Tagging data assets
First Claim
1. In a computer program application, a method of responding to a user request that the application open a data asset, the method comprising:
- presenting to the user a location interface to receive location information from the user to locate a desired data asset;
linking the location interface to a searchable tag database of concept data elements, asset references, and associations, the concept data elements each representing a concept and having a hierarchy specified by concept hierarchy information, the asset references each comprising a storage location identifier for a corresponding one of a plurality of data assets, and the associations representing different types of relations between one of the plurality of data assets and one of the plurality of concepts represented by concept data elements;
receiving from the user through the location interface a query identifying a concept and a relation;
using the query to search the tag database to identify a set of data assets each having the relation with the concept; and
presenting to the user information identifying the data assets in the set.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Computer-implemented methods and apparatus for tagging data assets are disclosed. The disclosed methods include a method of responding to a user request that a computer program application open a data asset. The method of opening a data asset includes presenting to the user a location interface to receive data asset location information from the user to locate a desired data asset. The location interface is linked to a searchable tag database that includes concept data elements, asset references, and associations. Concept data elements each representing a concept and have a hierarchy specified by concept hierarchy information. Asset references each comprise a storage location identifier for a corresponding data asset. Each association represents a relation between a data asset and a concept. The method also includes receiving from the user a query identifying a concept and a relation. In response to the query, the tag database may be used to identify a set of data assets each having a specified relation with an identified concept. The identified set of data assets may thereafter be presented to the user. The invention also features a computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for responding to a user request that a computer program application open a data asset. The program includes instructions operable to cause a computer to present a location interface to the user, instructions to receive data asset location information from the user, instructions to link the location interface to a searchable tag database of concept data elements, asset references, and associations, instructions to receive a query identifying a concept and a relation, instructions to use the tag database to identify a set of data assets each having the relation with the concept, and instructions to present information identifying the set of data assets.
189 Citations
25 Claims
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1. In a computer program application, a method of responding to a user request that the application open a data asset, the method comprising:
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presenting to the user a location interface to receive location information from the user to locate a desired data asset;
linking the location interface to a searchable tag database of concept data elements, asset references, and associations, the concept data elements each representing a concept and having a hierarchy specified by concept hierarchy information, the asset references each comprising a storage location identifier for a corresponding one of a plurality of data assets, and the associations representing different types of relations between one of the plurality of data assets and one of the plurality of concepts represented by concept data elements;
receiving from the user through the location interface a query identifying a concept and a relation;
using the query to search the tag database to identify a set of data assets each having the relation with the concept; and
presenting to the user information identifying the data assets in the set. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 23)
receiving information from the tag database identifying all concepts and relations that can be searched for during an “
open”
operation;
displaying the tag information to the user through a tag data interface, the tag data interface allowing the user to select tag elements to define a query; and
displaying, in response to the query, information identifying data assets satisfying the query.
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3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
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receiving a selection from the user of a desired data asset from among the identified data assets; and
returning to the application a file handle for the desired data asset.
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4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data assets is identified by finding each asset reference in the tag database having the relation with the concept.
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5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of data assets is identified by finding each asset reference in the tag database having the relation with the concept and each asset reference in the tag database having the relation with a hierarchical descendent of the concept.
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6. The method of claim 1, wherein:
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the tag database further comprises a plurality of relation data elements each representing a relation and having a hierarchy specified by relation hierarchy information; and
the set of data assets is identified by finding each asset reference in the tag database having the relation with the concept and each asset reference in the tag database having a hierarchical descendent of the relation with the concept.
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7. The method of claim 1, wherein:
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the query identifying a concept and a relation further identifies a second concept and a second relation; and
each data asset in the identified set of data assets having the relation with the concept has the second relation with the second concept.
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8. The method of claim 1, wherein:
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the tag database further comprises detail associations, each detail association representing a relation between a first and a second concept;
the query identifying a concept and a relation further identifies second concept and a second relation, the second concept and second relation representing a detail association; and
each data asset in the identified set of data assets has a detail association comprising the second relation between the concept and the second concept.
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9. The method of claim 1, wherein the query includes a concept and a relation.
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23. The method of claim 1, wherein the searchable tag database includes detail associations that describe relationships between concepts in the tag database, the relationships selected from a plurality of different types of relationships.
