Repository system and method
First Claim
1. A method of operating a repository and a client in communication, comprising:
- defining a plurality of artifacts in the repository;
updating one or more relations between a source artifact and a target artifact;
sending a message from a client to the repository requesting a first artifact for a first time, accessing the repository and returning to the client a representation of the first artifact including at least one relation referring to one or more target artifacts;
sending a further message from the client to the repository requesting a further artifact, based on one of the one or more relations in the representation of the first artifact, the further message including information specifying that the instance of the further artifact required is the instance at the first time; and
accessing the repository and returning the instance of the second artifact to the client.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are described relating to a repository having artifacts stored therein. A client 10 may request an object for a first time from a repository 20 with message 60 and receives a first response 62 from the repository including a representation of the object and a pointer to at least one relation of the object. The client 10 may then request a related artifact with further message 64 and receive a further response 66 including a copy of the requested related artifact. The related artifact returned may be the instance of the related artifact valid at the first time. In this way, the repository at a particular time may be accessed by client 10. The repository may be a stateless repository which does not hold data on the client state.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method of operating a repository and a client in communication, comprising:
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defining a plurality of artifacts in the repository; updating one or more relations between a source artifact and a target artifact; sending a message from a client to the repository requesting a first artifact for a first time, accessing the repository and returning to the client a representation of the first artifact including at least one relation referring to one or more target artifacts; sending a further message from the client to the repository requesting a further artifact, based on one of the one or more relations in the representation of the first artifact, the further message including information specifying that the instance of the further artifact required is the instance at the first time; and accessing the repository and returning the instance of the second artifact to the client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A repository for use with one or more clients, the repository comprising:
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a database storing a plurality of artifacts, wherein the database stores a plurality of relations, each relation being a relation between a source artifact and a target artifact, the source artifact and target artifact being related artifacts; and an applications interface for receiving a query message from one of the one or more clients requesting a requested artifact for a specific time, for responding to the query message with a response message including a representation of the requested artifact, and for including in the message pointers to any artifact related to the requested artifact, each pointer being to the instance of the related artifact at the first time. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of operating a repository in communication with a client, comprising:
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storing in the repository a plurality of artifacts and at least one relation between a source artifact and a target artifact; responding to a request from a client for a requested artifact with a response message including an artifact, including in the message a pointer to at least one related artifact related to the requested artifact, the at least one pointer being to the instance of the related artifact at the first time. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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15. A data repository for use in communication with a client, comprising:
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means for storing a plurality of artifacts and at least one relation between a source artifact and a target artifact in the repository; and means for responding to a request from a client for a requested artifact with a with a response message including an artifact, including in the message a pointer to at least one related artifact related to the requested artifact, the at least one pointer being to the instance of the related artifact at the first time.
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Specification