Method for specifying enterprise-wide database address formats

• US 6,434,567 B1
• Filed: 06/04/1999
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyperphrase Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Hyperphrase Technologies LLC
• Inventors: De La Huerga, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US09/326,177
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 707/101, 707/102, 707/104, 707/501, 707/100, 711/201, 711/202
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• 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: G06F 40/20 Natural language analysis semantic analysis of natural language G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/918 Location
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• 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 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system and method for specifying and modifying database definitions and rules used by system devices and applications for formatting records and corresponding addresses including an editor which enables specification of pre-defining address and record format field character strings and field instantiting rules which can be reused during data type definition to insure system wide information compatibility.

Claims

1. A database system for defining and using database address formats, the system comprising:

at least one database (DB) for storing record s of various data types at addresses, each address characterized by an address format which corresponds to the re cord data type, each address format including at least one variable field, each variable field requiring information which can vary from record to record;

a DB construct storing a field type (FT) list including at least one FT for use in forming an address format; and

a selector for defining address formats, to this end, the selector is for selecting fields from the DB construct and specifying the order of fields in an address format;

wherein, after specifying, the address format is provided to the DB.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the list also specifies if the field is fixed or variable.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the DB includes a plurality of DBs and the selector is for defining address formats for each of the DBs.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the system also includes at least one processing device (PD) which also receives the address formats, and, wherein the PD receives at least one initial record, identifies an address format suitable for storing the initial record, identifies information required to form an address according to the address format, searches the initial record to locate the required information, when the required information is located, uses the required information to form a DB address having the address format and uses the address to perform a DB function.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein for each FT, the DB construct further includes an instantiation rule set (IRS) for instantiating the FT, the IRS including a field format which comprises a character string used to instantiate each address field of the corresponding FT, the field formats provided to the PD along with corresponding addresses.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein, for fixed fields the character string is a fixed character string and for variable fields the character string is a variable character string.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein each IRS further includes a variable search rule set (VSRS) which includes a plurality of variable search rules, each variable search rule specifying at least one condition which must exist for the field to be instantiated with the corresponding character string, the PD using the VSRS to search for the required information.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein, for at least a sub-set of the FTs, the VSRS includes a plurality of variable character strings and wherein the PD searches by searching for the occurrence of at least one of the variable character strings.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein at least a first variable field type requires information in a first field format, the PD is capable of using a converting rule set (CRS) to convert information from a second field format to the first field format and the IRS corresponding to the first variable field type further includes a CRS.

10. The system of claim 4 wherein for each FT, the PD requires an instantiation rule set (IRS) including a field format which comprises a character string used to instantiate each address field of the corresponding FT, the selector also for defining an IRS for each FT and providing the IRSs to the PD along with the address formats.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein, for fixed fields the character string is a fixed character string and for variable fields the character string is a variable character string.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein each IRS further includes a variable search rule set (VSRS) which includes a plurality of variable search rules, each variable search rule specifying at least one condition which must exist for the field to be instantiated with the corresponding character string, the PD using the VSRS to search for the required information, the selector also for defining the VSRS.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein, for at least a sub-set of the FTs, the VSRS includes a plurality of variable character strings and wherein the PD searches by searching for the occurrence of at least one of the variable character strings.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein at least a first variable field type requires information in a first field format, the PD is capable of using a converting rule set (CRS) to convert information from a second field format to the first field format, the IRS corresponding to the first variable field type further includes a CRS and, wherein, the selector is also for defining the CRS.

15. The system of claim 4 wherein the PD is a remote information collection device (ICD) and the database function is to provide a DB address for a received initial record.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the ICD identifies a suitable address format by identifying the initial record data type and selecting the corresponding address format.

