Structured data management system and computer-readable recording medium storing structured data management program

• US 6,279,006 B1
• Filed: 10/14/1998
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Hiroyuki, Kokubun, Mitsuhiro, Yoshioka, Makoto, Tazaki, Gengo, Shigemi, Nobuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US09/172,243
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103, 707/104, 707/10, 707/4, 707/6, 707/513, 707/515, 709/316
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/226 Validation
• 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 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A structured data management system capable of easily changing the definition of a logical structure and controlling semantics described in data adapted to the defined structure as intended by persons who have defined the logical structure. A contents model defines an internal structure of a contents description. The contents description describes data to be managed according to the contents model. An operation description is coupled to the contents model and manipulates data in the contents description depending on the structure of the data in the contents description. The operation description functions to define semantics of each element of the structure defined by the contents model. An operation description executing unit executes the operation description coupled to the contents model. A structure managing unit verifies and manages the structure of the contents description according to the contents model.

Claims

1. A structured data management system for processing structured electronic data, comprising:

management object holding means for holding a management object comprised of a contents model defining a structure of data to be managed, a contents description describing data to be managed according to the contents model, and an operation description related to the contents model and describing processing contents corresponding to the data in the contents description, the contents model, the contents description, and the operation description being separate from one another; and

monitoring means, responsive to a request with respect to said management object holding means, for processing said management object holding means according to the operation description and monitoring the contents description so that the contents description will not depart from the definition of the contents model.

2. A structured data management system according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring means comprises:

operation description executing means for reading the operation description coupled to the contents model which is to be designated and interpreting and executing the operation description based on a processing instruction for said management object holding means; and

structure managing means for interpreting the contents model, verifying the structure of the contents description according to the contents model, and manipulating the contents description into a structure adapted to the contents model if said operation description executing means issues an instruction to manipulate the contents description.

3. A structured data management system according to claim 1, wherein the operation description held by said management object holding means is described by a script language.

4. A structured data management system according to claim 1, wherein the operation description held by said management object holding means comprises:

a contents-model-associated operation description related to the contents model and describing processing contents corresponding to all data of the contents description generated according to the contents model; and

a contents-description-associated operation description related to a particular contents description generated according to the contents model and describing processing contents corresponding to data of the particular contents description.

5. A structured data management system according to claim 4, wherein said monitoring means comprises means for executing a process according to said contents-description-associated operation description with priority if a process according to said contents-model-associated operation description and the process according to said contents-description-associated operation description exist with respect to particular data.

6. A structured data management system according to claim 1, wherein the operation description held by said management object holding means defines semantics of data of the contents description.

7. A structured data management system according to claim 1, wherein the operation description held by said management object holding means describes a service to be performed depending on data of the contents description.

8. A structured data management system according to claim 1, wherein the operation description held by said management object holding means describes a process corresponding to an element of the contents model for thereby defining a process corresponding to individual data in the contents description.

9. A computer-readable recording medium storing a structural data management program for processing structured electronic data, said structural data management program being capable of controlling a computer to function as:

management object holding means for holding a management object comprised of a contents model defining a structure of data to be managed, a contents description describing data to be managed according to the contents model, and an operation description related to the contents model and describing processing contents corresponding to the data in the contents description, the contents model, the contents description, and the operation description being separate from one another; and

monitoring means, responsive to a request with respect to said management object holding means, for processing said management object holding means according to the operation description and monitoring the contents description so that the contents description will not depart from the definition of the contents model.

10. A structured data management system for processing structured electronic data, comprising:

a contents model defining a structure of data to be managed;

a contents description, separate from said contents model, and describing data to be managed according to said contents model;

an operation description, separate from said contents model and said contents description, being associated with said contents model and describing processing contents corresponding to the data in said contents description; and

a monitoring unit processing said contents model, said contents description, and said operation description.

11. A method for processing structured electronic data, comprising:

defining a structure of data to be managed in a contents model;

describing data to be managed according to the contents model in a contents description;

describing processing contents corresponding to the data in the contents description in an operation description, the operation description being associated with the contents model, and the contents model, the contents description, and the operation description being separate from one another; and

monitoring and processing the said contents model, the contents description, and the operation description.