Apparatus and process for creating and accessing a database centric object

• US 5,752,027 A
• Filed: 11/30/1994
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Infor Global Solutions Michigan Incorporated (Infor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: DUN & Bradstreet Software Services Incorporated (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Familiar, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US08/347,584
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/650, 395/611, 395/614, 395/677
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A new computerized object oriented technology is provided. The present invention introduces an apparatus and process for creating an object representative of a set of command interfaces for a database centric item, and an apparatus and process for interfacing the database centric object across a variety of computer applications. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a three category structure to create and access the database centric objects. Each category contains classes which are used to define components (objects) corresponding to the database centric object. The objects further contain methods and properties for accessing the database centric item in response to requests from an application program.

Claims

1. In a computer system, an apparatus for interfacing an application program and a relational database including a plurality of tables, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a database centric object including a method, said method performing an operation on data within the tables of the relational database;

(b) means for receiving an object identifying signal from the application program;

(c) means for receiving a method identifying signal from the application program; and

(d) means responsive to said object identifying and said method identifying signals for executing said operation on data within the relational database.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

(a) said object further includes a property characteristic storage location for storing a property characteristic associated with said object;

(b) said method identifying signal further includes a property characteristic signal from the application program, wherein said property characteristics signal corresponds to said property characteristic and is stored in said property characteristic storage location; and

(c) said executing means uses said stored property characteristic as a criteria to execute said operation of said method.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said object methods selected from the group consisting of:

i) a method for querying the relational database;

ii) a method for traversing records in the relational database;

iii) a method for creating a record in the relational database;

iv) a method for deleting a record in the relational database;

v) a method for editing a record in the relational database;

vi) a method for inputting data into a record of the relational database;

vii) a method for accessing data in a record of the relational database; and

viii) a method for performing a status check on the database.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) a means for interfacing said object and the relational database, wherein said interfacing means provides a standard interface for use by said method to perform the operation with one or more of a plurality of database formats.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said interfacing means comprises an ODBC interface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said object further includes a method for opening and closing the database.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said object further includes an initial query method, wherein said initial query method is selected from the group consisting of:

i) a method for joining a plurality of tables in the database;

ii) a method for filtering records of the database; and

iii) a method for parameterizing records of the database.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said object comprises an Automation Server.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first receiving means comprises an OLE interface.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second receiving means comprises an OLE interface.

11. In a computer system, an apparatus for interfacing an application program and a database, comprising:

(a) a database centric object including a method, said method performing an operation on data within the database; and

(b) at least one application program interface (API) for providing a uniform interface between at least one application program and said object, wherein each application program performing operations on data within the database by calling said method of said object.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

said object further includes a method for receiving a property characteristic associated with said object from the application program;

said object further includes a property characteristic storage location for storing said property characteristic; and

said method means of said object uses said stored property characteristic as a criteria to perform the operation on data within the database.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said method is selected from the group consisting of:

i) a method for querying the database;

ii) a method for traversing records in the database;

iii) a method for creating a record in the database;

iv) a method for deleting a record in the database;

v) a method for editing a record in the database;

vi) a method for inputting data into a record of the database;

vii) a method for accessing data in a record of the database; and

viii) a method for performing a status check on the database.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

(c) means for interfacing said object and the database, wherein said interfacing means provides a standard interface for use by said method to perform the operation with one or more of a plurality of database formats.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said interfacing means comprises an ODBC interface.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said object further includes a method for opening and closing the database.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said object further includes an initial query method, wherein said initial query method is selected from the group consisting of:

i) a method for joining a plurality of tables in the database;

ii) a method for filtering records of the database; and

iii) a method for parameterizing records of the database.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said object comprises an Automation Server.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said object-oriented operating system comprises an OLE interface.

