Method and apparatus to make and transmit objects from a database on a server computer to a client computer

• US 6,591,272 B1
• Filed: 02/22/2000
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tricoron Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tricoron Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Williams, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Black, Linh
• Application Number:
  US09/510,750
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-10, 707/100-104, 706/50, 345/763
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• 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

Abstract

Contents of databases are translated into objects by reading the database schema metadata to determine data interrelationships and create objects with nominal human to computer interaction. Metadata for any number of databases is normalized in a standardized view. Skeleton code templates representative of final classes to be produced are accessed and merged with the standardized view. Source code for the class of the objects is then generated. At runtime, data objects are then produced by encapsulating the metadata and data values. Communication between database instances and a client computer consists of metadata and database row values., Rows from database tables and the corresponding metadata are transmitted from the server to the client computer in one logical network operation. The final distributed objects are then assembled into the optimal format required by the client computer. To update, delete or create new persistent objects, the reverse process occurs.

Claims

1. A method of translating elements of a database into an object desired, comprising the steps of:

reading said elements of said database and corresponding schema definitional elements to determine values of said elements and their relationships wherein said reading step further comprises;

generating a pick list based upon an inversion of said database; and

generating a script containing all unique foreign language strings to be translated;

assembling a list of the values of said elements and their relationship to a standardized view of said database;

accessing skeleton code templates representative of final objects to be produced;

generating source code for the class of the object desired; and

producing said object desired by enveloping values assembles in one of said templates.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said assembling step further comprises:

translating said script to a given language.

3. A method of communicating elements of a database, having a metadata, between a server computer and a client computer, comprising:

generating a pseudo-object by said server computer, said pseudo-object comprising data of said elements;

generating metadata of said elements, wherein said metadata is relationship of said data of said elements, wherein said generating step further comprising;

reading said metadata of said database;

translating a list of said metadata to a standardized view of said database;

accessing skeleton code templates representative of final classes to be produced;

generating source code for the classes of the objects desired, and scripts to compile said classes into executable form;

producing said object desired by enveloping said data and metadata;

transmitting said pseudo-object and metadata from said server computer to said client computer; and

assembling said elements to final distributed objects by said client computer from said pseudo-object and metadata received.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said reading step further comprises:

generating a pick list based upon an inversion of said database table; and

generating a script containing all unique foreign language strings to be translated.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said assembling step further comprises:

translating said script to a given language.

6. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to translate metadata of a database into objects desired, the computer readable program code in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to read said metadata of said database to determine characteristics of said database and their relationship;

wherein said computer readable program code further comprises;

computer readable program code configured to generate a pick list based upon an inversion of elements of said database; and

computer readable program code configured to generate a script containing all unique foreign language strings to be translated;

computer readable program code configures to cause a computer to assemble a list of the metadata of said database and their relationship in a pseudo-standardized view of said database;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to read skeleton code templates representative of final classes to be produced;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to generate source code for the class of the object desired; and

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to produce said objects desired by enveloping values assembled in said templates.

7. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to communicate elements of a database table between a server computer and a client computer, the computer readable program code in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code configured to generate a pseudo-object by said server computer, said pseudo-object comprising data of said elements and to generate metadata of said elements, wherein said metadata is relationship of said data, wherein said computer readable program code configured to generate an object by said server computer further comprising;

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to translate elements of a relational database table into objects desired, the computer readable program code in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to read said elements of said database table to determine values of said elements and their relationship;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to assemble a list of the values of said elements and their relationship to a standardized view of said database table;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to access skeleton code templates representative of final objects to be produced;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to generate source code for the class of the object desired; and

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to produce said objects desired by enveloping values assembled in one of said templates;

computer readable program code configured to transmit said pseudo-object and said metadata from said server computer to said client computer; and

computer readable program code configured to assemble said elements by said client computer from said object and metadata received.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7 wherein said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to read said elements of said database table further comprises:

computer readable program code configured to generate a pick list based upon an inversion of said database table; and

computer readable program code configured to generate a script containing all unique foreign language strings to be translated.