Web-based Information Management System

• US 20140012922A1
• Filed: 07/07/2012
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jianqing Wu
• Original Assignee: Jianqing Wu
• Inventors: Wu, Jianqing
• Granted Patent: US 10,585,969 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation

Abstract

A web-based information management system allows a group of users to collect, validate, and share data of unknown types and volume in real time over the Internet. The project work environment for a group can be created, modified, and reset instantly during any project life and between project life cycles by a plurality of methods without effecting system integrity and core functions such as data validation, searches and sorting, data preservation, data display feature, and productive data entry methods.

Claims

1. A system for collecting information from and sharing information among a plurality of users, the system comprising:

a server having a network interface and being connected to a network;

at least one client computer being connected to the server through the network, each of the client computers being used by one of the users;

means for setting up a project comprising a project identity or a group identity;

means for assigning a user account to each of the users so that the user can access the data of the group;

means for configuring the table structures of at least one data table at any time within the project life, the at least one data table can be accessed by each of the users of the group from a client computer;

means for creating navigation bar comprising a plurality of navigation buttons, one button being for each of the at least one database table, and placing the navigation bar on each of the web pages for the at least one data table so that each of the users can access each of the at least one data table from the web pages;

means for properly displaying data records for any of the at least one data table to any of the users on the client computers;

means for submitting data from one of the web pages to the server for storage in any of the at least one data table by each of the users of the group;

means for retrieving data from any of the at least one data table and by each of the users of the group; and

means for displaying the retrieved data on a web page in a proper display layout.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the means for configuring data tables is one selected from the group consisting of means for using a default configuration file containing the table structures of at least one data table to overwrite the data tables on the system, means for uploading a configuration file containing the table structures of at least one data table to overwrite the data tables on the system, means for deleting any existing tables, setting up new tables, and modifying any of the at least one table, and means for uploading a compressed project file from the client computer to the servers for rendering.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprise means for setting up display layout and means for applying to any of the data tables a multiple-line display layout or a user-set display layout.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for accepting typed keys in an input box for a destination field of the at least one data table, conducting an interactive search in the a data source, retrieving found data from the server, displaying the retrieved data in a selection box, copying a user-selected data piece into the input box.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for constructing phrase by combining plural user-selected data pieces that have entered in plural component input boxes or by combining a series of data pieces that have been selected in a dynamically generated selection box, wherein the data piece in at least one of the component input boxes is acquired by interactive search.

6. The system of claim 4 further comprising means for setting up a data source for the input box by a method selected from the group consisting of uploading a file containing setup instruction for associating the destination field with a fixed data source or at least one data field of the at least one data table or entering the same setup instruction into the setup table from the server terminal.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for conducting global search by searching each of the data tables in all fields, arranging found data records according to the data tables and a selected field of the first table, and displaying found data records on a result page.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a server pad database table and a user-interface containing input boxes for entering data, means for saving the entered data in a database table, means for searching and retrieving data from the pad table, means for sending retrieved data to the client computer, and means for displaying the retrieved data in a dynamically generated box.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising an internal email system, a discussion board for posting and viewing shared messages, an instruction-posting page for posting information and attachments, and an Edit Table page for editing data records in a view table.

10. A method for collecting information, validating information, and distributing information among a group of users, each of the users being on a client computer connected to the server by a network, the method comprising the steps of:

creating at least one data table accessible to each of the users;

submitting data by the users to the server for storage in the data tables;

saving the submitted data as a tentative data records in the data tables;

retrieving tentative data records from the data tables by each of the users;

displaying the retrieved tentative data records on the client computer of each of the users;

validating the displayed tentative data records by exercising judgment of the users on web pages containing only tentative records or on web pages containing both tentative data records and validated data records;

changing the status of the tentative data records from tentative status to validated status upon validation and saving the changed status in the data tables;

retrieving validated data records from the data tables for each of the user; and

displaying the validated data records on the client computer of each of the users.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a step of setting up data validation table and data validation method for each of the data tables, the data validation method being data validation by a privileged user, voting validation, or both.

12. The system of claim 10 further comprising the steps of changing the value of data access rule between a private edit setting and public edit setting for each of the data tables, whereby the public edit setting allows any of the users to edit or delete any tentative records while the private edit setting allows each of the users to edit or delete only the user'"'"'s own tentative records.

13. The system of claim 10 further comprising the steps of generating a data entry form containing a least one interactive input box, with embedded script and code statement which supports the server'"'"'s search programs in conducting interactive search, getting the keys that a user types, searching designated source data using the keys, retrieving data pieces responsive to the keys, sending the retrieved data pieces to the client computer, displaying the retrieved data pieces in a dynamically generated selection box, and copying a user-selected data piece into the interactive input box.

14. The system of claim 10 further comprising the steps of editing and deleting a plurality of data records shown on a web page, adding new data records on the web page, submitting the web page to the server, and saving changes made on the web page in the data tables.

15. The system of claim 10 further comprising the steps of classifying data records in a plural statuses and changing their statuses from one status to another.

16. A method of extending a server-based database application to a plurality of client computers on a network, the database being used by a group of users on the client computers, the method comprising the steps of:

running the database application on the server;

creating at least one data table on the server anytime outside the development cycle;

retrieving data from the at least one data table;

displaying the retrieved data for the at least one data table on a web page in a proper display layout;

creating and saving a multiple line display layout for the at least one data table through using a web user interface;

changing the display layout for the at least one data table through using a web user interface; and

displaying the data for the at least one data table in the created multiple line display layout on web pages on the client computer.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of changing the table structures of the one of the at least one data table and applying proper display layout to changed data tables on the web page.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of creating a display layout for each of the at least one data table, selecting a display layout from available display layouts, and applying the selected display layout to each of the at least one data table.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the available display layouts comprises proper conventional table view, one-field-per-line display layout, group display layout set up by user under privileged account, and a personal display layout set up by each user under ordinary account.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of uploading a configuration file containing table configuration and display layout definitions, reading the table configuration and the display layout definitions, deleting existing data tables for the group, creating new data tables according to the table configuration, writing the display layout definitions in a display setup table so that each of the users can immediately use a group display layout and personal display layout for any of the data tables.