System for accessing remote heterogeneous database including formatting retrieved data into applications program format

• US 5,058,000 A
• Filed: 06/15/1989
• Issued: 10/15/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Prime Computer, Inc. (DR Holdings, Inc. of Delaware)
• Inventors: Cox, Landon, Mastaj, Marie, Kovsky, Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Jr., Archie E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohamet, Achni
• Application Number:
  US07/368,159
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

An improved method for access to data from a remote computer and an improved method for accessing remote heterogeneous data bases. The method includes a personal computer having an application program for processing data by keyboard input that operates on a local applications data base having files with a first file structure. A remote host computer accesses data in remote files having a second file structure. A preselected keystroke of the first computer modifies the data accession program of the remote computer to reformat retrieved data in the format of the personal computer applications program before transmission back to the personal computer, so that the personal computer resident portions of the program require no information as to where the requested data is located or what the host computer file structure is.

Claims

1. In a general purpose computer system including a first computer having at least a central processing unit and associated memory, a local applications database stored in files having a first file structure in the associated memory of the first computer, and a local applications program executing on the first computer for processing data stored in the local applications database, the local applications program being responsive to keyboard entered applications commands;

a second host computer having at least a central processing unit and associated memory, said second host computer configured to access data stored in remote files in the associated memory of the second host computer;

communications means for transmitting and receiving data and commands between the first computer and the second host computer;

a method for importing remote file data to the first computer from the second host computer during execution of the applications program on the first computer, comprising the steps of;

providing a preselected command of the first computer indicating a request for remote data;

requesting remote data by actuating the preselected command in combination with an applications program data request command and a remote file identifier to initiate an interrupt;

translating, upon entry of the preselected command, the applications program data request command to a remote data request;

transmitting the remote data request to the second host computer;

receiving the remote data request by the second host computer;

converting the remote data request to a host computer data request command by the second host computer;

retrieving a requested data from the remote files of the second host computer;

converting, in the second host computer, the retrieved data to a format useful to the applications program;

transmitting the retrieved converted data to the first computer;

storing the converted data in the local applications database indexed by an applications file identifier and terminating the interrupt;

whereby the first computer responds to the preselected keystroke to import requested data from the second computer to the first computer and to process a data request for remote data while the applications program continues execution on the first computer so that the data accession is transparent to a user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the file structure of the files in the first computer is different from a file structure of the remote files on the second computer.