Mechanism for information extraction and traversal from an object base including a plurality of object classes

• US 6,282,545 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1993
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Coats, Mark Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Kulik, Paul V.
• Application Number:
  US08/144,905
• Time in Patent Office: 2,861 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/700, 395/160, 395/161, 395/144, 395/145, 395/147, 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103, 707/104
• US Class Current: 707/797
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/73 Program documentation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• 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 method and computer program extracts information from both software and non software sources. The system facilitates the traversal and filtering of the extracted information. Object oriented programming techniques are used in the implementation of the system.

Claims

1. A system for the extraction and traversal of information, comprising:

an object base which includes a plurality of object classes;

means for defining attribute data for each of said object classes;

means for populating each of said plurality of object classes with said attribute data, said data being extracted from a source;

means for creating a hierarchical tree with a plurality of nodes, each said nodes corresponding to one of said object classes in said object base;

means for searching said object base for instances of a selected one of said object classes, a selection of one of said nodes invoking said means for searching; and

means for providing results of a search of said object base to said means for creating, whereby said results are used to alter said hierarchical tree.

2. A system for the extraction and traversal of information, as recited in claim 1, wherein said source is selected from the group consisting of a software source and a non-software source.

3. A system for the extraction and traversal of information, as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

means for associating each of said object classes with a corresponding one of said populating means.

4. A system for the extraction and traversal of information, as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

means for invoking said populating means when a predefined set of criteria indicate that said attribute data should be refreshed.

5. A method of extracting and traversing information, comprising:

creating an object base which includes a plurality of object classes;

defining attribute data for each of said object classes;

creating populators for each of said plurality of object classes, said populators extracting said attribute data from a source;

generating a hierarchical tree with a plurality of nodes, each of said nodes corresponding to one of said object classes in said object base;

searching said object base for instances of a selected one of said object classes, a selection of one of said nodes invoking said means for searching; and

providing results of a search of said object base to said means for creating, whereby said results are used to alter said hierarchical tree.

6. A method of extracting and traversing information, as recited in claim 5, wherein said source is selected from the group consisting of a software source and a non-software source.

7. A method of extracting and traversing information, as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

associating each of said object classes with a corresponding one of said populators.

8. A method of extracting and traversing information, as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

invoking said populator when a predefined set of criteria indicate that said attribute data should be refreshed.