System and method for managing hierarchical objects

• US 6,611,837 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schreiber, Robert Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Veillard, Jacques
• Application Number:
  US09/750,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20020040368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/3, 707/100, 707/101, 707/103.R, 707/104.1, 707/7, 707/9, 709/230
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system and method for storing hierarchical objects. The system stores a list of hierarchies as a single object. The object includes all information relating to a particular data element. The data element may be a concept. The concept may include all related information such that if one or more portions of the data element are requested by a user, the entire data object including the requested portions is retrieved. A user may navigate forward and backward through the hierarchy and search for other information. The object is stored as a self-defining object such that all information relating to the data element is stored within the object.

Claims

1. A system for managing at least one hierarchical data list, comprising:

a hierarchical data container creating module that creates at least one hierarchical data container;

a hierarchical data list creating module that creates at least one hierarchical data list that comprises the at least one hierarchical data container;

a command creating module that enables a user to create at least one command that stores data in the at least one hierarchical data container; and

a command submitting module that enables a user to submit the at least one command to the hierarchical data container creating module;

wherein the hierarchical data list creating module creates the at least one hierarchical data list based on information received from the command submitting module.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a hierarchical data element creating module that creates at least one hierarchical data element.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the hierarchical data list comprises the hierarchical data element.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a storing module that stores the at least one hierarchical data list in at least one object store.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising an identifier assigning module that assigns an identifier to the at least one hierarchical data list.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a length determining module that determines a length of the data.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a format determining module that determines a format of the data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the data comprises a hierarchy.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the data comprises a concept.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical data list is self-defining.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the data may be navigated in at least one direction.

12. A method for managing at least one hierarchical data list, comprising the steps of:

a) creating at least one hierarchical data container;

b) creating at least one hierarchical data list that comprises the at least one hierarchical data container;

c) creating at least one command that stores data in the at least one hierarchical data container; and

d) submitting the at least one command to the hierarchical data container creating module;

wherein the hierarchical data list creating module creates the at least one hierarchical data list based on information received from the command submitting module.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of creating at least one hierarchical data element.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the hierarchical data list comprises the hierarchical data element.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of storing the at least one hierarchical data list in at least one object store.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of assigning an identifier to the at least one hierarchical data list.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of determining a length of the data.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of determining a format of the data.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the data comprises a hierarchy.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the data comprises a concept.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the hierarchical data list is self-defining.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the data may be navigated in at least one direction.

23. A processor readable medium comprising processor readable code that causes a processor to manage at least one hierarchical data list, comprising:

hierarchical data container creating code that causes a processor to create at least one hierarchical data container;

hierarchical data list creating code that causes a processor to create at least one hierarchical data list that comprises the at least one hierarchical data container;

command creating code that causes a processor to create at least one command that stores data in the at least one hierarchical data container; and

command submitting code that causes a processor to submit the at least one command to the hierarchical data container creating module;

wherein the hierarchical data list creating code creates the at least one hierarchical data list based on information received from the command submitting code.

24. The medium of claim 23, further comprising hierarchical data element creating code that causes a processor to create at least one hierarchical data element.

25. The medium of claim 24, wherein the hierarchical data list comprises the hierarchical data element.

26. The medium of claim 23, further comprising hierarchical data list storing code that causes a processor to store the at least one hierarchical data list in at least one object store.

27. The medium of claim 26, further comprising identifier assigning code that causes a processor to assign an identifier to the at least one hierarchical data list.

28. The medium of claim 23, further comprising length determining code that causes a processor to determine a length of the data.

29. The medium of claim 23, further comprising format determining code that causes a processor to determine a format of the data.

30. The medium of claim 23, wherein the data comprises a hierarchy.

31. The medium of claim 23, wherein the data comprises a concept.

32. The medium of claim 23, wherein the hierarchical data list is self-defining.

33. The medium of claim 23, wherein the data may be navigated in at least one direction.

34. A system for managing at least one hierarchical data list, comprising:

hierarchical data container creating means for creating at least one hierarchical data container;

hierarchical data list creating means for creating at least one hierarchical data list comprising the at least one hierarchical data container;

command creating means for enabling a user to create at least one command for storing data in the at least one hierarchical data container; and

command submitting means for enabling a user to submit the at least one command to the hierarchical data container creating module;

wherein the hierarchical data list creating means creates the at least one hierarchical data list based on information received from the command submitting means.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising hierarchical data element creating means for creating at least one hierarchical data element.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the hierarchical data list comprises the hierarchical data element.

37. The system of claim 35, further comprising a freeing module that frees the at least one hierarchical data element from the at least one hierarchical data list.

38. The system of claim 34, further comprising storing means for storing the at least one hierarchical data list in at least one object store.

39. The system of claim 38, further comprising identifier assigning means for assigning an identifier to the at least one hierarchical data list.

40. The system of claim 34, further comprising length determining means for determining a length of the data.

41. The system of claim 34, further comprising format determining means for determining a format of the data.

42. The system of claim 34, wherein the data comprises a hierarchy.

43. The system of claim 34, wherein the hierarchical data list is self-defining.

44. The system of claim 34, further comprising a response receiving module that receives at least one response based on the at least one command from a server.

45. The system of claim 34, further comprising a response analyzing module that analyzes the at least one response received from the server.

46. The system of claim 34, further comprising a hierarchical data list analyzing module that analyzes the at least one hierarchical data list.

47. The system of claim 34, further comprising a navigating module that enables navigation of the at least one hierarchical data list in at least one direction.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the navigating module enables scanning of the at least one hierarchical data list.

49. The system of claim 34, further comprising a manipulating module that manipulates the at least one hierarchical data list.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the manipulating module adds the at least one hierarchical data list to at least one other hierarchical data list.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the manipulating module merges the at least one hierarchical data list with at least one other hierarchical data list.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein the manipulating module weaves the at least one hierarchical data list with at least one other hierarchical data list.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the manipulating module unchains the at least one hierarchical data list to at least one other hierarchical data list.

54. The system of claim 49, wherein the manipulating module joins the at least one hierarchical data list with at least one other hierarchical data list.