Computer system for creating and manipulating subsets of dynamic information systems models

• US 5,241,645 A
• Filed: 04/27/1990
• Issued: 08/31/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bachman Information Systems, Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Ambramovich, Igor, Cimral, John J., Krieger, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrell, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GECKIL, MEHMET B
• Application Number:
  US07/516,815
• Time in Patent Office: 1,222 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/578, 395/156, 395/160
• US Class Current: 703/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/962 Entity-attribute-value
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A computer system for creating and manipulating subsets of dynamic information systems models of organizations. Generally, the system includes a plurality of dynamicallly linked modelers. The system includes a filter for creating a subset of a model. Each model subset is defined by operator-determined selection criteria. The subset is created by applying the selection criteria to the design data set of the model to be filtered. The resulting model subset may be displayed in a graphical representation. Such representations may enable the user to dynamically interact with the system.

Claims

1. A computer system for establishing model subsets of a dynamic model of information systems of organizations, comprising:

A. two or more modeler subsystems including modeler means for creating, analyzing, and modifying two or more models corresponding to each of said modeler subsystems, each of said models having design data representative of elements including at least one from the group consisting of;

attribute;

entity and attribute;

attribute method;

entity and relationship;

entity method, entity and entity method;

entity, relationship and partnership set;

process;

view;

process local store;

information store;

information flow;

message;

source; and

, destination;

B. operator means coupled to each said modeler subsystems for applying external signals to each of said modeler subsystems, said signals being effective to evoke a creating, analyzing, or modifying response from at least one of said modeler means;

C. modeler linking subsystem (MLS) coupled to each said modeler subsystem, said MLS including means for dynamically correlating said design data, whereby a change to any of said design data of one of said modeler subsystems affects a substantially immediate corresponding change to said design data of others of said modeler subsystems; and

D. filter means coupled to at least one said modeler subsystem for creating a model subset, said model subset being defined by operator-determined selection criteria, and being selected in accordance with said selection criteria from each of said design data, wherein said filter means further comprises means for establishing a model subset display of said model subset, and having model subset display objects representative of said model subset, including means associated with said model subset display selectively operative for externally applying signals to each of said model subset display objects, whereby an externally applied signal associated with at least one of said model subset display objects affects an associated one of said models.

2. A computer system according to claim 1 further comprising a display linking subsystem coupled to said modeler subsystem, said display linking subsystem including means for dynamically correlating each of said model subset displays, wherein a change to any of said model subset design data affects a substantially immediate corresponding change in others of said model subset design data.

3. A computer system for establishing model subsets of dynamic model of information systems of organizations, comprising:

A. at least one information modeler subsystem (IMS) including Information Model (IM) means for creating, analyzing and modifying an information model, said information model having IM design data;

B. at least one process modeler subsystem PMS including Information Flow Model (IFM) means for creating, analyzing, and modifying an information flow model, said information flow model having IFM design data representative of elements including at least one from the group consisting of processes, information stores, information flows, messages, views, process local stores, sources, and destinations, said IFM design data relating to at least one of said elements of said IM design data;

C. at least one logic modeler subsystem (LMS), including Process Description Language (PDL) means for defining logical operations on at least one of said IFM design data and IM design data, aid logical operations being defined by PDL design data;

D. modeler linking subsystem coupled to said IMS, said PMS, and said LMS, said modelers linking subsystem including means for dynamically correlating said IMS, said PMS, and said LMS, wherein a change to any of said IM design data affects a corresponding IM-IFM/PDL change in said IFM design data and said PDL design data, and wherein a change to any of said IFM design data affects a corresponding IFM-IM/PDL change in said IM design data and said PDL design data, and wherein a change to any one of said PDL design data affects a corresponding PDL-IM/IFM change in said IM design data and said IFM design data;

E. operator means coupled to said IMS, said PMS, and said LMS for applying external signals to said IMS and said PMS, and said LMS, said signals being effective to evoke a creating, analyzing, or modifying response from at least one of said IM means, said IFM means, and said PDL means; and

F. filter means coupled to said IMS, said PMS, and said LMS, for creating at least one subset selected from the group of subsets consisting of an IM-subset of said information model, and IFM-subset of said process model, and a PDL-subset of said PDL design data, each of said IM-subset, IFM-subset, and PDL-subset being defined by operator-determined selection criteria, and being selected in accordance with said selection criteria from said IM design data, IFM design data, and PDL design data.

4. A computer system according to claim 3 wherein said IM design data is representative of elements including at least one from the group consisting of:

attribute;

attribute method;

partnership set;

partnership set method;

entity;

entity method;

entity and relationship;

entity and attribute, and;

entity, relationship, and partnership set.

5. A computer system according to claim 4 wherein said filter means further comprises means for establishing an IM-subset display of said IM-subset having IM-subset display objects representative of said IM-subset, including means associated with said IM-subset display selectively operative for externally applying signals to said IM-subset display objects, whereby an externally applied signal associated with at least one of said IM-subset display objects affects said information model.

