Associative data access method (ADAM) and its means of implementation

• US 4,604,686 A
• Filed: 01/27/1984
• Issued: 08/05/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Martin Marietta Corporation
• Original Assignee: Martin Marietta Corporation
• Inventors: Shepley, Leonard D., Reiter, Bernadette G., Blume, R. J. Carter, Schewe, Roy A., Castor, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zache, Raulfe B.
• Application Number:
  US06/574,438
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/300
• US Class Current: 703/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems

Abstract

An input/output driver program residing in digital computer apparatus responsive to Pascal type of software and which operates to emulate an asychronous terminal, as opposed to bisynchronous devices having defined protocols, in a distributed processing environment. The computer thus programmed is adapted to communicate with any data processor supporting external communications with other apparatus and operates as an intelligent interface between one or more user terminals and one or more data processors, of different vendor types. A user at a user terminal communicates a specific request to the interface of the subject invention which in turn automatically executes a series of Pascal computer programs, called modules, in response to a plurality of data files, called an Information Directory. These files contain all the information required to seek out, couple to and query certain predetermined data bases for specific information in their own respective logons, protocols, etc., retrieve the required information, operate on and reformat the information received in diverse forms into a consolidated file, and report the information thus integrated to the user in a user friendly form.

Claims

1. A method of integrating data in a distributed processing environment, comprising the steps of:

(a) coupling at least one user terminal to a plurality of mutually diverse type data processors through an intelligent interface;

(b) loading said interface with information for coupling to and retrieving data from each of said data processors;

(c) operating said interface as an asynchronous terminal, thereby emulating a dumb terminal, in accordance with said information loaded therein and selectively coupling to and accessing said data processors for predetermined data via a communications link;

(d) retrieving and returning said predetermined data to said interface via said communications link;

(e) integrating said data retrieved from said plurality of mutually diverse type data processors at said interface comprising the steps of consolidating the data received from said diverse type processors and reformatting the data into a common format following said consolidating step; and

(f) reporting said data thus integrated to said user terminal in a user friendly form.

2. The method of claim 1 and further including the steps of:

(g) loading said interface with menu information relating to the types of data selectively available to said user terminal;

(h) displaying said menu information; and

(i) entering menu related requests at said user terminal, and

wherein said reporting step (f) comprises the step of reporting data retrieved in accordance with said menu request.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step (h) of displaying comprises the step of displaying said menu information on a user terminal screen.

4. The method of claim 3 and wherein said step (f) of reporting said data comprises displaying the reformatted data on said user terminal screen.

5. The method of claim 3 and wherein said step (f) of reporting said data comprises the step of printing out said reformatted data in a predetermined copy form.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said intelligent interface comprises a file driven program residing in digital computer apparatus and wherein said information for coupling to and retrieving data from said data processors as well as said menu information is located in a plurality of data files, said program further executing a plurality of instructional sets in response to said information loaded into said files.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said plurality of instructional sets comprise a plurality of Pascal type modules controlled by said files.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein one of said modules termed a Scheduler module executes all other of said modules.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said other modules include at least a User Interface module which controls all inputs and outputs to and from said user terminal, a Command Interpreter module which causes said other modules to perform specific tasks via the Scheduler module, a Communications module which emulates asynchnous terminal communications between each of said data processors and said interface, and a Merge/Format module which operates to temporarily store the data retrieved from said data processors via the Communications module, consolidate the data retrieved in a common format and output the data to said user terminal via said User Interface module.

