Web-based strategic client planning system for end-user creation of queries, reports and database updates

• US 7,013,312 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jobson, Thomas A. Jr., Quintero, Christine L., Bala, Catherine G., Merzbach, Brian L., Kolb, F. Jay, Selvia, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEROUX, ETIENNE PIERRE
• Application Number:
  US09/886,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20030018644A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,727 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/10, 707/101, 707/103.R, 707/200, 707/103, 707/201, 707/1, 705/7, 705/26, 709/223, 709/226, 709/203, 345/762
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A method and program storage device for creating tabular data stream flow for sending rows of secure data between a client workstation and a server computer over a network using a common object request broker architecture (CORBA). This method includes receiving a request to create a query form at the client workstation, receiving a worksheet grid form defining selected tabular data, and packaging the worksheet grid form representing an updated status of the data for the tabular data stream flow.

Claims

1. A method of querying a database through a secure network using a common object request broker architecture (CORBA), wherein said database is associated with a server computer running a server process, said server computer being connected to, and in communication with, a client computer through a network, said method comprising:

issuing, by a client process running on said client computer, a query form for data from said database;

sending said query form from said client computer to said server computer,

processing said query form, by said server computer, and retrieving rows of data satisfying said query form from said database as a worksheet grid form defining selected tabular data, wherein said worksheet grid form comprises multiple rows of data;

sending said worksheet grid form from said server computer to said client computer;

packaging, by said client computer, said worksheet grid form representing updated data for marshaling tabular data for transfer between said client computer and said server computer, wherein said packaging of said worksheet grid form includes editing results of said query form and saving changes of data contained in said worksheet grid form in said database of said server;

updating said database through said network by transmitting said worksheet grid form from said client computer to said server computer; and

wherein said updating of said tabular data includes making cascaded mass changes to a set of related data across multiple tables, and

wherein said updating of said database of said worksheet grid form includes allowing only selected tables, rows, and columns to be updated by authorized users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said updating of said tabular data includes selecting tabular data summarized by selected groups.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said packaging said worksheet grid form includes producing comparison reports on a delta between two similarly structured tables.

4. The method of claim 1, further including automatically maintaining a current level of implementation of said worksheet grid form on said client workstation.

5. The method of claim 1, further including controlling access to data of a user in said database by partitioning said database into private end public database, wherein said user controls said access.

6. A method of creating a tabular data stream for sending data between a client workstation and a server computer through a network using a common object request broker architecture (CORBA), said method comprising:

creating a query form in said client workstation;

receiving a worksheet grid form in response to said query form, said worksheet grid form defining selected tabular data, wherein said worksheet grid form comprises multiple rows of data;

packaging said worksheet grid form to represent updated data for said tabular data stream, wherein said packaging of said worksheet grid form includes editing results of said query form and saving changes of data contained in said worksheet grid form in a database of said server; and

applying commit rule options, during said saving of said changes of data contained in said worksheet grid, to choose a method by which errors are handled during the processing of database updates, deletes, and inserts;

wherein said packaging said worksheet grid form includes making cascaded mass changes to a set of related data across multiple tables, and

wherein said packing said worksheet grid form includes allowing only tables, rows, and columns to be updated by authorized users.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said creating of said query form creates secure complex queries based on a selection of table, columns, and constraints maintained in a database of said server computer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said receiving of said worksheet grid form creates a snapshot from data in a database of said server.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said packaging said worksheet grid form includes producing reports capable of summarizing information by selected groups.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said packaging said worksheet grid form includes producing comparison reports on a delta between two similarly structured tables.

11. The method of claim 6, further including automatically maintaining a current level of implementation of said worksheet grid form on said client workstation.