Automatic field linking

• US 20060136888A1
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Klein, Udo
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,961 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/162
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for automatic field linking is described. In one embodiment, the invention is a method. The method includes receiving input data for a first field. The method further includes receiving input data for a second field. The method also includes comparing contents of the first field to contents of the second field. Additionally, the method includes detecting identical contents of the first field and second field. Moreover, the method includes offering an opportunity to a user to create a link between the first field and the second field. Furthermore, the method includes receiving acceptance from the user. The method also includes creating the link between the first field and the second field and storing the link between the first field and the second field in persistent storage.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving data input in a first field;

receiving data input in a second field;

detecting a potential link between a first field and a second field; and

creating a link between the first field and the second field, the link causing data entered in one of the first and second field to be reflected in the other of the first and second field.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a user about whether to create the link.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

prompting a user to sever the link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the link is bi-directional, causing duplication of contents of the first field in the second field and duplication of contents of the second field in the first field.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the link is directed, causing duplication of contents of the first field in the second field but not duplication of contents of the second field in the first field.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the link is directed, causing duplication of contents of the second field in the first field but not duplication of contents of the first field in the second field.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

detecting is based on copying contents from one of the first or second field to the other of the first or second field more than a predetermined number of times.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

detecting is based on finding contents of the second field in a history of recent fields.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing recent field entries in a history of fields.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

discarding entries from the history of fields after a predetermined amount of time elapses from storing.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

detecting is based on duplicate data in the first field and the second field occuring a predetermined number of times.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the link is recorded in a persistent manner.

13. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a bus coupled to the processor and to the memory, the bus coupled between the processor and the memory;

a user interface coupled to the bus;

a network interface coupled to the bus;

a link detection module; and

a link creation module.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a history management module; and

a link management and storage module.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

links are stored persistently in a database.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

links are stored persistently in a personal profile.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for detecting user input; and

means for storing links.

18. A method, comprising:

receiving input data for a first field;

receiving input data for a second field;

comparing contents of the first field to contents of the second field;

detecting identical contents of the first field and second field;

offering an opportunity to a user to create a link between the first field and the second field;

receiving acceptance from the user;

creating the link between the first field and the second field; and

storing the link between the first field and the second field in persistent storage.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

comparing and detecting are performed by a means for detecting potential links.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the method is performed by a processor responsive to execution by the processor of a set of instructions, the instructions embodied in a machine-readable medium.