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10. A computer program product, tangibly stored on a computer-readable medium, for responding to a user request that a computer program application open a data asset, the program comprising instructions operable to cause a computer to:
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present to the user a location interface to receive location information from the user to locate a desired data asset;
link the location interface to a searchable tag database of concept data elements, asset references, and associations, the concept data elements each representing a concept and having a hierarchy specified by concept hierarchy information, the asset references each comprising a storage location identifier for a corresponding one of a plurality of data assets, and the associations representing different types of relations between one of the plurality of data assets and one of the plurality of concepts represented by concept data elements;
receive from the user through the location interface a query identifying a concept and a relation;
use the query to search the tag database to identify a set of data assets each having the relation with the concept; and
present to the user information identifying the data assets in the set. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 24)
receive information from the tag database identifying all concepts and relations that can be searched for during an “
open”
operation;
display the tag information to the user through a tag data interface, the tag data interface allowing the user to select tag elements to define a query; and
display, in response to the query, information identifying data assets satisfying the query.
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12. The program product of claim 11, further comprising instructions to:
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receive a selection from the user of a desired data asset from among the identified data assets; and
return to the application a file handle for the desired data asset.
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13. The program product of claim 10, wherein the set of data assets is identified by finding each asset reference in the tag database having the relation with the concept.
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14. The program product of claim 10, wherein the set of data assets is identified by finding each asset reference in the tag database having the relation with the concept and each asset reference in the tag database having the relation with a hierarchical descendent of the concept.
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15. The program product of claim 10, wherein:
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the tag database further comprises relation data elements each representing a relation and having a hierarchy specified by relation hierarchy information; and
the set of data assets is identified by finding each asset reference in the tag database having the relation with the concept and each asset reference in the tag database having a hierarchical descendent of the relation with the concept.
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24. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the searchable tag database includes detail associations that describe relationships between concepts in the tag database, the relationships selected from a plurality of different types of relationships.
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16. In a computer program application, a method of responding to a user request that the application save a data asset, the method comprising:
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presenting to the user a storage interface to receive location information from the user to identify a storage location identifier for a data asset to be saved;
linking the storage interface to a searchable tag database of concept data elements, asset references, and associations, the concept data elements each representing a concept and having a hierarchy specified by concept hierarchy information, the asset references each comprising a storage location identifier for a corresponding one of a plurality of data assets, and the associations representing different types of relations between one of the plurality of data assets and one of the plurality of concepts represented by concept data elements;
receiving from the user through the storage interface the location information for the data asset to be saved and a selection identifying a concept and a relation between the concept and the data asset to be saved; and
storing in the tag database an asset reference for the data asset to be saved and creating in the tag database an association representing the identified relation between the data asset to be saved and the identified concept. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25)
receiving information from the tag database identifying all concepts and relations that can be selected during a “
save”
operation;
displaying the tag information to the user through a tag data interface, the tag data interface allowing the user to select tag elements to identify associations for data assets to be saved.
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18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:
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presenting to the user a tag creation interface to receive information from a user to define a new concept; and
using the tag database to store a new concept data element representing the new concept.
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19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
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receiving from the user through the tag creation interface hierarchy information identifying a hierarchical relation between the new concept and the plurality of concepts; and
using the tag database to store concept hierarchy information representing the hierarchical relation between the new concept and the concepts represented by the concept data elements in the tag database.
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20. The method of claim 18, wherein the tag database further comprises a plurality of relation data elements each identifying a relation and having a hierarchy specified by relation hierarchy information, and wherein the method further comprises:
- presenting to the user a tag creation interface to receive information from a user to define a new relation; and
using the tag database to store a new relation data element representing the new relation.
- presenting to the user a tag creation interface to receive information from a user to define a new relation; and
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21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:
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receiving from the user through the tag creation interface hierarchy information identifying a hierarchical relation between the new relation and the plurality of relations;
using the tag database to store relation hierarchy information representing the hierarchical relation between the new relation and the plurality of relations.
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22. The method of claim 20, wherein the tag database further comprises detail associations each representing a relation between a first and a second concept, and
the method further comprises: -
receiving from the user through the tag creation interface new detail association information identifying a relation between a first and a second one of the plurality of concepts;
using the tag database to store the new detail association information.
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25. The method of claim 16, wherein the searchable tag database includes detail associations that describe relationships between concepts in the tag database, the relationships selected from a plurality of different types of relationships.
Specification