10. The method of claim 9 and wherein said modules additionally include an Error Handling function which operates to translate any communications error into a user format.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said modules additionally include a Logging module for recording the status of the program'"'"'s execution as it progresses.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein said information loaded into said data files includes:

(i) user information comprising the identity of the accessing user, user passwords, user access capabilities, data categories available to a particular user and the language dialogue for a particular user;

(ii) interface information comprising the manner in which connection to said data processors can be made and including local area network access, automatic telephone dialing, the particular logon information to said data processors where said predetermined data resides, the passwords and user identification to logon in order to access the data and processor logoff information;

(iii) data retrieval information comprising information on the structure of the data to be retrieved, the query language available to access the data and the requirements to access or invoke and format a request for data, and the specific query language; and

(iv) data manipulation and output format information comprising functions to be applied against the data retrieved, the manner in which to format the data into report format, the manner to summarize the data, and the manner to format the data.

13. Apparatus for integrating data in a distributed processing environment and comprising:

(a) at least one user terminal adapted to interact with a data processor;

(b) a plurality of data processors;

(c) an intelligent interface coupled between said user terminal and said plurality of data processors, said intelligent interface further comprising;

(i) means containing information for emulating and coupling to and retrieving data from each of said data processors;

(ii) means for operating said interface as an asynchronous terminal in accordance with said information;

(iii) means for selectively coupling to and accessing said data processors for predetermined data via a respective communications link;

(iv) means for retrieving and returning said predetermined data from said data processors to said interface via said respective communications links;

(v) means for integrating said data retrieved from said plurality of data processors at said interface; and

(vi) means for reporting said data thus integrated to said user terminal in a user friendly form.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said plurality of data processors are comprised of mutually diverse type data processors.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said integrating means (v) comprises means for consolidating the data retrieved from said diverse type processors and means for reformatting the retrieved data into a common format.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said intelligent interface further includes:

(vii) means containing menu information relating to the types of data selectively available to said user terminal; and

said apparatus additionally comprises;

(c) means for displaying said menu information; and

(d) means for entering menu related requests at said use terminal.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said reporting means (vi) comprises means for reporting data retrieved in accordance with said menu request.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said means (c) for displaying comprises a user terminal screen.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said means (vi) for reporting said data comprises means for coupling the reformatted data to said user terminal screen for display.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said means (vi) for reporting said data comprises means for printing out said reformatted data in a predetermined copy form.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said intelligent interface comprises a file driven program residing in digital computer apparatus and wherein said information for emulating, coupling to and retrieving data from said data processors as well as said menu information is located in a plurality of data files, and said means (ii) through (vi) comprises a plurality of instructional sets executed in response to said information loaded into said files.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said plurality of instructional sets comprise a plurality of Pascal type modules controlled by said files.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein one of said modules termed a Scheduler module executes all other of said modules.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said other modules at least comprise a User Interface module which controls all inputs and outputs to and from said user terminal;

a Command Interpreter module which causes said other modules to perform specific tasks via the Scheduler module;

a Communications module which emulates asynchronous terminal communications between each of said data processors and said interface; and

a Merge/Format module which operates to temporarily store the data retrieved from said data processors via the Communications module, consolidate the data retrieved in a common format and output the data to said user terminal via said User Interface module.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said modules additionally comprise an Error Handling function which operates to translate any communications error into a user format.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said modules additionally comprise a Logging module for recording the status of the program'"'"'s execution as it progresses.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said files are located in an Information Directory and comprise:

(1) a first file termed a Security File which contains the user name, password, the next module to be executed by said Scheduler module and the first command to be executed by said next module;

(2) a second file termed a Menu File which contains a plurality of screen images for a plurality of menus for said user terminal and wherein each menu is indicative of the type of data which can be obtained at said us terminal;

(3) a third file termed a User Command Stream File, which contains the sequence of instructions to be followed when a specific menu request is made from a user terminal;

(4) a fourth file termed the Application Command Stream File which contains a plurality of processes which execute the instructions necessary to complete a logical task;

(5) a fifth file termed a Condition File which contains entries which compares incoming data against expected data, compares an internally maintained counter to a value that is specified in the file, and upon successful comparison dictates the process by the next module and command associated with a particular comparison;

(6) a sixth file termed a Graph File which contains the information needed for the generation of a graphic output format for the integrated data retrieved.