System and method for managing database information

• US 6,493,717 B1
• Filed: 06/16/1999
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Datafree Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Datafree Incorporated
• Inventors: Junkin, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Application Number:
  US09/334,106
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3-4, 707/5, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103, 707/104, 707/202, 707/206, 707/501, 707/503, 709/203, 709/217, 709/223, 709/303
• US Class Current: 707/754
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/92 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/966 Distributed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system and method is provided for managing database information to be presented in HTML format for retrieval and display by a Web browser. Database information is managed by responding to a user selection delivered by browser software by retrieving the contents of portions of a database and constructing an HTML-compatible presentation of the contents in accordance with definitions that hierarchically link the portions separately from any database-provided links between the portions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

in accordance with a definition that hierarchically links portions of a database independently of any database-provided links between the portions, applying HTML-compatible form-based information delivered via browser software to update the contents of the portions.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to an HTTP request from the browser software, dynamically tracing an interrelated path between divergent data sources.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining, from at least one argument supplied in the request, a currently active data source.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the currently active data source is identified with a node source.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining, from at least one argument supplied in the request, at least one record within a node source.

7. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining, from at least one argument supplied in the request, an active record within a parent node data source.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining, from at least one argument supplied in the request, a branch mode that limits the tracing.

9. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

recursively restoring each successively related ascending data source starting from an entry node.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

using metadata from each successively restored node to create each branch of the hierarchy.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

traversing a hierarchical path via a non-recursive node, the path being known prior to run-time and having a finite number of hierarchical relationships.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

traversing a hierarchical path via a recursive node, the path being known only at run time and dependant on real-time data access and containing an undetermined number of hierarchical relationships.

13. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

restricting the path of a hierarchically linked set of data sources by ending at a selected location.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

ending the tracing at a target data source located anywhere within the hierarchy.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

based on an argument in the request, controlling the location of a branch in the path.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the argument indicates a node being branched upon.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

based on an argument in the request, limiting a recursive data source containing itself as a parent data source, the argument representing the key of the active record being branched upon within the hierarchical path.

18. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

deriving a display from a set of hierarchically linked data sources and the corresponding data within in a predetermined universal format.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

providing a set of predetermined HTML user interfaces for user database activities including search, navigation, and editing, the set being generated by reusable program procedures.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

deriving a universal display procedure for multiple records of data of a data source from a single program routine, the display providing access to search, filter, navigation, list, export, and report features.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

deriving a universal display procedure for a single record of data of a data source from a single program routine, the display providing access to detail and edit features.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

applying a reusable HTML-based service to reduce resources consumed in providing a Web application that relies on the database.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a pre-built application framework to interact with the database, the framework having reusable HTML components; and

using the reusable HTML components in multiple applications for display and interaction;

wherein each application has corresponding configuration settings that define an execution path to be taken at runtime, excepting custom event functions that extend the framework.

24. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

by a centralized definition data model for storing metadata, allowing extension of an application interacting with the database without changing an existing application structure;

wherein the metadata is stored in a distributed arrangement and an update to the centralized data model provides a new feature in the distributed arrangement.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a configured hierarchical selection tool for selecting predefined values in data entry.

2. A method comprising:

in accordance with a definition that hierarchically links portions of a database independently of any database-provided links between the portions, applying HTML-compatible form-based information delivered via browser software to update the contents of the portions.

26. Computer software, residing on a computer-readable storage medium, comprising a set of instructions for use in a computer system, the instructions causing the system to:

in accordance with a definition that hierarchically links portions of a database independently of any database-provided links between the portions, apply HTML-compatible form-based information delivered via browser software to update the contents of the portions.

27. A system comprising:

an applier applying, in accordance with a definition that hierarchically links portions of a database independently of any database-provided links between the portions, HTML-compatible form-based information delivered via browser software to update the contents of the portions.