20. In a computer system, an apparatus for interfacing an application program and a database, comprising:

(a) a database centric object including a method, said method performing an operation on data within the database;

(b) means for storing a table of entries, wherein each of said entries associates an object identifier with said object;

(c) a first means for receiving a first signal from the application program, wherein said first signal corresponds to said object identifier;

(d) means for selecting said object associated with said object identifier in said table of entries, responsive to the receipt of said first signal;

(e) a second means for receiving a second signal from the application program, wherein said second signal corresponds to said method; and

(f) means for executing, said operation on data within the database, responsive to the receipt of said second signal.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

said object further includes a property characteristic storage location for storing a property characteristic associated with said object;

said second receiving means further receives a third signal from the application program, wherein said third signal corresponds to said property characteristic and is stored in said property characteristic storage location; and

said executing means uses said stored property characteristic as a criteria to execute the operation of said method.

22. the apparatus of claim 20, wherein said storing means comprises an OLE interface.

23. In a computer system, an apparatus for interfacing an application program and a database, comprising:

(a) a database centric object including a method, said method performing an operation on data within the database;

(b) a first means for receiving a first signal from the application program, wherein said first signal corresponds to said object;

(c) means for storing a table of entries, wherein each said entries associates a method identifier with said object;

(d) a second means for receiving a second signal from the application program, wherein said second signal corresponds to said method identifier;

(e) means for selecting said method associated with said method identifier in said table of entries, responsive to the receipt of said second signal; and

(f) means for executing said operation of said method on data within the database.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

said object further includes a property characteristic storage location for storing a property characteristic associated with said object;

said second receiving means further receives a third signal from the application program, wherein said third signal corresponds to said property characteristic and is stored in said property characteristic storage location; and

said executing means uses said stored property characteristic as a criteria to execute the operation of said method.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said storing means comprises an OLE interface.

26. In a computer system, a method for interfacing an application program and a database, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a first signal from the application program, said first signal corresponds to a database centric object, said object including a method for performing an operation on data within the database;

(b) receiving a second signal from the application program, wherein said second signal corresponds to said method; and

(c) responding to said first and said second signals by executing the operation of said method on the database.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein:

said second signal further includes a property characteristic associated with said object; and

step (b) further comprises the step of storing said property characteristic in a property characteristic storage location for use as a criteria for executing the operation in step (c).

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the operation of said method executed in step (c) is selected from the group consisting of:

i) querying the database;

ii) traversing records in the database;

iii) creating a record in the database;

iv) deleting a record in the database;

v) editing a record in the database;

vi) inputting data into a record of the database;

vii) accessing data in a record of the database; and

viii) performing a status check on the database.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein step (c) further comprises the initial step of interfacing said object and the database to provide a standard interface for use by said method to perform the operation with one or more of a plurality of database formats.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising the initial step of opening the database and the final step of closing the database.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising the initial step selected from the group consisting of:

i) joining a plurality of tables in the database;

ii) filtering records of the database; and

iii) parameterizing records of the database.

32. In a computer system, a method for interfacing an application program and a database, comprising the steps of:

(a) interfacing the application program with a database centric object including a method for performing an operation on the database;

(b) receiving a signal from the application program, wherein said signal corresponds to said method of said object; and

(c) responding to said signal by executing said operation method on the database.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein:

said signal further includes a property characteristic associated with said object; and

step (b) further comprises the step of storing said property characteristic in a property characteristic storage location for use as a criteria for executing the operation in step (c).

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the operation of said method executed in step (c) is selected from the group consisting of:

i) querying the database;

ii) traversing records in the database;

iii) creating a record in the database;

iv) deleting a record in the database;

v) editing a record in the database;

vi) inputting data into a record of the database;

vii) accessing data in a record of the database; and

viii) performing a status check on the database.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein step (c) further comprises the initial step of interfacing said object and the database to provide a standard interface for use by said method to perform the operations with one or more of a plurality of database formats.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising the initial step of opening the database and the final step of closing the database.

