Method and system for automated data storage and retrieval

• US 6,308,171 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Carlos De La Huerga
• Inventors: De La Huerga, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US09/512,125
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/3, 705/2, 705/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/12 Use of codes for handling textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

An apparatus and method for linking a keyword phrase in a first record to a second record referenced by the keyword phrase including receiving the keyword phrase, identifying the second record and rendering the second record accessible and an apparatus and method for identifying a reference in a first record to a second record and indicating existence of the second record in the first record.

Claims

1. A method to be used with a processor linked to at least one database, the at least one database including at least one second record, a first record including at least one first record phrases, at least one first record phrase associated with a keyword phrase which references the at least one second record, the method for rendering second records accessible from within the first record and comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one first record phrase;

determining if the first record phrase is associated with a keyword phrase;

if the first record phrase is associated with a keyword phrase, identifying the at least one second record which is referenced by the keyword phrase; and

rendering the identified record accessible.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor is linked to an interface and wherein the step of receiving includes receiving an indication via the interface that the processor should attempt to recognize a first record phrase as a keyword phrase.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the indicated first record phrase corresponds to more than one keyword phrase, the step of determining includes identifying each keyword phrase corresponding to the first record phrase and the step of identifying at least one second record includes identifying a separate second record for each identified keyword phrase.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of identifying each keyword phrase corresponding to the first record phrase includes the step of comparing the first record phrase to a list of defined keyword phrases and, when the referencing phrase includes a threshold number of characters in a defined keyword phrase, identifying the defined keyword phrase as a keyword phrase.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the interface includes a display, the step of rendering records accessible includes displaying the keyword phrases on the display in a selectable format and facilitating selection of at least one of the displayed keyword phrases.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the interface includes a display and the step of receiving an indication includes the step of receiving an indication via the display which identifies the first record phrase.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of receiving an indication includes the step of receiving a leading character which designates a first record phrase.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the processor facilitates entry of first record text and the method further includes the steps of, as first record text is entered, monitoring the text for the leading character and, after a leading character is recognized, identifying the phrase thereafter as a first record phrase.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the processor facilitates entry of first record text and wherein the step of receiving includes, as first record text is entered, receiving each newly entered phrase in the first record as a first record phrase.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the keyword phrase is a keyword.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining includes comparing first record phrases to keyword phrases.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the processor is linked to a display, the step of rendering includes visually presenting the keyword phrase in a format which is distinguishable from other first record phrases and linking the record associated therewith to the presented keyword phrase such that, when the presented keyword phrase is selected, the linked record is accessed.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of identifying the at least one second record includes the step of identifying an address for the at least one second record.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of identifying an address includes forming an address for the at least one second record.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the first record is associated with other information which characterizes the keyword phrase and the step of identifying the at least one second record further includes the steps of identifying other information which further characterizes the keyword phrase and, based on the keyword phrase and other information, identifying the at least one second record associated therewith.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the other information is within the first record text.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the first record is stored at a first record address and the other information is associated with the first record address.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the processor facilitates entry of first record text and the method is performed as first record text is entered.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the keyword is a second keyword and the other information is a first keyword.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein the processor is also linked to an interface which facilitates modification of first record phrases and, wherein the method further includes the steps of, monitoring modifications to the first record phrases and, when a first record phrase associated with a second record is modified such that the first record phrase no longer corresponds to a keyword phrase, de-linking the keyword phrase and the previously associated second record.

21. The method of claim 2 wherein the interface includes at least one input device and the step of receiving includes receiving an indication via the input device.

22. A method to be used with a processor linked to at least one database, the database including at least one second record, a first record including phrases, at least one first record phrase associated with a keyword phrase which references the at least one second record, the method for indicating that the first record phrase in the first record references another record and comprising the steps of:

identifying at least one phrase in a first record which references a second record; and

indicating the identified first record phrase in the first record.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein each second record is associated with at least one keyword phrase and the processor accesses a list of defined keyword phrases and the step of identifying includes determining if a phrases in the first record is associated with a defined keyword phrase and, if a phrase in the first record is associated with a defined keyword phrase, identifying the phrase as a first record phrase.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the processor is also linked to an interface which facilitates modification of first record text including modification of indicated first record phrases and, when an indicated first record phrase is modified, the method further includes the step of eliminating indication of the indicated first record phrase in the first record, first record for instances of each keyword phrase in the list.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of indicating includes the step of highlighting the first record phrase in the first record.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the processor is linked to a display for displaying at least the first record and wherein the step of indicating includes highlighting the first record phrase within the first record on the display.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the processor is linked to a display for displaying at least the first record and wherein the step of indicating includes the step of providing the keyword phrase in a separate window on the display.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the processor facilitates entry of first record text and the step of identifying includes, as text is entered, determining if newly entered characters are associated with second records.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of determining includes monitoring entered text a leading character which designates a phrase and, after a leading character is recognized, determining if the characters thereafter are associated with a second record.

30. The method of claim 22 for indicating a plurality of first record phrases in a first record which reference second records and wherein the steps of identifying and indicating are performed for each first record phrase which references a second record.

31. The method of claim 22 further including the steps of, after identifying, forming a link between the indicated first record phrase and the referenced record.

32. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of indicating includes the step of rendering the first record phrase selectable, the method further including the steps of, after rendering the first record phrase selectable, monitoring for selection of the first record phrase and, when the first record phrase is selected, providing the second record.

