Method and System for Managing Volumes Within a Compilation of Content

• US 20090157711A1
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Edward Hanapole, Eugene Johnson Jr, I-Ming Kao, James A. Barker, Janet L. Murray, Jerry D. Robertson III, Richard W. Walkus, Robert C. Hartman Jr, William J. Baer
• Original Assignee: Edward Hanapole, Eugene Johnson Jr, I-Ming Kao, James A. Barker, Janet L. Murray, Jerry D. Robertson III, Richard W. Walkus, Robert C. Hartman Jr, William J. Baer
• Inventors: Johnson, Eugene JR., Barker, James A., Hartman, Robert C. JR., Murray, Janet L., Walkus, Richard W., Kao, I-Ming, Baer, William J., Robertson, Jerry D. III, Hanapole, Edward
• Granted Patent: US 9,003,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/114 Pagination

Abstract

A web-based system, method and program product are provided for adding content to a content object stored (e.g., a custom compilation or prepublished work) in a data repository as a group of hierarchically related content entities. Each noncontainer content object is preferably stored as a separate entity in the data repository. Each content entity is also stored as a row in a digital library index class as a collection of attributes and references to related content entities and containers. As the user selects desired objects for inclusion in a content object, the system arranges the objects hierarchically, e.g., into volumes, chapters and sections according to the order specified by the user. The system then creates a file object (e.g., a CBO) defining the content object that contains a list or outline of the container and noncontainer entities selected, their identifiers, order and structure. This file object is stored separately in the data repository. An aspect of the invention is the calculation of the compilation'"'"'s cost by estimating the amount of content it contains and determining a content cost based upon the content estimate. Optionally, a cost is assigned to each content entity in the data repository and these actual costs are summed as part of the cost estimation procedure.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing capacities of volumes in a compilation that includes at least one volume with each volume containing a plurality of content entities selected for and arranged in the compilation by a user, said method comprising:

(a) reorganizing distribution of said selected content entities among at least one of existing volumes and newly created volumes within said compilation to comply with a predetermined volume maximum capacity in response to alteration of content within said compilation by said user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) reorganizing said selected content entity distribution in response to addition, deletion or movement of content within the compilation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further includes for each volume within said compilation:

(a.1) determining the volume size;

(a.2) reorganizing distribution of the selected content entities between a current and a successive volume in response to the volume size exceeding said volume maximum capacity; and

(a.3) reorganizing distribution of the selected content entities between the current and a previous volume in response to the volume size satisfying said volume maximum capacity.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (a.2) further includes:

(a.2.1) determining the last content entity in the current volume;

(a.2.2) creating a new volume in response to the absence of the successive volume to the current volume;

(a.2.3) moving the last content entity from the current volume to the beginning of the successive volume; and

(a.2.4) repeating step (a) to examine compliance of the reorganization with the volume maximum capacity.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein step (a.3) further includes in response to the existence of the previous volume:

(a.3.1) determining the size of the first content entity in the current volume;

(a.3.2) moving the first content entity from the current volume to the end of the previous volume in response to the previous volume with the newly moved content entity satisfying the volume maximum capacity;

(a.3.3) repeating step (a) to examine compliance of the reorganization with the volume maximum capacity; and

(a.3.4) recalculating the size for the current and previous volumes.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.4) deleting the current volume in response to the current volume being empty after the reorganization.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a content entity comprises one of a container and a noncontainer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the compilation is a book and the content entity is one of a chapter and a section.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the capacity of a volume is measured with respect to a quantity of pages.

10. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for managing capacities of volumes in a compilation that includes at least one volume with each volume containing a plurality of content entities selected for and arranged in the compilation by a user, the method comprising:

(a) reorganizing distribution of said selected content entities among at least one of existing volumes and newly created volumes within said compilation to comply with a predetermined volume maximum capacity in response to alteration of content within said compilation by said user.

11. The program storage device of claim 10, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.

     1) reorganizing said selected content entity distribution in response to addition, deletion or movement of content within the compilation.

12. The program storage device of claim 10, wherein step (a) further includes for each volume within said compilation:

(a.

     1) determining the volume size;

(a.2) reorganizing distribution of the selected content entities between a current and a successive volume in response to the volume size exceeding said volume maximum capacity; and

(a.3) reorganizing distribution of the selected content entities between the current and a previous volume in response to the volume size satisfying said volume maximum capacity.

13. The program storage device of claim 12, wherein step (a.2) further includes:

(a.2.1) determining the last content entity in the current volume;

(a.2.2) creating a new volume in response to the absence of the successive volume to the current volume;

(a.2.3) moving the last content entity from the current volume to the beginning of the successive volume; and

(a.2.4) repeating step (a) to examine compliance of the reorganization with the volume maximum capacity.

14. The program storage device of claim 12, wherein step (a.3) further includes in response to the existence of the previous volume:

(a.3.1) determining the size of the first content entity in the current volume;

(a.3.2) moving the first content entity from the current volume to the end of the previous volume in response to the previous volume with the newly moved content entity satisfying the volume maximum capacity;

(a.3.3) repeating step (a) to examine compliance of the reorganization with the volume maximum capacity; and

(a.3.4) recalculating the size for the current and previous volumes.

15. The program storage device of claim 12, wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.4) deleting the current volume in response to the current volume being empty after the reorganization.

16. The program storage device of claim 10, wherein a content entity comprises one of a container and a noncontainer.

17. The program storage device of claim 10, wherein the compilation is a book and the content entity is one of a chapter and a section.

18. The program storage device of claim 10, wherein the capacity of a volume is measured with respect to a quantity of pages.

19. A system for managing capacities of volumes in a compilation that includes at least one volume with each volume containing a plurality of content entities selected for and arranged in the compilation by a user, said system comprising:

a computer system to manage said volume capacities and including;

a distribution module to reorganize distribution of said selected content entities among at least one of existing volumes and newly created volumes within said compilation to comply with a predetermined volume maximum capacity in response to alteration of content within said compilation by said user.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said distribution module reorganizes said selected content entity distribution in response to addition, deletion or movement of content within the compilation.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said distribution module includes:

a size module to determine a volume size;

a first order module to reorganize distribution of the selected content entities between a current and a successive volume in response to the volume size exceeding said volume maximum capacity; and

a second order module to reorganize distribution of the selected content entities between the current and a previous volume in response to the volume size satisfying said volume maximum capacity.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said first order module includes:

an entity module to determine the last content entity in the current volume;

a new volume module to create a new volume in response to the absence of the successive volume to the current volume;

a move module to move the last content entity from the current volume to the beginning of the successive volume; and

a compliance module to examine compliance of the reorganization with the volume maximum capacity.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the second order module includes:

a first size module to determine the size of the first content entity in the current volume;

a move module to move the first content entity from the current volume to the end of the previous volume in response to the previous volume with the newly moved content entity satisfying the volume maximum capacity;

a compliance module to examine compliance of the reorganization with the volume maximum capacity; and

a second size module to recalculate the size for the current and previous volumes.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the distribution module further includes:

a removal module to delete the current volume in response to the current volume being empty after the reorganization.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein a content entity comprises one of a container and a noncontainer.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the compilation is a book and the content entity is one of a chapter and a section.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the capacity of a volume is measured with respect to a quantity of pages.