Method and system for resolving temporal descriptors of data records in a computer system

• US 6,345,268 B1
• Filed: 08/07/1998
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyperphrase Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Carlos De La Huerga
• Inventors: de la Huerga, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US09/130,934
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 705/4, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/10, 707/102, 707/104, 709/217, 709/218
• US Class Current: 707/769
• 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 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/922 Communications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A computer system for use in hospitals and the like to automate the referencing, locating, and retrieving of data records according to temporal descriptors. The temporal descriptors identify the date and time of creation of data records sought to be retrieved, and may do so by referring to a particular event known to have occurred at a particular date and time (e.g., a patient'"'"'s admission to the hospital). The temporal descriptors may be used in a simple query for a data record, or they may be used within data records to refer to other data records. In either case, a system user can select one or more data records referred to by the temporal descriptors wherein selection criteria include information such as date and time ranges and other instructions for electing data records.

Claims

1. A computer system for automated retrieval and referencing of data records using temporal descriptors, comprising:

a data record input device capable of receiving a temporal descriptor from a user of the device;

a database in communication with said data record input device for storing data records referred to by said temporal descriptor;

means for creating a first data record, means, upon creating the first data record, identifying the date of creation of the first data record, said means operable to construct a hyperlink to other data records from said temporal descriptor and the date of creation of said data record; and

means associated with the database for selecting at least one data record from a group of data records stored on the database, said selection being based at least in part upon the temporal descriptor and the date of creation of said first data record.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said hyperlink further comprises a data record type for use in selecting a particular type of data record from said group of data records.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein said selection means comprises a plurality of time ranges corresponding to a plurality of temporal descriptors, each of said time ranges defining time limits before and after an event associated with the corresponding temporal descriptor.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein said hyperlink further comprises a data record type for use in selecting a particular type of data record from said group of data records.

5. The computer system of claim 3, wherein said selection means further comprises instructions corresponding to each temporal descriptor for making a further selection of data records from those data records within said time limits for a corresponding temporal descriptor.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein said hyperlink further comprises a data record type for use in selecting a particular type of data record from said group of data records.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein said data records are patient records and said computer system is a hospital computer system.

8. A method for automatically retrieving data records in a computer system, comprising:

receiving a temporal descriptor entered by a user of the computer system;

recognizing said temporal descriptor with a word processor;

creating a first data record including said temporal descriptor identifying the date of creation of the first data record;

creating a hyperlink comprising said temporal descriptor and the date of creation of said first data record;

selecting at least one other data record from a group of data records stored on a database on said computer system, said selection being made using the temporal descriptor and the date of creation; and

retrieving said at least one other data record for displaying to said user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said hyperlink further comprises a data record type and said selection is made using the data record type to select a particular type of data record from said group of data records.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising associating said temporal descriptor with a time range defining time limits before and after an event associated with said temporal descriptor.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said hyperlink further comprises a data record type and said selection is made using the data record type to select a particular type of data record from said group of data records.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the selecting step further comprises using a list of instructions associated with said temporal descriptor to further select data records from those data records within said time limits.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said hyperlink further comprises a data record type and said selection is made using the data record type to select a particular type of data record from said group of data records.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said hyperlink is created automatically by a word processor.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said data records are patient records and said computer system is a hospital computer system.

16. A computer system for automated retrieval and referencing of data records from among a plurality of data records in a database, comprising:

means for constructing a hyperlink including a database address, a temporal date and a data record type;

means for making a temporal notation in a data record stored in said database, said temporal notation corresponding to a second temporal descriptor;

said temporal date including a date and a temporal descriptor, said temporal descriptor corresponding to a time range and instructions, said time range and instructions used to select at least one data record created prior to said date.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein said plurality of data records comprises a plurality of data record types, each of said data record types having a temporal descriptor definition table defined therefor, and said temporal descriptor table defining separate time ranges and instructions for each of a plurality of temporal descriptors.