17. The system of claim 16 further including a DB literate processor for creating a link between a first record and the second record wherein the first record is referenced in the second record by a data reference (DR), the DR corresponding to a specific address format, wherein the selector is also for specifying a DR for each of the address formats, the address formats and corresponding DRs provided to the processor, when a second record is received by the processor, the processor searching the second record for the DR, when the DR is identified, selecting the corresponding address format, identifies information required to form an address according to the address format, searches the second record to locate the required information, when the required information is located, arranges the required information into a DB address having the address format and uses the address to link the DR to the first record.

18. The system of claim 4 wherein the initial record is a second record, the PD is a DB literate processor and the DB function is to create a link between a first record and the second record wherein the first record is referenced in the second record by a data reference (DR), the DR corresponding to a specific address format, wherein the processor identifies a suitable address format by searching the second record for the DR and when the DR is identified, selecting the corresponding address format, the selector also for specifying a DR for each address format, the DR and address format provided to the processor.

19. An apparatus for use with at least one processing device (PD) and a database (DB), the DB for storing information records at DB addresses, each address characterized by an address format including at least one fixed field and at least one variable field, fixed fields requiring information which is common among all addresses having the address format and variable fields requiring information which may vary from record to record, the PD for receiving at least one initial record, identifying information required to form an address according to the address format, searching the segment to locate the required information, when the required information is located, using the required information to form a DB address having the address format and using the address to perform a DB function, the apparatus for defining at least one address format for use by both the PD and the DB and comprising:

a DB construct storing a field type (FT) list of at least one FT for forming addresses; and

a selector for defining address formats, to this end, the selector is for selecting fields from the DB construct and specifying the order of fields in an address format;

wherein, the address format is provided to each of the PD and the DB.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the list also specifies if the field is fixed or variable.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the DB includes a plurality of DBs and the selector is for defining address formats for each of the DBs.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein for each FT, the DB construct further includes an instantiation rule set (IRS) for instantiating the FT, the IRS including a field format which comprises a character string used to instantiate each address field of the corresponding FT, the IRSs provided to the PD along with corresponding addresses.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein, for fixed fields the character string is a fixed character string and for variable fields the character string is a variable character string.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein each IRS further includes a variable search rule set (VSRS) which includes a plurality of variable search rules, each variable search rule specifying at least one condition which must exist for the field to be instantiated with the corresponding character string, the PD using the VSRS to search for the required information.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein, for at least a sub-set of the FTs, the VSRS includes a plurality of variable character strings and wherein the PD searches by searching for the occurrence of at least one of the variable character strings.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein at least a first variable field type requires information in a first field format, the PD is capable of using a converting rule set (CRS) to convert information from a second field format to the first field format and the IRS corresponding to the first variable field type further includes a CRS.

27. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein for each FT, the PD requires an instantiation rule set (IRS) including a field format which comprises a character string used to instantiate each address field of the corresponding FT, the selector also for defining an IRS for each FT and providing the IRSs to the PD along with the address formats.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein, for fixed fields the character string is a fixed character string and for variable fields the character string is a variable character string.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein each IRS further includes a variable search rule set (VSRS) which includes a plurality of variable search rules, each variable search rule specifying at least one condition which must exist for the field to be instantiated with the corresponding character string, the PD using the VSRS to search for the required information, the selector also for defining the VSRS.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein, for at least a sub-set of the FTs, the VSRS includes a plurality of variable character strings and wherein the PD searches by searching for the occurrence of at least one of the variable character strings.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein at least a first variable field type requires information in a first field format, the PD is capable of using a converting rule set (CRS) to convert information from a second field format to the first field format, the IRS corresponding to the first variable field type further includes a CRS and, wherein, the selector is also for defining the CRS.

32. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the PD is a remote information collection device (ICD) and the database function is to provide a DB address for a received initial record.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 further including a DB literate processor for creating a link between a first record and the second record wherein the first record is referenced in the second record by a data reference (DR), the DR corresponding to a specific address format, wherein the selector is also for specifying a DR for each of the address formats, the address formats and corresponding DRs provided to the processor, when a second record is received by the processor, the processor searching the second record for the DR, when the DR is identified, selecting the corresponding address format, identifies information required to form an address according to the address format, searches the second record to locate the required information, when the required information is located, arranges the required information into a DB address having the address format and uses the address to link the DR to the first record.

34. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the initial record is a second record, the PD is a DB literate processor and the DB function is to create a link between a first record and the second record wherein the first record is referenced in the second record by a data reference (DR), the DR corresponding to a specific address format, wherein the processor identifies a suitable address format by searching the second record for the DR and when the DR is identified, selecting the corresponding address format, the selector also for specifying a DR for each address format, the DR and address format provided to the processor.

35. A method for use with at least one processing device (PD) and a database (DB), the DB for storing information records at DB addresses, each address characterized by an address format including at least one fixed field and at least one variable field, fixed fields requiring information which is common among all addresses having the address format and variable fields requiring information which may vary from record to record, the DB also storing a list of possible field types (FTs), the PD for receiving at least one initial record, identifying information required to form an address according to the address format, searching the segment to locate the required information, when the required information is located, using the required information to form a DB address having the address format and using the address to perform a DB function, the method for defining at least one address format for use by both the PD and the DB and comprising the steps of:

specifying required address format fields;

for each field, selecting a FT from the FT list; and

providing the address format to the PD.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein, for each FT, the DB construct further includes an instantiation rule set (IRS) including a field format which comprises a character string used to instantiate each address field of the corresponding FT and, wherein the step of selecting an FT includes automatically selecting an IRS corresponding to the FT and the step of providing also includes providing the IRSs corresponding to the address format FTs to the PD.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein each IRS further includes a variable search rule set (VSRS) which includes a plurality of variable search rules, each variable search rule specifying at least one condition which must exist for the field to be instantiated with the corresponding character string, the PD using the VSRS to search for the required information.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein, for at least a sub-set of the FTs, the VSRS includes a plurality of variable character strings and wherein the PD searches by searching for the occurrence of at least one of the variable character strings.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein at least a first variable field type requires information in a first field format, the PD is capable of using a converting rule set (CRS) to convert information from a second field format to the first field format and the IRS corresponding to the first variable field type further includes a CRS.

40. The method of claim 35 wherein, for each FT, the PD requires an instantiation rule set (IRS) including a field format which comprises a character string used to instantiate each address field of the corresponding FT and, wherein, the method further includes the steps of defining a separate field format for each IRS and providing the IRSs to the PD along with the address formats.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the PD also requires a variable search rule set (VSRS) to search for the required information, the VSRS including a plurality of variable search rules, each variable search rule specifying at least one condition which must exist for the field to be instantiated with a corresponding character string, the method further including the steps of defining a separate VSRS as a part of each IRS which is provided to the PD as part of the IRS.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein, for at least a sub-set of the FTs, the VSRS includes a plurality of variable character strings and wherein the PD searches by searching for the occurrence of at least one of the variable character strings and, wherein, the step of defining the VSRS includes the step of defining the plurality of variable character strings.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein at least a first variable field type requires information in a first field format and the PD is capable of using a converting rule set (CRS) to convert information from a second field format to the first field format, the method further including the steps of defining at least one CRS for the first field format which is provided to the PD as part of the IRS.

44. The method of claim 35 wherein the PD is a remote information collection device (ICD) and the database function is to provide a DB address for a received initial record.

45. The method of claim 44 also for use with a DB literate processor wherein the initial record is a second record, the processor for creating a link between a first record and the second record wherein the first record is referenced in the second record by a data reference (DR), the DR corresponding to a specific address format, wherein the processor identifies a suitable address format by searching the second record for the DR and when the DR is identified, selecting the corresponding address format, the method further including the steps of:

for each address format defined, specifying a DR; and

providing the DR to the PD along with the address format.

