Distributed object classification

• US 20050235011A1
• Filed: 04/15/2004
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Essary, Bill S., Fu, Xiongjian, Minium, Dennis W. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/824,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20050235011A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for unrelated tools to categorized elements they control according to a common centrally managed classification scheme. The invention also provides a mechanism for storing, retrieving, and modifying classifying information. Users of unrelated tools that employ the subject invention see a single and consisted user interface.

Claims

1. A distributed classification system, comprising:

a plurality of software components; and

a classification component that couples software components to a common classification structure.

2. The system of claim 1, the classification structure comprising node types and structural constraints.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the classification structure is hierarchical.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the software components are associated with classification nodes.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein a classification node comprises a globally unique identifier.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein a graphical user interface is employed by a user to classify software components.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein a user drags and drops components onto a classification node.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the classification component utilizes heuristics and statistical analysis related to artificial intelligence to couple software components to the common structure.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a notification component that notifies consumers of the common structure of proposed changes to the structure to give them an opportunity to veto the change.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a notification component that alerts consumers of the common structure of a change.

11. A software tool interaction system comprising:

a means for generating a common classification scheme amongst a plurality of unrelated software tools; and

a means for maintaining the common classification scheme to provide a foundation for a cohesive user experience.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein a user generates the classification scheme employing a graphical user interface to drag and drop artifacts onto classification nodes.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the classification scheme is generated automatically utilizing heuristics and statistical analysis associated with artificial intelligence.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein maintaining the classification scheme comprises notifying consumers of the scheme of potential changes to allow them an opportunity to object.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein maintaining the scheme comprises notifying consumers of the scheme of changes thereto.

16. A common classification methodology comprising

generating one or more taxonomies;

maintaining the taxonomies to facilitate interaction with taxonomy artifacts by a plurality of unrelated tools.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein generating a taxonomy comprises defining node types and structural type classes.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein generating a taxonomy comprises defining structural constraints specifying parent-child relationships

19. The method of claim 16, wherein each node in a taxonomy is identified by an immutable globally unique node identifier.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the taxonomy is generated by a user employing a graphical user interface.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein a user generates the taxonomy by dragging and dropping artifacts onto a classification node.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the taxonomy is generated automatically by a component employing heuristics and statistical analyses related to artificial intelligence.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein maintaining the taxonomies includes notifying a user or owner of classifiable artifacts of changes to the taxonomy.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein a before change event is raised prior to a change to provide owners with an opportunity to veto proposed changes.

25. The method of claim of claim 23, wherein an after change event is raised to all owners to enable them to reflect a change that has been completed.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the taxonomy is represented in XML.

27. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of claim 16.

28. A common enterprise classification scheme methodology comprising:

instantiating a common structure based on a structure type;

exposing the common structure amongst a plurality of unrelated tools to provide a foundation for a cohesive user experience.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein a structure type comprises node types and structural constraints.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the common structure is exposed via a graphical user interface.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising requesting consent from consumers of the common structure to proposed changes to the structure.

32. A computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions for carrying out the method of claim 28.