that the means forming the access interface (4) are associated with a dictionary (5) of interface definition descriptors, which is accessible through means (7, 8) for modifying its contents so as to allow a programming of the configuration of the interface forming means by creating, deleting or modifying descriptors in the dictionary (5) of interface definition descriptors and in that there are provided means (6) for automatically updating the data dictionary (3) for the structural definition of the database so as to adapt the latter to the programmed configuration of the means forming the access interface.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the interface definition descriptors are associated with information for accessing the corresponding data of the database.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the interface forming means are associated with a graphical user interface (7).

4. The system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means (6) for automatically updating the data dictionary for the structural definition of the database, are adapted so as to modify said dictionary dynamically in order to adapt it in real time to the programmed configuration of the means forming the access interface.

5. The system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interface forming means are associated with means (8) for storing a library of preset, selectable and configurable descriptors for programming the configuration of the interface means according to a prebuilt application.