Object oriented architecture with bidirectional linking of relationships between objects

• US 6,016,498 A
• Filed: 07/28/1998
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John Martindale, Patrick E. Dobyns, Stephen Peter Bakke, William R. Lovin
• Original Assignee: John Martindale, Patrick E. Dobyns, Stephen Peter Bakke, William R. Lovin
• Inventors: Martindale, John, Dobyns, Patrick E., Lovin, William R., Bakke, Stephen Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Kulik, Paul V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US09/123,573
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: 707/5, 707/201, 707/103, 707/1, 707/100
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

An object oriented architecture is provided wherein a plurality of objects are defined in the system. Each of the objects can comprise either a data oriented object, a program oriented object or a graphics oriented object. The parameters of the object are defined in an object table which includes as an integral part thereof a link table. Each object is linkable through the link table to other objects on the system, with each object on the system having a unique object number. The provision of the object'"'"'s number in the link table defines relationships with other objects in the system, which relationships can either be automatically created as a result of a predetermined functional aspect of the system or defined by the user. These relationships are bidirectional. The links are only a single link deep and are all on the same plane. These links allow system access to various features such as word processing files, FAX information, information about individuals or information about E-Mail. Additionally, the system allows the underlying program to a given object that created an object to be launched directly from the object window, such that the program is always linked to the object.

Claims

1. A method for linking objects in an object-oriented system, comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of objects in the system by the steps of;

partitioning the system into a plurality of portions, each portion comprising an object and each object associated with a defined functionality in the system,

associating a unique object identification number with each of the objects, and

defining parameters of each object and the associated portion and storing the defined parameters in a table associated with the unique ID number of the object, and associating each table with the associated object;

creating relationships between any of the objects in the system and storing the created relationships in the associated table of all of the objects having the relationship;

accessing one of the objects and the associated table;

viewing the relationships in the associated table to other objects; and

accessing via the relationships any of the objects contained within the table and having the relationship which is defined in the associated table of the accessed one of the objects.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of creating a System object having relationships associated therewith that are defined by a predetermined event occurring within the system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined event comprises the access of an object through the step of accessing the other relationships.