Hyper-relational correlation server

• US 6,441,834 B1
• Filed: 03/25/1999
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Sap Portals, Inc. (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Sap Portals, Inc. (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Paran-Nissani, Gilad, Agassi, Shai, Ziv, Udi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thai, Cuong T.
• Application Number:
  US09/289,478
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 345/348, 345/356, 345/339, 345/357, 345/968, 345/764, 345/853, 345/854, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103, 709/329, 709/331, 709/332
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

A correlation server provides for links between disparate data structures in a hyper-relational data navigation system. In one hyper-relational navigation system, a correlation server is used to provide a relationship between a component in one data structure and a component in another data structure. In one method, a draggable element and a drop target are identified. Metadata is imported into a class-relation matrix maintained for the first data structure and a response to a navigation action is formulated, wherein the response is dependent upon at least the draggable element, the drop target and a cell in the class-relation matrix that corresponds to the draggable element and the drop target and includes imported metadata.

Claims

1. In a hyper-relational navigation system, a method of responding to a navigation action of dragging a draggable element representing a first component in a first data structure to a drop target representing a second component in a second data structure, comprising the steps of:

identifying the first component from the draggable element;

the first data structure residing on a first computer system;

identifying the second component from the drop target, the second component residing on a second computer system communicably coupled to the first computer system;

importing metadata about components in the second data structure into a class-relation matrix maintained for the first data structure; and

formulating a response to the navigation action wherein the response is dependent upon at least the first component, the second component and a cell in the class-relation matrix that corresponds to the first and second components and includes imported metadata.

2. In a hyper-relational navigation system having a third party computer remotely coupled to both a first computer system and a second computer system, a method of navigating the first computer system and the second computer system from the third party computer, the method comprising:

dragging a draggable element on the third party computer system, the draggable element representing a first component in a first data structure on the first computer system;

dropping the draggable element on a drop target representing a second component in a second data structure of the second computer system;

identifying the first component from the draggable element;

identifying the second component from the drop target;

importing metadata about components in the second data structure into the first computer system;

setting up relations between the imported metadata and components of the first data structure, wherein the relations are locatable in a class-relation matrix maintained for the first data structure; and

formulating a response to the navigation action wherein the response is dependent upon at least the first component, the second component and imported metadata in the class-relation matrix.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising

using the third party computer to administer data stored in the first computer system with data stored in and second computer system.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising

dragging a draggable element representing fourth component in the second data structure;

dropping the draggable element on a drop target representing a fifth component in the first data structure;

importing metadata about components in the first data structure into the class-relation matrix of the second computer system; and

formulating a response to the navigation action wherein the response is dependent upon at least the fourth component, the fifth component and imported metadata in the class-relation matrix.