Method, system, and product for efficient retrieval of information related to data input into a data entry form from the data entry form

• US 6,874,120 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Le, Hanh Kim, Liu, Gongxian
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUTTON JR, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US09/826,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 715/507, 715/505, 707/10, 705/26
• US Class Current: 715/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

A method, system, and product are described for efficiently retrieving information related to data items input into a data entry form displayed on a client computer system. The client computer system is coupled to a server computer system. The server computer system includes a database of a plurality of data items. Each data item has unique information associated with it. A data entry form is displayed on the client computer system. The data entry form includes multiple fields. Input data is received in one of the fields where the input data is one of the data items. The information which is related to this data item is retrieved from the data entry form without accessing the database on the server computer system. This information is then displayed utilizing the data entry form.

Claims

1. A method in a client computer system coupled to a server computer system for efficiently retrieving information, said server computer system including a database storing a plurality of data items and unique information associated with each one of said plurality of data items, said method comprising the steps of:

initially retrieving a data entry form from said database including retrieving information related to said plurality of data items;

displaying, on said client computer system, said data entry form which includes a plurality of fields;

receiving input data for one of said plurality of fields, said input data being one of said plurality of data items;

subsequently retrieving information related to said one of said plurality of data items from said data entry form without again accessing said database after said form was initially retrieved from said database;

displaying said information utilizing said data entry form;

storing, utilizing said server computer system, a plurality of data items in a first field which is hidden in said data entry form, said first field being invisible to users;

storing, utilizing said server computer system, unique information associated with said plurality of data items in a second field which is hidden in said data entry form, said second field being invisible to users;

creating, utilizing said server computer system, a string of data items, said string of data items including said plurality of data items, each one of said plurality of data items being separated by delimiters, wherein each one of said plurality of data items is located in a particular position within said string of data; and

creating, utilizing said server computer system, a string of information, said string of information including said information associated with each one of said plurality of data items, wherein said information in said string of information is separated by delimiters, further wherein each said information is located in a particular position within said string of information which corresponds to a position within said string of data where one of said plurality of data items which is associated with each said information is located.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining a position within said string of data of a first one of said plurality of data items;

utilizing said position to determine an index; and

locating information associated with said first one of said plurality of data items utilizing said index.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

determining said position within said string of data of said first one of said plurality of data items utilizing a Java script executing on said client computer system;

utilizing said position to determine an index utilizing said Java script executing on said client; and

locating information, utilizing said Java script executing on said client, associated with said first one of said plurality of data items utilizing said index.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

requesting, utilizing said client computer system, said data entry form from said server computer system; and

downloading said data entry form from said server computer system to said client computer system.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

displaying said data entry form utilizing a web browser executing on said client computer system; and

retrieving information related to said one of said plurality of data items from said data entry form utilizing a Java script excuting on said client computer system.

6. A computer-readable media in a client computer system coupled to a server computer system for efficiently retrieving information, said server computer system including a database storing a plurality of data items and unique information associated with each one of said plurality of data items, said computer-readable media comprising:

instructions for initially retrieving a data entry form from said database including retrieving information related to said plurality of data items;

instruction means for displaying, on said client computer system, said data entry form which includes a plurality of fields;

instruction means for receiving input data for one of said plurality of fields, said input data being one of said plurality of data items;

instruction means for subsequently retrieving information related to said one of said plurality of data items from said data entry form without again accessing said database after said form was initially retrieved from said database;

instruction means for displaying said information utilizing said data entry form;

instruction means for storing, utilizing said server computer system, a plurality of data items in a first field which is hidden in said data entry form, said first field being invisible to user;

instruction means for storing, utilizing said server computer system, unique information associated with said plurality of data items in a second field which is hidden in said data entry form, said second field being invisible to users;

instruction means for creating, utilizing said server computer system, a string of data items, said string of data items including said plurality of data items, each one of said plurality of data items being separated by delimiters, wherein each one of said plurality of data items is located in a particular position within said string of data; and

instruction means for creating, utilizing said sewer computer system, a string of information, said string of information including said information associated with each one of said plurality of data items, wherein said information in said string of information is separated by delimiters, further wherein each said information is located in a particular position within said string of information which corresponds to a position within said string of data where one of said plurality of data items which is associated with each said information is located.

7. The computer-readable media according to claim 6, further comprising:

instruction means for determining a position within said string of data of a first one of said plurality of data items;

instruction means for utilizing said position to determine an index; and

instruction means for locating information associated with said first one of said plurality of data items utilizing said index.

8. The computer-readable media according to claim 7, further comprising:

instruction means for determining said position within said string of data of said first one of said plurality of data items utilizing a Java script executing on said client computer system;

instruction means for utilizing said position to determine an index utilizing said Java script executing on said client; and

instruction means for locating information, utilizing said Java script executing on said client, associated with said first one of said plurality of data items utilizing said index.

9. The computer-readable media according to claim 6, further comprising:

instruction means for requesting, utilizing said client computer system, said data entry form from said server computer system; and

instruction means for downloading said data entry form from said server computer system to said client computer system.

10. The computer-readable media according to claim 6, further comprising:

instruction means for displaying said data entry form utilizing a web browser executing on said client computer system; and

instruction means for retrieving information related to said one of said plurality of data items from said data entry form utilizing a Java script executing on said client computer system.

11. A client computer system coupled to a server computer system for efficiently retrieving information, said server computer system including a database storing a plurality of data items and unique information associated with each one of said plurality of data items, comprising:

said client computer system for initially retrieving a data entry form from said database including retrieving information related to said plurality of data items;

said client computer system for displaying said data entry form which includes a plurality of fields;

said client computer system for receiving input data for one of said plurality of fields, said input data being one of said plurality of data items;

said client computer system for subsequently retrieving information related to said one of said plurality of data items from said data entry form without again accessing said database after said form was initially retrieved from said database;

said client computer system for displaying said information utilizing said data entry form;

said server computer system for storing a plurality of data items in a first field which is hidden in said data entry form, said first field being invisible to users;

said server computer system for storing unique information associated with said plurality of data items in a second field which is hidden in said data entry form, said second field being invisible to users;

said server computer system for storing a string of data items, said string of data items including said plurality of data items, each one of said plurality of data items being separated by delimiters, wherein each one of said plurality of data items is located in a particular position within said string of data; and

said server computer system for storing a string of information, said string of information including said information associated with each one of said plurality of data items, wherein said information in said string of information is separated by delimiters, further wherein each said information is located in a particular position within said string of information which corresponds to a position within said string of data where one of said plurality of data items which is associated with each said information is located.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

said client computer system for determining a position within said string of data of a first one of said plurality of data items;

said client computer system for utilizing said position to determine an index; and

said client computer system for locating information associated with said first one of said plurality of data items utilizing said index.

13. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a Java script for determining said position within said string of data of said first one of said plurality of data items;

said Java script for utilizing said position to determine an index; and

said Java script for locating information associated with said first one of said plurality of data items utilizing said index.

14. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

said client computer system for requesting said data entry form from said server computer system; and

said server computer system for down loading said data entry form from said server computer system to said client computer system.

15. The system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a web browser executing on said client for displaying said data entry form; and

a Java script executing on said client for retrieving information related to said one of said plurality of data items from said data entry form.