System and method for asynchronous control of report generation using a network interface
First Claim
1. A network-based system for enabling users connected via a network user interface over the network to an OLAP system to asynchronously submit requests for reports through a single instance of the network user interface to be processed by an OLAP system, the network-based system comprising:
- a network server module that interacts with network user interfaces operating on user systems to enable communications between the network-based system and the network user interfaces;
report receiving means for receiving a first request from an instance of the network user interface for the OLAP system to process a report;
control means for returning control to the instance of the network user interface to enable the user to utilize the same instance of the network user interface to enter a second request through the instance of the network user interface while the first request is being processed; and
on-line analytical processing means for generating requested reports.
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0 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
An OLAP system with decision support technology for enabling a user to asynchronously generate report requests through a web browser or other user interface module connected over a network to the OLAP system. Once the request is received by the server, the web browser is freed to enable the user to conduct other activities including the requesting of other reports while the first requested report is processing. The server maintains a list of reports requested. With each request for a report received, the system determines whether a similar report has been requested and either generates the report if the report has not been previously requested or adds a request by that user to a report list of a report that has been previously requested without processing the report again. If the requested report was already completed, the results are immediately returned to the user. The report list may be used to display the status of reports requested and provide a system user with various options relating to the reports being generated (e.g., cancel, refresh).
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A network-based system for enabling users connected via a network user interface over the network to an OLAP system to asynchronously submit requests for reports through a single instance of the network user interface to be processed by an OLAP system, the network-based system comprising:
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a network server module that interacts with network user interfaces operating on user systems to enable communications between the network-based system and the network user interfaces;
report receiving means for receiving a first request from an instance of the network user interface for the OLAP system to process a report;
control means for returning control to the instance of the network user interface to enable the user to utilize the same instance of the network user interface to enter a second request through the instance of the network user interface while the first request is being processed; and
on-line analytical processing means for generating requested reports. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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7. A network-based system for enabling users connected via a network user interface over the network to an OLAP system to asynchronously submit requests for reports to be processed by an OLAP system, the network-based system comprising:
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report receiving means for receiving a request from an instance of the network user interface for the OLAP system to process a report;
storage means for storing a report entry for reports that have been requested, including reports requested by other users and reports that are being processed;
report control means for adding a request by that user to the report entry of a particular report in the report list if the report requested by the user is substantially the same as that particular report contained in the report list so that a report is processed once and a result from the report is provided to each user making a request for that report; and
on-line analytical processing means for generating requested reports.
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17. A method of asynchronously processing requests for reports to be processed by an OLAP system submitted from a single instance of a user interface connected over a network to the OLAP system comprising steps of:
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receiving a request from an instance of a user interface for the OLAP system to process a first report, wherein the request is received from a report request system that prevents user report requests from being entered through the instance of the user interface upon transmission of a report request;
placing the report request in line to be processed;
returning control to the instance of the user interface to enable the user to utilize the same instance of the user interface to enter a second report request through the same instance of the user interface while the first request is being processed; and
processing requested reports on the OLAP system. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
storing a report list containing a report entry for reports requested; and
adding a user to the report entry for a particular report in the report list if the report requested by the user is substantially the same as that particular report in the report list so that a report is processed once and delivered to the users requesting that report.
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22. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of:
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enabling a user to cancel a request for a report; and
canceling the user'"'"'s request for the report while that report is still being processed.
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23. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of notifying the user when a requested report has completed.
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24. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of:
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maintaining a multi-user report list containing a report entry for reports requested by one or more of a plurality of user;
presenting that multi-user report list; and
enabling cancellation of reports by authorized users through the multi-user report list.
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25. The method of claim 17 wherein the requested report comprises a workbook.
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26. The method of claim 17 wherein the OLAP system is a relational OLAP system.
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27. A network-based system for enabling users to asynchronously submit requests for reports to be processed by an OLAP system through a single instance of a browser, the network-based system comprising a user interface module operatively connected over a network to a server system, the user interface module comprising:
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a user interface presentation module that presents a user with a view for each instance of the user interface;
a report requesting means for enabling a user to request a report to be processed by the OLAP system through a view of an instance of the user interface;
report request transmission means for transmitting the request to the server system and preventing user report requests from being entered through the instance of the user interface module; and
control means for receiving a signal from the server system to enable entering of a second report request through the instance of the user interface module to enable the user to utilize the instance of the user interface module to perform other tasks while the first requested report is being processed. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29)
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30. A computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for enabling users connected over a network to an OLAP system to use a single instance of a network user interface to asynchronously request reports to be processed by the OLAP system, the medium comprising:
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computer readable program code for causing a computer system to interact with network user interfaces operating on user systems to communicate with the network user interfaces;
computer readable program code for causing a computer system to receive requests from an instance of the user interface for the OLAP system to process reports, wherein the request is received from a report request system that prevents user report requests from being entered through the instance of the user interface upon transmission of a report request;
computer readable program code for causing a computer system to return control to the instance of the user interface to enable the user to utilize the same instance of the user interface to perform other tasks, including entering of a second report request through the same instance of the user interface while the first request is being processed; and
computer readable program code for causing a computer system to process requested reports on the OLAP system.
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Specification