6. A computer system according to claim 4 wherein said filter means further comprises means for establishing an IFM-subset display of said IFM-subset having IFM-subset display objects representative of said IFM-subset, including means associated with said IFM-subset display selectively operative for externally applying signals to said IFM-subset display objects, whereby an externally applied signal associated with at least one of said IFM-subset display objects affects said process model.

7. A computer system according to claim 4 wherein said filter means further comprises means for establishing a PDL-subset display of said PDL-subset having PDL-subset display objects representative of said PDL-subset, including means associated with said PDL-subset display selectively operative for externally applying signals to said PDL-subset display objects, whereby an externally applied signal associated with at least one of said PDL-subset display objects affects said PDL design data.

8. A computer system according to claim 4 wherein said filter means further comprises:

means coupled to said IMS for establishing an IM-subset display of said IM-subset having IM-subset display objects representative of said IM-subset, including means associated with said IM-subset display selectively operative for externally applying signals to said IM-subset display objects, whereby an externally applied signal associated with at least one of said IM-subset display objects affects said information model;

means coupled to said PMS for establishing an IFM-subset display of said IFM-subset having IFM-subset display objects representative of said IFM-subset, including means associated with said IFM-subset display selectively operative for externally applying signals to said IFM-subset display objects, whereby an externally applied signal associated with at least one of said IFM-subset display objects affects said process model; and

means coupled to said LMS for establishing a PDL-subset display of said PDL-subset having PDL-subset display objects representative of said PDL-subset, including means associated with said PDL-subset display selectively operative for externally applying signals to said PDL-subset display objects, whereby an externally applied signal associated with at least one of said PDL-subset display objects affects said PDL design data.

9. A computer system according to claim 8 further comprising a display linking subsystem coupled to said IMS, said PMS, and said LMS, said display linking subsystem including means for dynamically correlating said IM-subset display, said IFM-subset display, and said PDL-subset display, wherein a change to any of said IM-subset design data affects a substantially immediate corresponding change in said IFM-subset design data and said PDL-subset design data, and wherein a change to any of said IFM-subset design data affects a substantially immediate corresponding change in said IM-subset design data and said PDL-subset design data, and wherein a change to any of said PDL-subset design data affects a substantially immediate corresponding change in said IM-subset design data and said IFM-subset design data.

10. A computer system according to claim 3 wherein said PDL design data corresponds to at least one from the group consisting of insert, retrieve, update, delete, send, receive, signal, when, reference to an entity method, connect, and disconnect.

11. A computer system according to claim 10 wherein said PDL design data is representative of at least one from the group consisting of text and tree structure diagram, and

wherein said operator means further include means for selectively displaying said text and tree structure diagrams.

12. A computer system according to claim 11 wherein said text is representative of at least one from the group consisting of icons and alphanumeric symbols.

13. A computer system according to claim 12 wherein said operator means further includes means for externally applying signals to said logic modeler whereby an externally applied signal associated with at least one of said text affects said PDL design data.

14. A computer system according to claim 11 wherein said tree structure diagram includes nodes and pins, and wherein said nodes have text fields including data representative of at least one of logical operations, IM design data, or IFM design data.

16. A computer system according to claim 3 further comprising at least one function modeler subsystem FMS including Function Decomposition (FD) design data representative of FD subprocesses, each of said subprocesses corresponding to at least one of said processes of said IFM design data, and having FD means for defining a hierarchy of said FD subprocesses of said IFM design data.

17. A computer system according to claim 16 wherein said hierarchy is representative of at least one text or graphics, and

wherein said operator means is coupled to said FMS and further includes means for selectively displaying said text and graphics.

18. A computer system according to claim 16 wherein said modeler linking subsystem further comprises means for dynamically correlating said FMS with said LMS and said PMS, whereby a change to any of said FD design data affects a corresponding FD-PDL/IFM change in said PDL design data and said IFM design data, and whereby a changes to any of said PDL design data or said IFM design data affects a corresponding PDL/IFM-FD change in said FD design data.

19. A computer system according to claim 18 wherein said FMS further comprises means for establishing a FD display having FD display objects representative of said FD design data, including means associated with said FD display selectively operative for externally applying signals to said FD display objects, whereby an externally applied signal associated with at least one of said FD display objects affects said FD design data;

and

wherein said PMS further comprises means for establishing a IFM display having IFM display objects representative of said IFM design data, including means associated with said IFM display selectively operative for externally applying signals to said IFM display objects, whereby an externally applied signal associated with at least one of said IFM display objects affects said IFM design data.

20. A computer system according to claim 19 further comprising a display linking subsystem coupled to said FMS and said PMS, said display linking subsystem including means for dynamically correlating said FD display and said IFM display, whereby a change to any of said FD design data affects a substantially immediate corresponding change in said IFM design data, and whereby a change to any of said IFM design data affects a substantially immediate change in said FD design data.

15. A computer system according to clam 14 wherein said tree structure diagram includes nodes and pins, wherein said pins are representative of operation locations at said node, whereby an external signal applied to at least one of said operation locations performs an operation at said operation location, said operation including at least one from the group consisting of:

add data, replace data, delete data, add node, replace node, or delete node.