37. The method of claim 32, further comprising the initial step selected from the group consisting of:

i) joining a plurality of tables in the database;

ii) filtering records of the database; and

iii) parameterizing records of the database.

38. In a computer system, a method for interfacing an application program and a database, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing a table of entries, wherein each of said entries associates an object identifier with a database centric object including a method for performing an operation on data within the database;

(b) receiving a first signal from the application program, wherein said first signal corresponds to said object identifier;

(c) in response to said first signal, selecting said object associated with said object identifier in said table of entries;

(d) receiving a second signal from the application program, wherein said second signal corresponds to said method of said selected object; and

(e) in response to said second signal, executing the operation of said method on the database.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein:

said second signal further includes a property characteristic associated with said object as part of said second signal; and

step (d) further comprises the step of storing said property characteristic in a property characteristic storage location for use as a criteria for executing the operation in step (e).

40. In a computer system, a method for interfacing an application program and a database, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a first signal from the application program, wherein said first signal corresponds to a database centric object including a method for performing an operation on data within the database;

(b) storing a table of entries, wherein each of said entries associates a method identifier with said method of said object;

(c) receiving a second signal from the application program, wherein said second signal corresponds to said method identifier;

(d) in response to said second signal, selecting said method associated with said method identifier in said table of entries; and

(e) executing the operation of said method on the database.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein:

said second signal includes receiving a property characteristic associated with said object as part of said second signal; and

step (c) further comprises the step of storing said property characteristic in a property characteristic storage location for use as a criteria for executing the operation in step (e).

42. In a computer system, an apparatus for interfacing an application program and a relational database, comprising:

a relational database including a plurality of tables containing data;

object identifying means responsive to a command signal transmitted from an application program for identifying an object;

a self-contained object containing program code for at least one instruction that executes a specific operation on data within the tables of the relational database, the object further including;

(i) instruction identifying means responsive to the identified command signal transmitted from the application program for identifying the preprogrammed instruction to be executed;

(ii) means for executing the program code associated with the instruction identified by the instruction identifying means; and

(iv) means for communicating a response to the application program.

43. The computer system of claim 42, wherein the object contains program code for a plurality of instructions that execute specific operations on data within tables of the relational database.

44. The computer system of claim 43, wherein the specific operations are identified by an integer quantity that is passed by the instruction invocation contained within the application program.

45. The computer system of claim 44, wherein the object identifying means is operative to identify the name of the object.

46. The computer system of claim 45, wherein the instruction identifying means is operative to identify the integer quantity passed in connection with the name of the object, to specifically identify the operation.

47. The computer system of claim 42, wherein the at least one instruction for executing a specific operation is selected from the group consisting of:

i) querying data with the relational database;

ii) traversing records in the database;

iii) creating a record in the database;

iv) deleting a record in the database;

v) editing a record in the database;

vi) inputting data into a record of the database;

vii) accessing data in a record of the database; and

viii performing a status check on the database.

48. An interactive and interconnected computer system with a memory, an application program stored in the memory, and a relational database for storing data generated by the system, further comprising:

(a) an Automation server operatively disposed in the memory of the computer, said Automation server communicatively disposed to the application program;

(b) a plurality of Category classes operatively disposed to said Automation server, said Category classes each containing at least one object class; and

(c) said object class creates and accesses database centric objects performing operations on data stored on the relational database thereby providing the application program access to the data contained within the relational database.

49. An interactive and interconnected computer system as recited in claim 48 wherein said Category classes comprise an Infrastructure category class, a Dispatch category class, and a Database category class.

50. An interactive and interconnected computer system as recited in claim 49 wherein said Infrastructure category class contains at least one object class for initializing and de-initializing said Automation server.

51. An interactive and interconnected computer system as recited in claim 49 wherein said Dispatch category contains at least one object class for accessing said database.

52. An interactive and interconnected computer system as recited in claim 49 wherein said Database category contains at least one object class connecting and communicating with said relational database.