Method and system for generating a user interface adaptable to various database management systems
First Claim
1. A method for generating a user interface adaptable to various database management schemas each having a database containing a plurality of data items, the method comprising:
- generating an intermediate data model from the database having a model and a meta-model categorizing the plurality of data items as either a data object type or a functional object type, the data object type representing a type of data contained in the database and the functional object type representing a plurality of relationships existing between instances of a plurality of the data object types, the model containing a plurality of entities and a plurality of relationships, the plurality of data items being instances of the plurality of entities and the plurality of relationships, and the meta-model containing a plurality of entity object types and a plurality of relationship object types, the plurality of entities being instances of the plurality of entity object types and the plurality of relationships being instances of the plurality of relationship object types, and the plurality of entity object types further being instances of the data object type and the plurality of relationship object types further being instances of the functional object type;
executing a plurality of internal dialogs to retrieve data representing the plurality of entity object types, the plurality of relationship object types, the plurality of entities and the plurality of relationships so as to determine the model and the meta-model of the intermediate data model;
generating the user interface independent of the database based on the data retrieved by the internal dialogs; and
displaying the user interface.
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Abstract
A method and system for generating a user interface in a database management system. A semantic data model is used to describe a database in terms of data types stored in the database and functional types that describe relationships between the data types stored in the database. The system dynamically queries the data model to generate a graph of the data model itself. These queries are initiated by the system without user intervention. The user selects a node on the graph that causes the data model to be searched again to determine the name of the node selected, one or more types of relationships associated with the node selected and one or more instances of the relationships associated with the node selected. This information is used to generate a form containing a plurality of blanks. A user enters a query constraint into one or more of the blanks and the database is searched for instances of data meeting the query constraints. The data model is easily adaptable to reflect changes in the architecture of the database. The user interface reflects those changes without the need to recode or recompile the software that generates the user interface. Also because the data model is semantically the same throughout, the same functions can query the data model itself as well as the data represented by the data model.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for generating a user interface adaptable to various database management schemas each having a database containing a plurality of data items, the method comprising:
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generating an intermediate data model from the database having a model and a meta-model categorizing the plurality of data items as either a data object type or a functional object type, the data object type representing a type of data contained in the database and the functional object type representing a plurality of relationships existing between instances of a plurality of the data object types, the model containing a plurality of entities and a plurality of relationships, the plurality of data items being instances of the plurality of entities and the plurality of relationships, and the meta-model containing a plurality of entity object types and a plurality of relationship object types, the plurality of entities being instances of the plurality of entity object types and the plurality of relationships being instances of the plurality of relationship object types, and the plurality of entity object types further being instances of the data object type and the plurality of relationship object types further being instances of the functional object type; executing a plurality of internal dialogs to retrieve data representing the plurality of entity object types, the plurality of relationship object types, the plurality of entities and the plurality of relationships so as to determine the model and the meta-model of the intermediate data model; generating the user interface independent of the database based on the data retrieved by the internal dialogs; and displaying the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for generating a user interface adaptable to various database management schemas comprising:
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a database containing a plurality of data items; and a computer system coupled to the database including; means for generating an intermediate data model from the database having a model and a meta-model categorizing the plurality of data items as either a data object type or a functional object type, the data object type representing a type of data contained in the database and the functional object type representing a plurality of relationships existing between instances of a plurality of the data object types, the model containing a plurality of entities and a plurality of relationships, the plurality of data items being instances of the plurality of entities and the plurality of relationships, and the meta-model containing a plurality of entity object types and a plurality of relationship object types, the plurality of entities being instances of the plurality of entity object types and the plurality of relationships being instances of the plurality of relationship object types, and the plurality of entity object types further being instances of the data object type and the plurality of relationship object types further being instances of the functional object type; means for executing a plurality of internal dialogs to retrieve data representing the plurality of entity object types, the plurality of relationship object types, the plurality of entities and the plurality of relationships so as to determine the model and the meta-model of the intermediate data model; and means for generating the user interface independent of the database based on the data retrieved by the internal dialogs; and a display coupled to the database and the computer system for displaying the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification