Auto definition of data sets and provisioning interfaces for call automation

• US 5,878,418 A
• Filed: 08/12/1997
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intervoice Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Intervoice Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Polcyn, Michael J., Hambleton, Myra, Weeren, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Application Number:
  US08/909,636
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/5, 707/7, 707/10, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103, 707/104, 707/200, 395/183.14, 395/200.33, 395/200.47, 395/200.57, 705/26, 84/622, 702/122, 702/179
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system and method for generating a data set including information with respect to a plurality of data elements utilized by an application program is disclosed. The data set is used to automatically initialize a database of said data elements for use with said application program. The data set is also utilized to automatically generate a set of database maintenance applications providing user interfacing to the database.

Claims

1. A system for substantially automatically providing a database utility for data elements utilized by a service application, said service application being developed by a user:

means for generating an information set including information with respect to each data element of said plurality of data elements, said generating means operable substantially contemporaneously with development of said service application; and

means operable at least in part through reference to said information set for creating a data element interface empowering a user to manipulate select ones of said plurality of data elements.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said creating means is operable substantially contemporaneously with development of said service application within said development tool.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said generating means is operable substantially automatically upon completion of development of said service application in said development tool.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said generating means is operable upon modification of said service application in said development tool.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said generating means is operable to generate said information set at least in part from information available within said application development tool.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said interface comprises an application program defining data element maintenance screens.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said reference to said information set determines an attribute of a data entry field of said maintenance screens with respect to ones of said data elements.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein inclusion of select ones of said data elements within a particular one of said data element maintenance screens is determined at least in part through reference to said information set.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein said application program is adapted to provide input/output in a standardized format.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said standardized format is compatible with a network protocol.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein said standardized format is selected from the group consisting of HTML and Java.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for initializing a database to include data structure suitable for use by said service application, said initializing means utilizing information provided by said information set to determine said data structure.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said initializing means comprises:

means for automatically inputting initial fill data within said initialized database.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the content of a portion of said fill data is determined through reference to said information set.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the content of a portion of said fill data is provided by said filling means as a default value based at least in part on information in said information set with respect to a particular data element.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said generated information set includes information with respect to each said data element selected from the group consisting of:

a data element name;

a data element type;

a data element size;

a security restriction; and

a group affiliation.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein said service application is a voice response unit application operable on a processor-based system providing call handling functionality.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said interface is a database maintenance application operable on a processor-based system discrete from said call handling processor-based system.

19. A method for providing database initialization of a data set utilized by a service application, said method comprising the steps of:

developing said service application including defining data elements to be utilized by said service application;

generating a data set definition including information with respect to said data elements, said generating step being performed automatically and substantially contemporaneously with said developing step; and

initializing a database to include data structure suitable for use by said service application, said initializing step utilizing information provided by said data set to determine said data structure.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said developing step comprises the use of an application development tool.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said generating step is an integrated portion of said application development tool.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said generating step is discrete from said application development tool.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said generated data set includes information with respect to each said data element selected from the group of data element information consisting of:

a data element name;

a data element type;

a data element size;

a security restriction; and

a group affiliation.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said initializing step further comprises the step of:

filling data within said initialized database.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the content of a portion of said fill data is determined through reference to said data set definition.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the content of a portion of said fill data is provided by said filling step as a default value based at least in part on information in said data set definition with respect to a particular data element.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of:

creating at least in part through reference to said data set definition a data element user interface empowering a user to manipulate ones of said data elements, said creating step being performed automatically.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said creating step is performed substantially contemporaneously with said generating step.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said user interface comprises an application program defining data element input screens.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said reference to said data set definition determines an attribute of a data entry field of said input screens.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein said application program is adapted to provide input/output in a standardized format for use with a compatible browser.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said standardized format is compatible with HTML.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein said service application is a telephone application operable on a processor-based system having telephone interfaces.

34. A system for providing database management for a data set utilized by an application program having a plurality of data elements defined therein, said application program being developed within an application development tool, said system comprising:

means for generating a data set definition including information with respect to each data element of said plurality of data elements, said generating means operable substantially contemporaneous with development of said application program within said development tool;

means for initializing a database to include data structure suitable for use by said application program, said initializing means utilizing information provided by said data set definition to determine said data structure; and

means operable at least in part through reference to said data set definition for developing a data element user interface enabling a user to manipulate select ones of said plurality of data elements, said developing means being operable substantially contemporaneous with development of said application program within said development tool.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein said generating means is operable substantially automatically.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein said initializing means is operable substantially automatically.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein said developing means is operable substantially automatically.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein said generated data set definition includes information selected from the group consisting of:

data identification;

data type;

data size;

access restriction; and

group identification.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said generating means is operable to determine at least a portion of said information from information available within said application development tool.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said generating means also queries an operator with respect to information utilized to generate said data set definition.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said queried information is selected from the group consisting of:

said access restriction; and

said group identification.

42. The system of claim 34, wherein said user interface comprises an interface application providing structured input/output.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein said interface application is discrete from said application program.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein said reference to said data set definition determines an attribute of said structured input/output with respect to ones of said data elements.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein associated input/output of particular ones of said data elements according to said structured input/output is determined at least in part through reference to said data set definition.

46. The system of claim 42, wherein said structured input/output is provided in a standardized format for use with a predefined instruction set.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said predefined instruction set is selected from the group consisting of HTML and Java.

48. The system of claim 34, wherein said initializing means comprises:

means for filling data within said data structure to create an initial database suitable for operation of said application program.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the content of a portion of said fill data is determined through reference to said data set definition.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein the content of a portion of said fill data is provided by said filling means as a default value based at least in part on information in said data set definition with respect to a particular data element.

51. The system of claim 34, wherein said application program is operable on a telephone system.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein said interface is a database maintenance application operable on a processor-based system discrete from said telephone system.

53. A system for providing management of a plurality of data components utilized by a voice response application, said application being developed within a graphical application development tool, said system comprising:

means for generating a data set including information with respect to data components of said plurality of data components, said generating means operable substantially contemporaneous with development of said application within said development tool;

means for initializing a database to include data structure suitable for use by said application, said initializing means utilizing information included within said data set;

means for filling data within said database suitable for operation of said application program; and

means operable at least in part through reference to said data set for developing an interface enabling a user to manipulate select ones of said plurality of data components, said developing means being operable substantially contemporaneous with development of said application within said development tool.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein said generating means includes program algorithms operable with said graphical development tool to determine information with respect to said data components, and wherein said generating means is operable substantially automatically.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein said initializing means includes a program algorithm operable substantially automatically upon completion of development of said application in said graphical development tool.

56. The system of claim 53, wherein said developing means includes a program algorithm operable substantially automatically upon completion of development of said application in said graphical development tool.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein said developing means is further operable upon modification of said application in said graphical development tool.

58. The system of claim 53, wherein said data component information of said data set includes information selected from the group consisting of:

data identification;

data type;

data size;

access restriction; and

group identification.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein said data component information is determined at least in part from information available with in said application development tool.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein said generating means also queries an operator with respect to said data component information.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein said queried information is selected from the group consisting of:

said access restriction; and

said group identification.

62. The system of claim 53, wherein said interface comprises an application program defining user screens, and wherein attributes of said user screens are determined by reference to said data set and ones of said data components are associated on particular user screens according to information within said data set.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein said user screens utilize HTML.