33. An apparatus to be used with a processor linked to at least one database, the at least one database including at least one second record, a first record including at least one first record phrases, at least one first record phrase associated with a keyword phrase which references the at least one second record, the apparatus for rendering second records accessible from within the first record and comprising:

a processor running a pulse sequencing program to perform the steps of;

receiving at least one first record phrase;

determining if the first record phrase is associated with a keyword phrase;

if the first record phrase is associated with a keyword phrase, identifying the at least one second record which is referenced by the keyword phrase; and

rendering the identified record accessible.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the processor is linked to an interface and wherein the processor performs the step of receiving by receiving an indication via the interface that the processor should attempt to recognize a first record phrase as a keyword phrase and wherein the identified record is rendered accessible via the interface.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the indicated first record phrase corresponds to more than one keyword phrase, the processor performs the step of determining by identifying each keyword phrase corresponding to the first record phrase and performs the step of identifying at least one second record by identifying a separate second record for each identified keyword phrase.

36. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the processor performs the step of identifying each keyword phrase corresponding to the first record phrase by comparing the first record phrase to a list of defined keyword phrases and, when the referencing phrase includes a threshold number of characters in a defined keyword phrase, identifying the defined keyword phrase as a keyword phrase.

37. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the interface includes a display and the processor performs the step of rendering records accessible by displaying the keyword phrases on the display in a selectable format and facilitating selection of at least one of the displayed keyword phrases.

38. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the interface includes a display and the processor performs the step of receiving an indication by receiving an indication via the display which identifies the first record phrase.

39. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the processor performs the step of receiving an indication by receiving a leading character which designates a first record phrase.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein the processor facilitates entry of first record text and the processor further runs the pulse sequencing program to perform the steps of, as first record text is entered, monitoring the text for the leading character and, after a leading character is recognized, identifying the phrase thereafter as a first record phrase.

41. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the processor facilitates entry of first record text and wherein the processor performs the step of receiving by, as first record text is entered, receiving each newly entered phrase in the first record as a first record phrase.

42. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the keyword phrase is a keyword.

43. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the processor performs the step of determining by comparing first record phrases to keyword phrases.

44. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the processor is linked to a display, the processor perform the step of rendering by visually presenting the keyword phrase in a format which is distinguishable from other first record phrases and linking the record associated therewith to the presented keyword phrase such that, when the presented keyword phrase is selected, the linked record is accessed.

45. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the processor performs the step of identifying the at least one second record by identifying an address for the at least one second record.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the processor performs the step of identifying an address by forming an address for the at least one second record.

47. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the first record is associated with other information which characterizes the keyword phrase and the processor performs the step of identifying the at least one second record by further causing the program to perform the steps of identifying other information which further characterizes the keyword phrase and, based on the keyword phrase and other information, identifying the at least one second record associated therewith.

48. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the other information is within the first record text.

49. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the first record is stored at a first record address and the other information is associated with the first record address.

50. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the processor facilitates entry of first record text and the processor performs the steps as first record text is entered.

51. The method of claim 47 wherein the keyword is a second keyword and the other information is a first keyword.

52. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the processor is also linked to an interface which facilitates modification of first record phrases and, wherein the processor runs the program to further perform the steps of, monitoring modifications to the first record phrases and, when a first record phrase associated with a second record is modified such that the first record phrase no longer corresponds to a keyword phrase, de-linking the keyword phrase and the previously associated second record.

53. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the interface includes at least one input device and the processor performs the step of receiving by receiving an indication via the input device.

54. An apparatus to be used with a processor linked to at least one database, the database including at least one second record, a first record including phrases, at least one first record phrase associated with a keyword phrase which references the at least one second record, the apparatus for indicating that the first record phrase in the first record references another record and comprising:

a processor running a pulse sequencing program to perform the steps of;

identifying at least one phrase in a first record which references a second record; and

indicating the identified first record phrase in the first record.

55. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein each second record is associated with at least one keyword phrase and the processor accesses a list of defined keyword phrases and the processor performs the step of identifying by determining if a phrases in the first record is associated with a defined keyword phrase and, if a phrase in the first record is associated with a defined keyword phrase, identifying the phrase as a first record phrase.

56. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein the processor is also linked to an interface which facilitates modification of first record text including modification of indicated first record phrases and, when an indicated first record phrase is modified, the processor further causes the program to perform the step of eliminating indication of the indicated first record phrase in the first record.

57. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein the processor performs the step of indicating by highlighting the first record phrase in the first record.

58. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein the processor is linked to a display for displaying at least the first record and wherein the processor performs the step of indicating by highlighting the first record phrase within the first record on the display.

59. The apparatus of claim 55 wherein the processor is linked to a display for displaying at least the first record and wherein the processor performs the step of indicating by the step of providing the keyword phrase in a separate window on the display.

60. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein the processor facilitates entry of first record text and the processor performs the step of identifying by, as text is entered, determining if newly entered characters are associated with second records.

61. The apparatus of claim 60 wherein the processor performs the step of determining by monitoring entered text for a leading character which designates a phrase and, after a leading character is recognized, determining if the characters thereafter are associated with a second record.

62. The apparatus of claim 54 for indicating a plurality of first record phrases in a first record which reference second records and wherein the processor performs the steps of identifying and indicating for each first record phrase which references a second record.

63. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein the processor further runs the program to perform the steps of, after identifying, forming a link between the indicated first record phrase and the referenced record.

64. The apparatus of claim 54 wherein the processor performs the step of indicating by rendering the first record phrase selectable, the processor further running the program to perform the steps of, after rendering the first record phrase selectable, monitoring for selection of the first record phrase and, when the first record phrase is selected, providing the second record.