Method and apparatus for automatically generating database definitions of indirect facts from entity-relationship diagrams
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a computer system comprising a computer processor, a database storage, a display and input means, a program memory and a program loaded therein wherein said loaded program automatically generates and displays on said display a database definitional plan for indirect facts associated with the database entity data, a computer process comprising steps performed in said computer of:
- generating in said processor of said computer and displaying on said display means a first graphical placeholder block in a database definitional diagram for a user identified target indirect fact regarding a user identified target entity in an entity-relationship (ER) model of the user'"'"'s business environment;
generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a second graphical placeholder block in a database definitional diagram for an indirect fact derivation argument;
generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a third graphical placeholder block in a database definitional diagram for an indirect fact derivation argument for an associative entity type relationship link;
generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said first graphical placeholder block to the said base entity of said database definitional diagram;
generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said second graphical placeholder block to said first graphical placeholder block;
generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said third graphical placeholder block to said first graphical placeholder block;
generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said third graphical placeholder block to the first relationship link representational block in said database definitional diagram encountered in a traverse of said diagram from said base entity of said diagram to said first graphical placeholder block; and
generating in said CPU and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said second graphical placeholder block to said user identified target entity.
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Abstract
A computer-implemented process accepts information input from an existing ER model of data representing a given environment and, in response to the input, automatically creates a new database structural definition that represents indirect facts about a base entity that are indicated by the input.
63 Citations
10 Claims
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1. In a computer system comprising a computer processor, a database storage, a display and input means, a program memory and a program loaded therein wherein said loaded program automatically generates and displays on said display a database definitional plan for indirect facts associated with the database entity data, a computer process comprising steps performed in said computer of:
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generating in said processor of said computer and displaying on said display means a first graphical placeholder block in a database definitional diagram for a user identified target indirect fact regarding a user identified target entity in an entity-relationship (ER) model of the user'"'"'s business environment; generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a second graphical placeholder block in a database definitional diagram for an indirect fact derivation argument; generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a third graphical placeholder block in a database definitional diagram for an indirect fact derivation argument for an associative entity type relationship link; generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said first graphical placeholder block to the said base entity of said database definitional diagram; generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said second graphical placeholder block to said first graphical placeholder block; generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said third graphical placeholder block to said first graphical placeholder block; generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said third graphical placeholder block to the first relationship link representational block in said database definitional diagram encountered in a traverse of said diagram from said base entity of said diagram to said first graphical placeholder block; and generating in said CPU and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said second graphical placeholder block to said user identified target entity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A CASE tool comprising instructions encoded on a computer-readable medium for automatically generating database definitional diagrams from ER diagrams on the display of a computer system, said tool comprising means for performing steps of:
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generating in said computer and displaying on said display means a first graphical placeholder block in a database definitional diagram for a user requested indirect fact regarding a user identified target entity in an entity-relationship (ER) model of the user'"'"'s business environment; generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a second graphical placeholder block in a database definitional diagram for an indirect fact derivation argument; generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a third graphical placeholder block in a database definitional diagram for an indirect fact derivation argument for an associative entity type relationship link; generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said first graphical placeholder block to the said base entity of said database definitional diagram; generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said second graphical placeholder block to said first graphical placeholder block; generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said third graphical placeholder block to said first graphical placeholder block; generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said third graphical placeholder block to the first relationship link representational block in said database definitional diagram encountered in a traversed of said diagram from said base entity of said diagram to said first graphical placeholder block; and generating in said processor and displaying on said display means a graphical path connecting said second graphical placeholder block to said user identified target entity. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. In a computer system comprising a computer processor, a database storage, a display and input means, a program memory and a program loaded therein wherein said loaded program automatically generates a database definitional plan for indirect facts associated with the database entity data, a computer process comprising steps performed in said computer of:
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generating in said processor of said computer a first graphical placeholder in a database definitional diagram for a user requested indirect fact regarding a user identified target entity in an entity-relationship (ER) model of the user'"'"'s business environment; generating in said processor a second graphical placeholder in a database definitional diagram for an indirect fact derivation argument; generating in said processor a third graphical placeholder in a database definitional diagram for an indirect fact derivation argument for an associative entity type relationship link; generating in said processor a graphical path connecting said first graphical placeholder to the said base entity of said database definitional diagram; generating in said processor a graphical path connecting said second graphical placeholder to said first graphical placeholder; generating in said processor a graphical path connecting said third graphical placeholder to said first graphical placeholder; generating in said processor a graphical path connecting said third graphical placeholder to the first associative entity type representational block in said database definitional diagram encountered in a traversed of said diagram from said base entity of said diagram to said first graphical placeholder; and generating in said processor a graphical path connecting said second graphical placeholder to said user identified target entity.
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10. A CASE tool comprising instructions encoded on a computer-readable medium for automatically generating database definitional diagrams from ER diagrams on the display of a computer system, said tool comprising means for performing steps of:
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generating in said computer a first graphical placeholder in a database definitional diagram for a user requested indirect fact regarding a user identified target entity in an entity-relationship (ER) model of the user'"'"'s business environment; generating in said computer a second graphical placeholder in a database definitional diagram for an indirect fact derivation argument; generating in said computer a third graphical placeholder in a database definitional diagram for an indirect fact derivation argument for an associative entity type relationship link; generating in said computer a graphical path connecting said first graphical placeholder to the said base entity of said database definitional diagram; generating in said computer a graphical path connecting said second graphical placeholder to said first graphical placeholder; generating in said computer a graphical path connecting said third graphical placeholder to said first graphical placeholder; generating in said computer a graphical path connecting said third graphical placeholder to the first associative entity type representational block in said database definitional diagram encountered in a traversed of said diagram from said base entity of said diagram to said first graphical placeholder; and generating in said computer a graphical path connecting said second graphical placeholder to said user identified target entity.
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Specification