Database integration management method and apparatus and processing program, medium therefor

• US 6,922,686 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Issued: 07/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Fukuzawa, Yasuko, Usami, Mitsuo, Okamoto, Chikashi, Takaragi, Kazuo, Tokuyama, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Assistant Examiner(s): FILIPCZYK, MARCIN R
• Application Number:
  US09/931,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20020052877A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/6, 707/10, 707100-102, 707/103.Y, 707/200, 705/1
• US Class Current: 707/687
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/944 Business related
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/96 Object-relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/961 Associative
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

The technology includes the steps of: associating material-object identification code identifying each individual material object with material-object information representing information about material object identified by identification code and storing identification code and material-object information in material-object information database in each of business categories; sending code and information stored in database in each business category; integrating items of information having same code with each other among codes and items of information received from database in each business category to generate integrated material-object information, associating identification code with integrated material-object information identified by code and storing identification code and integrated material-object information in integrated database; requesting to send integrated material-object information associated with given identification code; reading requested integrated material-object information from integrated database and sending integrated information to requester of integrated material-object information; and receiving and outputting sent integrated material-object information.

Claims

1. A database integration management method for managing integrated material-object information into which material-object information about a material object distributed through a plurality of business categories is integrated, comprising the steps of:

associating a material-object identification code identifying each individual material object with material-object information representing information about material object identified by the material-object identification code and storing the material-object identification code and the material-object information in a material-object information database in each of the business categories;

sending the material-object identification code and the material-object information stored in the material-object information database in each business category to a database integration management apparatus;

integrating items of material-object information having the same material-object identification code with each other among the material-object identification codes and items of material-object information received from the material-object information database in each business category to generate integrated material-object information, associating the material-object identification code with the integrated material-object information identified by the material-object identification code and storing the material-object identification code and the integrated material-object information in an integrated database of the database integration management apparatus;

requesting the database integration management apparatus to send integrated material-object information associated with a given material-object identification code;

reading the requested integrated material-object information from the integrated database and sending the integrated material-object information to the requester of the integrated material-object information; and

,

receiving and outputting said sent integrated material-object information.

2. The database integration management method according to claim 1, wherein said individual identification code is recorded on an electronic circuit chip attached to each individual material object.

3. The database integration management method according to claim 2, wherein said electronic circuit chip receives a radio wave sent from an external source, stores the radio wave in the electronic circuit, and sends the material-object identification code stored in said electronic circuit chip to an external source.

4. The database integration management method according to claim 1, wherein the material-object information stored in said material-object information database is producer information obtained during a production of the material object, forwarding agent information obtained during a transportation of the material object, selling agent information obtained during a sale of the material object, or consumer information obtained during a purchase of the material object.

5. The database integration management method according to claim 1, wherein, when the material-object identification code is associated with the material-object information and they are stored in the material-object information database, the material-object identification code and the material-object information are sent to the database integration management apparatus.

6. The database integration management method according to claim 1, wherein, when evaluation information about a material object is input, the material-object identification code of the material object and material-object information associated with the material-object identification code are sent to the database integration management apparatus.

7. The database integration management method according to claim 1, wherein, when a transmission of integrated material-object information associated with a given material-object identification code is requested, the material-object identification code and material-object information associated with the material-object identification code are sent to the database integration management apparatus.

8. The database integration management method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

if said integrated material-object information includes evaluation information or sales information about the material object, analyzing material-object information highly correlating with the evaluation information or sales information and sending the result of the analysis to the requester.

9. The database integration management method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

reading the material-object identification code of a particular material object with a sensor contained in an information processing apparatus;

requesting the database integration management apparatus to send integrated material-object information identified by the material-object identification code through the information processing apparatus;

reading said requested integrated material-object information from the integrated database and sending the integrated material-object information from the database integration management apparatus to the requesting information processing apparatus; and

,

receiving said sent integrated material-object information from the database integration management apparatus and displaying the integrated material-object information on the display screen of the information processing apparatus.

10. A database integration management system for managing integrated material-object information into which material-object information about a material object distributed through a plurality of business categories is integrated, comprising:

a material-object information storing module for associating a material-object identification code identifying each individual material object with material-object information representing information about material object identified by the material-object identification code and storing the material-object identification code and the material-object information in a material-object information database in each of the business categories;

a material-object information sending module for sending the material-object identification code and the material-object information stored in the material-object information database in each business category to a database integration management apparatus;

an integrated material-object information storing module for integrating items of material-object information having the same material-object identification code with each other among the material-object identification codes and items of material-object information received from the material-object information database in each business category to generate integrated material-object information, associating the material-object identification code with the integrated material-object information identified by the material-object identification code and storing the material-object identification code and the integrated material-object information in an integrated database of the database integration management apparatus;

an integrated material-object information requesting module for requesting the database integration management apparatus to send integrated material-object information associated with a given material-object identification code;

an integrated material-object information sending module for reading said requested integrated material-object information from the integration database and sending it to the requester; and

an integrated material-object information output module for receiving and outputting said sent integrated material-object information.

11. A computer-readable program code to be sent to a storage of a database integration management apparatus for execution thereon to manage integrated material-object information into which material-object information about a material object distributed through a plurality of business categories is integrated, comprising:

a code section associating a material-object identification code identifying each individual material object with material-object information representing information about material object identified by the material-object identification code and storing the material-object identification code and the material-object information in a material-object information database in each of the business categories;

a code section sending the material-object identification code and the material-object information stored in the material-object information database in each business category to a database integration management apparatus;

a code section integrating items of material-object information having the same material-object identification code with each other among the material-object identification codes and items of material-object information received from the material-object information database in each business category to generate integrated material-object information, associating the material-object identification code with the integrated material-object information identified by the material-object identification code and storing the material-object identification code and the integrated material-object information in an integrated database of the database integration management apparatus;

a code section requesting the database integration management apparatus to send integrated material-object information associated with a given material-object identification code;

a code section reading the requested integrated material-object information from the integrated database and sending the integrated material-object information to the requester of the integrated material-object information; and

,

a code section receiving and outputting said sent integrated material-object information.