Extensible data model for use in an integrated platform for creating a distribution multiapplication online presence

• US 7,219,327 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2000
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hostway Services, Inc. (Hosting.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Affinity Internet, Inc. (Hosting.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tyagarajan, Mahesh, Miller, Christopher R., Gallagher, Bernard Luke, Johnson, Kirt David, Jacobs, Joshua A., Shiple, John F., Kiernan, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Ted T.
• Application Number:
  US09/603,467
• Time in Patent Office: 2,518 Days
• Field of Search: 717101-119, 717/147
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management

Abstract

Data constructs and architectures are disclosed for providing a foundation for an application-building system for enabling a non-technical user to perform discrete tasks to build a complete network-based application and maintain the same user experience throughout the application development. A data model having an extensible underlying structure that can be used in a user-oriented application development system having a task-based architecture is defined. The data model is capable of allowing for extensible attributes such that the addition of a new data attribute can be made without changing the underlying structure of the data model. Multiple applications making up the user-oriented application development system can access data from the data model. Data stored in a database having the data model as an underlying structure can be reused by the task-based architecture for various applications.

Claims

1. A method of creating a Web site, the method comprising:

invoking a Web site building application program from a site on the Internet by a first user;

creating a Web site data model having a central hub structure containing central hub application data;

creating a plurality of data objects wherein a data object contains fixed Web site building data and extensible Web site building data;

creating a first Web site building model object having a first framework capable of managing tasks, processing said data objects, and being an interface between other model objects and the Web site building application;

creating one or more additional Web site building model objects for containing Web site application data;

combining the first Web site building model object with the one or more additional Web site building model object wherein the first framework of the first Web site building model is unaltered; and

enabling the combined first Web site building model object and the one or more additional Web site building model objects to share central hub application data.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

dynamically adding undefined attribute data to the control hub application data.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 further comprising:

dynamically adding undefined attribute data to extensible Web site building data of a data object.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

defining a plurality of Web site building model object categories wherein a category corresponds to a grouping of one or more Web pages on the Web site.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

dynamically configuring the second Web site building model object by adding Web site data.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

sharing Web site application data of the second Web site building model object with a plurality of Web site building applications.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first Web site building model object is capable of accepting and verifying a plurality of process data objects.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

accepting and verifying the plurality of process data objects at the first Web site building model object.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein a second user utilizing the Web site building application is able to use an extension attribute or a new attribute defined by the first user.

10. A method is recited in claim 1 further comprising:

accessing the central hub structure using a central hub unique identifier.

11. A computer storage device containing computer-executable instructions for implementing a Web site-building application having an extensible framework, the computer storage device comprising:

a first storage area containing executable instructions for creating a first model object relating to a Web site building application, said first model object capable of managing tasks and performing as a user interface between the Web site building application and a first user, of being a data manipulation logic component, and of being an interface between other model objects and the Web site building application;

a second storage area containing executable instructions for creating a second model object for a Web site building application that can be added to the first model object data model without altering the extensible framework of the Web site building application; and

a third storage area containing executable instructions for creating a Web site building application data object containing Web site fixed application data and Web site extensible application data.

12. A storage medium as recited in claim 11 wherein the first storage area is extensible.

13. A storage medium as recited in claim 11 wherein the first model object and the second model object are combined to share central hub application data.

14. A storage medium as recited in claim 11 wherein a fourth storage area containing a plurality of data objects.

15. A storage medium as recited in claim 14 wherein the fourth storage area contains undefined attribute data.

16. A storage medium as recited in claim 14 wherein a data object has a fixed attribute and an extensible attribute.