46. The method of claim 35 wherein the initial record is a second record, the PD is a DB literate processor and the DB function is to create a link between a first record and the second record wherein the first record is referenced in the second record by a data reference (DR), the DR corresponding to a specific address format, wherein the processor identifies a suitable address format by searching the second record for the DR and when the DR is identified, selecting the corresponding address format, the method further including the steps of:

for each address format defined, specifying a DR; and

providing the DR to the PD along with the address format.

47. The method of claim 35 wherein a final record format is dependent upon the initial record data type, the PD also for, when the initial record data type is identified, identifying a corresponding final record format, identifying the information required to form a final record having the final record format, gleaning the required information from the initial record, arranging the gleaned information into the final record having the final record format and providing the final record along with the address to the DB, the method also for defining at least one final record format for use by both the PD and the DB and comprising the steps of:

specifying record information required to form a final record according to the final record format;

specifying the order of the record information in the final record format; and

providing the record format to the PD.

48. A method for use with at least one processing device (PD) and a database (DB), the DB for storing information records at DB addresses, each address characterized by an address format, the PD for receiving at least one initial record, identifying information required to form an address according to the address format, searching the initial record to locate the required information, when the required information is located, using the located information to form a DB address having the address format and using the address to perform a DB function, the method for defining at least one address format for use by both the PD and the DB and comprising the steps of:

specifying required address format fields;

for each field, defining information type as being either fixed or variable, fixed information being text which is common among all addresses having the address format and variable being information which may vary from segment to segment;

for each field, defining an instantiation rule set (IRS) including a field format which comprises a character string used to instantiate each address field of the corresponding field type; and

providing the address format and corresponding IRSs to the PD.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the PD also requires a variable search rule set (VSRS) to search for the required information, the VSRS including a plurality of variable search rules, each variable search rule specifying at least one condition which must exist for the field to be instantiated with a corresponding character string, the method further including the steps of defining a separate VSRS as a part of each IRS which is provided to the PD as part of the IRS.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein at least one VSRS includes a plurality of variable character strings, the PD searches by searching for the occurrence of at least one of the variable character strings and, wherein, the step of defining the VSRS includes the step of defining the plurality of variable character strings.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein at least a first variable field type requires information in a first field format and the PD is capable of using a converting rule set (CRS) to convert information from a second field format to the first field format, the method further including the steps of defining at least one CRS for the first field format which is provided to the PD as part of the IRS.

52. The method of claim 48 wherein the PD is a remote information collection device (ICD) and the database function is to provide a DB address for a received initial record.

53. The method of claim 48 wherein the initial record is a second record, the PD is a DB literate processor and the DB function is to create a link between a first record and the second record wherein the first record is referenced in the second record by a data reference (DR), the DR corresponding to a specific address format, wherein the processor identifies a suitable address format by searching the second record for the DR and when the DR is identified, selecting the corresponding address format, the method further including the steps of:

for each address format defined, specifying a DR; and

providing the DR to the PD along with the address format.

54. The method of claim 52 also for use with a DB literate processor wherein the initial record is a second record, the processor for creating a link between a first record and the second record wherein the first record is referenced in the second record by a data reference (DR), the DR corresponding to a specific address format, wherein the processor identifies a suitable address format by searching the second record for the DR and when the DR is identified, selecting the corresponding address format, the method further including the steps of:

for each address format defined, specifying a DR; and

providing the DR to the PD along with the address format.

55. The method of claim 48 wherein a final record format is dependent upon the initial record data type, the PD also for, when the initial record data type is identified, identifying a corresponding final record format, identifying the information required to form a final record having the final record format, gleaning the required information from the initial record, arranging the gleaned information into the final record having the final record format and providing the final record along with the address to the DB, the method also for defining at least one final record format for use by both the PD and the DB and comprising the steps of:

specifying record information required to form a final record according to the final record format;

specifying the order of the record information in the final record format; and

providing the record format to the PD.

