Computing system for information management

• US 6,457,017 B2
• Filed: 05/16/1997
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Softscape Software LLC
• Original Assignee: Pavonix, Inc. (Cornerstone Ondemand Incorporated)
• Inventors: Watkins, Richard M., Watkins, David V., Watkins, Henry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Colbert, Ella
• Application Number:
  US08/857,576
• Publication Number:
  US 20010054042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,957 Days
• Field of Search: 707/103, 707/1, 707/101, 707/100, 707/8, 707/500-513, 707/103.R, 707/3, 345/433, 345/418
• US Class Current: 707/696
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/917 Text
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

An information management system includes an indexing subsystem and a document management subsystem. The system layers an object-oriented architecture over a relational database to manage folders and files from a variety of file systems. Managed files are incrementally indexed by the indexing subsystem and can be retrieved by a user by knowing content of a managed file. Folders and documents are also logically organized for presentation to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing a plurality of documents stored in a file system, each document having a plurality of document attributes and a content, the method comprising:

storing the document attributes and the content of a managed document in a document database, the storing of document attributes including maintaining an index of a plurality of managed documents and storing configuration relationships between a plurality of managed documents;

storing searchable text derived from the content of the managed files in an indexed database;

coupling a manager subsystem, configurable in an object-oriented architecture to the document database and the index database;

from the manager subsystem, effecting changes to the managed document by modifying the document database;

from the manager, synchronizing the index database and the file system with the modified document database;

from the manager, instantiating a plurality of base objects from a plurality of dynamic document definitions, the relationships between the base objects being defined by information stored in the document database, the base objects representing a subsection of the documents; and

from the manager, upon request, displaying contents of a document having a file format in the file system chosen from a plurality of supported file formats;

wherein the stored document attributes are dynamically customizable and include an ordered sequence between a plurality of sibling managed documents.