Content management system and methodology employing a tree-based table hierarchy featuring arbitrary information retrieval from different locations in the hierarchy

• US 6,944,627 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Li Ming, Le, Khanh M., Hu, Tawei, Liang, Lily L., Perry, Edward J., Zhang, Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Application Number:
  US10/128,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20030200224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 9, 707/10, 707/102, 707/103.R, 709/203, 717/105, 717/108, 717/126, 715/853
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9027 Trees
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A content management system is provided including a plurality of tables forming a tree-based storage hierarchy. The system includes a stored procedure which enables information to be retrieved from different arbitrary locations throughout the storage hierarchy. Advantageously, the system retrieves information from both simple and complex tree-based storage hierarchies.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of organizing information in a content management system comprising:

creating a database including a plurality of root tables, wherein each root table is for one item type of items in a resource manager and wherein each root table is capable of being associated with at least one child table together forming a tree hierarchy which stores information on the items in the resource manager; and

providing a stored procedure for accessing a selected root table or child table portion of the tree hierarchy.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a number of item types as an input to the stored procedure, wherein the stored procedure accesses the input number of root tables associated with item types.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an item type ID as an input to the stored procedure, wherein the stored procedure accesses the root table associated with the input the item type ID.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a component type ID as an input to the stored procedure as a starting point, and wherein the stored procedure accesses child tables having the input component type ID.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an item ID with version information as an input to the stored procedure.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a component ID with version information as an input to the stored procedure.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing level information as an input to the stored procedure, wherein the stored procedure accesses child tables at the input level from the root table.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein creating the database comprises creating each root table to include entries, wherein each entry comprises one item identifier identifying one item in the resource manager and a component identifier, and wherein each child table of the root table has entries comprising an item identifier identifying one item in the resource manager, a parent component identifier indicating the component identifier of the root table, and a child component identifier.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein creating the database further comprising creating an additional child table having entries comprising an item identifier identifying one item in the resource manager, a parent component identifier indicating one parent component identifier indicating the component identifier of one child table, and a child component identifier.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one root table and child table comprise view tables, wherein the view tables are associated with view functions that mask certain tables from certain users.

11. A computer readable program product for organizing information in a content management system, the computer program product including a plurality of computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable medium, wherein the instructions, when executed by the content management system, cause the system to perform:

creating a database including a plurality of root tables, wherein each root table is for one item type of items in a resource manager and wherein each root table is capable of being associated with at least one child table together forming a tree hierarchy which stores information on the items in the resource manager; and

providing a stored procedure for accessing a selected root table or child table portion of the tree hierarchy.

12. The computer readable program product of claim 11 wherein the computer readable medium is an optical disk.

13. The computer readable program product of claim 11 wherein the computer readable medium is a magnetic disk.

14. The computer readable program of claim 11, wherein creating the database comprises creating each root table to include entries, wherein each entry comprises one item identifier identifying one item in the resource manager and a component identifier, and wherein each child table of the root table has entries comprising an item identifier identifying one item in the resource manager, a parent component identifier indicating the component identifier of the root table, and a child component identifier.

15. The computer readable program of claim 14, wherein creating the database further comprising creating an additional child table having entries comprising an item identifier identifying one item in the resource manager, a parent component identifier indicating one parent component identifier indicating the component identifier of one child table, and a child component identifier.

16. The computer readable program of claim 11, wherein at least one root table and child table comprise view tables, wherein the view tables are associated with view functions that mask certain tables from certain users.

17. A computer implemented content management system comprising:

an information storage facility including a database having a plurality of root tables, wherein each root table is for one item type of items in a resource manager and wherein each root table is capable of being associated with at least one child table together forming a tree hierarchy which stores information on the items in the resource manager; and

a stored procedure coupled to the database for accessing a selected root table or child table portion of the tree hierarchy.

18. A computer implemented content management system comprising:

a resource manager for storing objects;

a library server, coupled to the resource manager, for storing metadata regarding objects in the resource manager, the library server including a database having a plurality of root tables, wherein each root table is for one item type of items in a resource manager and wherein each root table is capable of being associated with at least one child table together forming a tree hierarchy which stores information on the items in the resource manager; and

a stored procedure coupled to the database for accessing a selected arbitrary portion of the tree hierarchy.

19. The computer implemented content management system of claim 18 further comprising an application program interface coupled to the library server and the resource manager.

20. The computer implemented content management system of claim 18 further comprising a client coupled to the application program interface.

21. The computer implemented content management system of claim 18, wherein the root table include entries, wherein each entry comprises one item identifier identifying one item in the resource manager and a component identifier, and wherein each child table of the root table has entries comprising an item identifier identifying one item in the resource manager, a parent component identifier indicating the component identifier of the root table, and a child component identifier.

22. The computer implemented content management system of claim 21, wherein the database further includes an additional child table having entries comprising an item identifier identifying one item in the resource manager, a parent component identifier indicating one parent component identifier indicating the component identifier of one child table, and a child component identifier.

23. The computer implemented content management system of claim 18, wherein at least one root table and child table comprise view tables, wherein the view tables are associated with view functions that mask certain tables from certain users.