56. A method for use with at least one processing device (PD) and a database (DB), the DB for storing information records at DB addresses, each address characterized by an address format, the method for defining at least one address format for use by both the PD and the DB and for forming an address for a record wherein the formed address has the address format, the method comprising the steps of:

specifying address information required to form a database address according to an address format and the order of the address information in the address format;

providing the address format to the PD and the DB, thereafter, the PD;

receiving at least an initial record;

searching the initial record to determine if the initial record includes the required information;

if the initial record includes the required information, arranging the required information into a DB address having the address format; and

using the address to perform a DB function.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein the steps of specifying address information and specifying order include, for each address format, specifying required address format fields and, for each field, defining the information type required to fill the field.

58. The method of claim 57 wherein for each field type, the PD requires an instantiation rule set (IRS) including a field format which comprises a character string used to instantiate each address field of the corresponding field type and, wherein, the method further includes the steps of defining a separate field format for each IRS and providing the IRSs to the PD along with the address formats.

59. The method of claim 58 wherein the PD also requires a variable search rule set (VSRS) for each field type to search for the required information, the VSRS including a plurality of variable search rules, each variable search rule specifying at least one condition which must exist for the field to be instantiated with a corresponding character string, the method further including the steps of defining a separate VSRS as a part of each IRS which is provided to the PD as part of the IRS.

60. The method of claim 59 wherein at least one VSRS includes a plurality of variable character strings, the PD searches by searching for the occurrence of at least one of the variable character strings and, wherein, the step of defining the VSRS includes the step of defining the plurality of variable character strings.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein at least a first variable field type requires information in a first field format and the PD is capable of using a converting rule set (CRS) to convert information from a second field format to the first field format, the method further including the steps of defining at least one CRS for the first field format which is provided to the PD as part of the IRS.

62. The method of claim 56 wherein the PD is a remote information collection device (ICD) and the database function is to provide a DB address for a received initial record.

63. The method of claim 56 wherein the initial record is a second record, the PD is a DB literate processor and the DB function is to create a link between a first record and the second record wherein the first record is referenced in the second record by a data reference (DR), the DR corresponding to a specific address format, wherein the processor identifies a suitable address format by searching the second record for the DR and when the DR is identified, selecting the corresponding address format, the method further including the steps of:

for each address format defined, specifying a DR; and

providing the DR to the PD along with the address format.

64. The method of claim 62 also for use with a DB literate processor wherein the initial record is a second record, the processor for creating a link between a first record and the second record wherein the first record is referenced in the second record by a data reference (DR), the DR corresponding to a specific address format, wherein the processor identifies a suitable address format by searching the second record for the DR and when the DR is identified, selecting the corresponding address format, the method further including the steps of:

for each address format defined, specifying a DR; and

providing the DR to the PD along with the address format.

65. The method of claim 56 wherein a final record format is dependent upon the initial record data type, the PD also for, when the initial record data type is identified, identifying a corresponding final record format, identifying the information required to form a final record having the final record format, gleaning the required information from the initial record, arranging the gleaned information into the final record having the final record format and providing the final record along with the address to the DB, the method also for defining at least one final record format for use by both the PD and the DB and comprising the steps of:

specifying record information required to form a final record according to the final record format;

specifying the order of the record information in the final record format; and

providing the record format to the PD.

66. A database construct for use with an editor for specifying database address formats wherein each format includes at least two fields, the formats used by at least one database (DB) to store information on the DB, the editor linked to the construct and including a display for displaying construct information, the editor further including tools for selecting construct information to form the address formats and then providing the address formats to the DB, the construct including:

an address field type list including address field types which may be used to instantiate address fields on the at least one DB; and

an instantiation rule set corresponding to each address field type, each instantiation rule set including a field format indicating the format of information required to instantiate the field.

67. The construct of claim 66 wherein each instantiation rule set further includes a variable search rule set, the variable search rule set including rules for gleaning information required to instantiate an associated field from an information set.

68. The construct of claim 67 wherein at least some of the instantiation rule sets include converting rule sets which include rules for, after the information required to instantiate an associated rule is gleaned, converting the gleaned information to the field format to instantiate the field.