Method and system for managing objects in a dynamic inheritance tree

• US 6,018,741 A
• Filed: 10/22/1997
• Issued: 01/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pritko, Steven M., Howland, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ray, Gopal C.
• Application Number:
  US08/955,101
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/100, 707/200, 707/9, 707/102, 707/1, 709/106, 714/27, 710/200
• US Class Current: 707/696
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9027 Trees
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method and system for managing an index tree structure. The index tree structure has a root node and a plurality of child nodes. Each one of the root and child nodes has at least one attribute. Each child node is assigned to a respective parent node in the index tree structure. A request is received for the value of one of the attributes of one of the child nodes; the one attribute is not defined locally within the one child node. The current value of the corresponding attribute of the parent node of the one child node is provided, in response to the request.

Claims

1. A method for managing an index tree structure which has a root node and a plurality of child nodes, each one of the root and child nodes having at least one attribute, comprising the steps of:

(a) assigning each child node to a respective parent node in the index tree structure;

(b) receiving a request for the value of one of the attributes of one of the child nodes, wherein the one attribute is not defined locally within the one child node; and

(c) providing the current value of the corresponding attribute of the parent node of the one child node, in response to the request.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one attribute of one of the child nodes is a locally defined attribute, further comprising the step of assigning a respective value to each locally defined attribute of each of the child nodes.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein step (c) includes automatically providing an updated value of the one attribute of the one child node when the value of the one attribute is next requested after the value of the corresponding attribute of the parent node of the one child node changes.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(d) re-assigning the one child node to a new parent node, the new parent node being different from the parent node of step (c), the one child node having an inherited attribute which is not a locally defined attribute; and

(e) automatically providing the current value of the inherited attribute of the new parent node when the value of the inherited attribute of the one child node is next requested.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

assigning a respective value to each locally defined attribute of the one child node, before step (d); and

keeping the values of each locally defined attribute of the one child node during step (e).

6. A method for managing a plurality of data objects, each of the plurality of data objects having at least one attribute, at least one of the plurality of objects being identified as a parent of a child object, at least two of the plurality of objects being identified as child objects, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) assigning each child object to a respective parent object;

(b) identifying each attribute of each of the child objects as being either a locally defined attribute or an inherited attribute; and

(c) dynamically assigning, to each inherited attribute of each one of the child objects, the current value of the corresponding attribute in the parent object of the one child object.

7. The method for managing a plurality of data objects according to claim 6, further comprising, between steps (b) and (c), the step of assigning a respective value to each locally defined attribute of each of the child objects.

8. The method for managing a plurality of data objects according to claim 7, wherein each object represents a task executed by a processor.

9. The method for managing a plurality of data objects according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the attributes of each object represents state data for the task represented by the object.

10. The method for managing a plurality of data objects according to claim 8, wherein the tasks are asynchronous from one another.

11. The method for managing a plurality of data objects according to claim 6, wherein one of the child objects has an inherited attribute, and step (c) includes automatically modifying the value of the inherited attribute of the one child object when the value of the corresponding attribute of the parent object of the one child object changes.

12. The method for managing a plurality of data objects according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

(d) re-assigning one of the child objects to a new parent object, the new parent object being different from the parent object of step (a); and

(e) automatically assigning to each inherited attribute of the re-assigned child object the current value of the corresponding attribute in the new parent object.

13. The method for managing a plurality of data objects according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

assigning a respective value to each locally defined attribute of the one child object, before step (d); and

keeping the values of each locally defined attribute of the one child object during step (e).

14. A method for managing an index tree structure which has a root node and a plurality of child nodes, each one of the root and child nodes having at least one attribute, comprising the steps of:

(a) assigning each child node to a respective parent node in the index tree structure;

(b) identifying each attribute of each of the child nodes as being either a locally defined attribute or an inherited attribute; and

(c) dynamically assigning, to each inherited attribute of each one of the child nodes, the current value of the corresponding attribute in the parent node of the one child node.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising, between steps (b) and (c), the step of assigning a respective value to each locally defined attribute of each of the child nodes.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein one of the child nodes has an inherited attribute which is not a locally defined attribute, and step (c) includes automatically modifying the value of the inherited attribute of the one child node when the value of the corresponding attribute of the parent node of the one child node changes.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein one of the child nodes has an inherited attribute, the method further comprising the steps of:

(d) re-assigning one of the child nodes to a new parent node, the new parent node being different from the parent node of step (a); and

(e) automatically assigning to each inherited attribute of the re-assigned child node the current value of the corresponding attribute in the new parent node.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

assigning a respective value to each locally defined attribute of the one child node, before step (d); and

keeping the values of each locally defined attribute of the one child node during step (e).

19. A system for managing a plurality of data objects comprising:

index tree means having a root node and a plurality of child nodes, each one of the root and child nodes having at least one attribute, each child node being assigned to a respective parent node;

means for receiving a request for the value of one of the attributes of one of the child nodes, wherein the one attribute is not defined locally within the one child node; and

means for providing the current value of the corresponding attribute of the parent node of the one child node, in response to the request.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the current value providing means include means for automatically providing an updated value of the one attribute of the one child node when the value of the one attribute is next requested after the value of the corresponding attribute of the parent node of the one child node changes.

21. The system according to claim 19, further comprising:

means for re-assigning the one child node to a new parent node, the one child node having an inherited attribute which is not a locally defined attribute; and

means for automatically providing the current value of the inherited attribute of the new parent node when the value of the inherited attribute of the one child node is next requested.