System and method for managing information

• US 8,066,194 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teradata US, Inc. (Teradata Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Teradata US, Inc. (Teradata Corporation)
• Inventors: McCall, Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAIL, ALLYSON NEEL
• Application Number:
  US11/532,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20070064012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,901 Days
• Field of Search: 235/494, 345/619, 707/9, 707/10, 706/47, 705/35
• US Class Current: 235/494
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

A system and method for managing a complex information process. The system includes an interface for allowing a user to manipulate identifiers indicative of respective information processes to create a user-defined process order; and a processor responsive to the interface for compiling the information processes in accordance with the user-defined process order to define a complex information process. The method includes the steps of manipulating identifiers indicative of respective information processes to create a user-defined process order; and compiling the information processes in accordance with the user-defined process order to define a complex information process.

Claims

1. A system for managing information, the system including:

an interface for allowing a user to manipulate identifiers indicative of respective information processes to create a user-defined process order; and

a processor responsive to the interface for compiling the information processes in accordance with the user-defined process order to define a complex information process.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the information processes are java based.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein the information processes are JNI based.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein the interface includes a GUI for representing the identifiers as graphically manipulatable icons.

5. A system according to claim 4 wherein at least one icon is an import icon indicative of an information process for importing into an application one or more columns of data from one or more tables.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein the import icon provides access to a selection interface for nominating the one or more columns of data and one or more tables.

7. A system according to claim 4 wherein the GUI includes a free form drawing field for graphically creating the user-defined process order by graphically manipulating the icons.

8. A system according to claim 4 wherein the icons are graphically interlinkable to define a sequence in which two or more processes are performed in the user defined process order.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the two or more processes are performed in any one or more of the following manners:

sequentially;

in parallel; and

upon the occurrence of a predefined event.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein each information process has one or more execution requirements, and the interface is responsive to the execution requirements for restricting manipulation of the identifiers.

11. A system according to claim 1 including a server for executing the complex information process.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein the server executes the complex information process in response to one or more predefined events.

13. A system according to claim 1 wherein the interface includes a process editor for modifying the information processes.

14. A system according to claim 1 including an input for importing the information processes into the interface.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein the input scans a predetermined information repository for importable information processes.

16. A system according to claim 14 wherein the input allocates the icon for each information process.

17. A system according to claim 14 wherein the input obtains the processes from one or more applications.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein a process represents a functionality of an application, and the input obtains this functionality.

19. A system for interfacing a plurality of information sources that accept information in compliance with respective data entry protocols, the system including:

an identifier associated with each information source, each identifier being indicative of the respective data entry protocol for the associated information source;

an input for receiving a first packet of information from a first one of the information sources;

an output for providing a second packet of information to a second one of the information sources; and

a processor in communication with the input and responsive to the identifier of the second one of the information sources for generating the second packet such that the second packet complies with the data entry protocol of the second one of the information sources.

20. A system according to claim 19 wherein the second packet is derived from the first packet.

21. A system according to claim 19 wherein the first packet and the second packet are substantially identical.

22. A system according to claim 19 wherein the processor is also responsive to the identifier of the first one of the information sources for generating the second packet.

23. A computer-implemented method for use in managing information, where the method, when implemented in one or more computer systems, causes the one or more computer systems to:

manipulate identifiers indicative of respective information processes to create a user-defined process order; and

compile the information processes in accordance with the user-defined process order to define a complex information process.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the information processes are java based.

25. A method according to claim 23 wherein the information processes are JNI based.

26. A method according to claim 23 further comprising representing the identifiers as graphically manipulatable icons in a graphical user interface (GUI).

27. A method according to claim 26 wherein at least one icon is an import icon indicative of an information process for importing into an application one or more columns of data from one or more tables.

28. A method according to claim 27 wherein the import icon provides access to a selection interface that allows nomination of the one or more columns of data and one or more tables.

29. A method according to claim 26 wherein the GUI includes a free form drawing field that allows graphically creating the user-defined process order by graphically manipulating the icons.

30. A method according to claim 26 wherein the icons are graphically interlinkable to define a sequence in which two or more processes are performed in the user defined process order.

31. A method according to claim 30 wherein the two or more processes are performed in any one or more of the following manners:

sequentially;

in parallel; and

upon the occurrence of a predefined event.

32. A method according to claim 23 wherein each information process has one or more execution requirements, further comprising responding to the execution requirements for restricting manipulation of the identifiers.

33. A method according to claim 23 further comprising executing the complex information process.

34. A method according to claim 33 wherein the complex information process is executed in response to one or more predefined events.

35. A method according to claim 23 further comprising modifying the information processes.

36. A method according to claim 23 further comprising importing the information processes into the interface.

37. A method according to claim 36 further comprising scanning a predetermined information repository for importable information processes.

38. A method according to claim 36 wherein the input allocates the icon for each information process.

39. A method according to claim 36 further comprising obtaining the processes from one or more applications.

40. A method according to claim 39 wherein a process represents a functionality of an application, further comprising obtaining this functionality.

41. A computer-implemented method for use in interfacing a plurality of information sources that accept information in compliance with respective data entry protocols, where each information source includes an identifier that is indicative of the respective data entry protocol for the associated information source, and where the method, when implemented in one or more computer systems, causes the one or more computer systems to:

receive a first packet of information from a first one of the information sources; and

provide a second packet of information to a second one of the information sources, where the second packet is generated such that the second packet complies with the data entry protocol of the second one of the information sources.

42. A method according to claim 41 wherein the second packet is derived from the first packet.

43. A method according to claim 41 wherein the first packet and the second packet are substantially identical.

44. A method according to claim 41 wherein the second packet is generated in response to the identifier of the first one of the information sources.