18. The computer system of claim 16, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

19. The computer system of claim 16, wherein said hyperlink forms part of a data record.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

21. The computer system of claim 19, wherein said hyperlink construction means is operable to construct said hyperlink as part of a data record.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

23. A method for automated retrieval and referencing of data records from among a plurality of data records in a database, comprising:

constructing a hyperlink including a database address, a temporal date and a data record type, said temporal date including a date and a first temporal descriptor,

making a temporal notation in a data record stored in said database, said temporal notation corresponding to a second temporal descriptor,

using said first temporal descriptor to select a first data record in said database by match between said first and second temporal descriptor, said first data record being created prior to said date,

retrieving said first data record from said database.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said hyperlink forms part of a data record.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said hyperlink construction means is operable to construct said hyperlink as part of a data record.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

29. A computer system for automated retrieval and referencing of data records using temporal descriptors, comprising:

a data record input device capable of receiving a temporal descriptor from a user of the device;

a processor for creating a first data record, said processor operable to construct a hyperlink to other data records from said temporal descriptor and the date of creation of said data record;

a database in communication with said data record input device for storing data records referred to by said temporal descriptor, the database also selecting at least one data record from a group of data records stored on the database, said selection being based at least in part upon the temporal descriptor and the date of creation of said first data record.

30. The computer system of claim 29, wherein said hyperlink further comprises a data record type for use in selecting a particular type of data record from said group of data records.

31. The computer system of claim 29, wherein the database includes a temporal descriptor definition table including a plurality of time ranges corresponding to a plurality of temporal descriptors, each of said time ranges defining time limits before and after an event associated with the corresponding temporal descriptor.

32. The computer system of claim 30, wherein the descriptor definition table further comprises instructions corresponding to each temporal descriptor for making a further selection of data records from those data records within said time limits for a corresponding temporal descriptor.

33. The computer system of claim 32, wherein said hyperlink further comprises a data record type for use in selecting a particular type of data record from said group of data records.

34. The computer system of claim 33, wherein said data records are patient records and said computer system is a hospital computer system.

35. A computer system for automated retrieval and referencing of data records from among a plurality of data records in a database, comprising:

a processor for constructing a hyperlink including a database address, a temporal date and a data record type;

said temporal date including a date and a temporal descriptor, said temporal descriptor corresponding to a time range and instructions, said time range and instructions used to select at least one data record created prior to said date.

36. The computer system of claim 35, wherein said plurality of data records comprises a plurality of data record types, each of said data record types having a temporal descriptor definition table defined therefor, and said temporal descriptor table defining separate time ranges and instructions for each of a plurality of temporal descriptors.

37. The computer system of claim 35, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

38. The computer system of claim 35, wherein said hyperlink forms part of a data record.

39. The computer system of claim 38, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

40. The computer system of claim 38, wherein said hyperlink construction means is operable to construct said hyperlink as part of a data record.

41. The computer system of claim 40, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

42. A computer system for automated retrieval and referencing of data records from among a plurality of data records in a database, comprising:

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

(a) constructing a hyperlink including a database address, a temporal date and a data record type, said temporal date including a date and a first temporal descriptor,

(b) making a temporal notation in a data record stored in said database, said temporal notation corresponding to a second temporal descriptor,

(c) using said first temporal descriptor to select a first data record in said database by match between said first and second temporal descriptor, said first data record being created prior to said date; and

(d) retrieving said first data record from said database.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

44. The system of claim 42, wherein said hyperlink forms part of a data record.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein said hyperlink construction means is operable to construct said hyperlink as part of a data record.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

48. A method for use with a computer system for automated retrieval and referencing of data records from among a plurality of data records in a database, the method comprising the steps of:

constructing a hyperlink including a database address, a temporal date and a data record type, said temporal date including a date and a temporal descriptor, said temporal descriptor corresponding to a time range and instructions, said time range and instructions useable to select at least one data record created prior to said date.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein said plurality of data records comprises a plurality of data record types, each of said data record types having a temporal descriptor definition table defined therefor, and said temporal descriptor table defining separate time ranges and instructions for each of a plurality of temporal descriptors.

50. The method of claim 48, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein said hyperlink forms part of a data record.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.

53. The computer system of claim 51, wherein said hyperlink address includes patient identification information for selecting data records relating to a patient.