SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING INFORMATION

• US 20070064012A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teradata US, Inc. (Teradata Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Teradata US, Inc. (Teradata Corporation)
• Inventors: McCall, Glenn
• Granted Patent: US 8,066,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

A system and method for managing a complex information process. The system includes an interface for allowing a user to manipulate identifiers indicative of respective information processes to create a user-defined process order; and a processor responsive to the interface for compiling the information processes in accordance with the user-defined process order to define a complex information process. The method includes the steps of manipulating identifiers indicative of respective information processes to create a user-defined process order; and compiling the information processes in accordance with the user-defined process order to define a complex information process.

Claims

1. A system for managing information, the system including:

an interface for allowing a user to manipulate identifiers indicative of respective information processes to create a user-defined process order; and

a processor responsive to the interface for compiling the information processes in accordance with the user-defined process order to define a complex information process.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the information processes are java based.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein the information processes are JNI based.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the interface includes a GUI for representing the identifiers as graphically manipulatable icons.

5. A system according to claim 4 wherein at least one icon is an import icon indicative of an information process for importing into an application one or more columns of data from one or more tables.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein the import icon provides access to a selection interface for nominating the one or more columns of data and one or more tables.

7. A system according to claim 4 wherein the GUI includes a free form drawing field for graphically creating the user-defined process order by graphically manipulating the icons.

8. A system according to claim 4 wherein the icons are graphically interlinkable to define a sequence in which two or more processes are performed in the user defined process order.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the two or more processes are performed in any one or more of the following manners:

sequentially;

in parallel; and

upon the occurrence of a predefined event.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein each information process has one or more execution requirements, and the interface is responsive to the execution requirements for restricting manipulation of the identifiers.

11. A system according to claim 1 including a server for executing the complex information process.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein the server executes the complex information process in response to one or more predefined events.

13. A system according to claim 1 wherein the interface includes a process editor for modifying the information processes.

14. A system according to claim 1 including an input for importing the information processes into the interface.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein the input scans a predetermined information repository for importable information processes.

16. A system according to claim 14 wherein the input allocates the icon for each information process.

17. A system according to claim 14 wherein the input obtains the processes from one or more applications.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein a process represents a functionality of an application, and the input obtains this functionality.

19. A method for managing information including the steps of:

manipulating identifiers indicative of respective information processes to create a user-defined process order; and

compiling the information processes in accordance with the user-defined process order to define a complex information process.

21. A system according to claim 19 wherein the second packet is derived from the first packet.

23. A system according to claim 19 wherein the processor is also responsive to the identifier of the first one of the information sources for generating the second packet.

20. A system for interfacing a plurality of information sources that accept information in compliance with respective data entry protocols, the system including:

an identifier associated with each information source, each identifier being indicative of the respective data entry protocol for the associated information source;

an input for receiving a first packet of information from a first one of the information sources;

an output for providing a second packet of information to a second one of the information sources; and

a processor in communication with the input and responsive to the identifier of the second one of the information sources for generating the second packet such that the second packet complies with the data entry protocol of the second one of the information sources.

22. A system according to claim 20 wherein the first packet and the second packet are substantially identical.