Rapid software report development tool with auto database handling and menu tool-bar plug-in for application report access

• US 8,453,053 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2009
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecava Sdn. Bhd.
• Original Assignee: Ecava Sdn. Bhd.
• Inventors: Wong, Foot Yow, Wong, Kin Hoon, Lee, Kok Peng, Lee, Kwee Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton, Jr., Doug
• Assistant Examiner(s): KELLY, SCOTT MARTIN
• Application Number:
  US12/399,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20100229084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 715/271, 715/249, 707/603
• US Class Current: 715/271
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method is provided for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment that has a server-side module, a client-side module and a database, the server-side module, client-side module and database being interconnected, The method includes creating a report layout, the report layout containing a predefined number of dynamic fields at predetermined positions; associating, at the server-side, each dynamic field with a data source; collecting, at the server-side, information for each dynamic field according to the associated data source; storing the information in the database; and displaying the information for each dynamic field on a display according to the report layout. The report layout is shared universally for the generation of a displayed report and a printed report.

Claims

1. A method for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment that comprises a server-side module, a client-side module, a live data feed, and a database, the server-side module, client-side module, live data feed, and database being interconnected, the method comprising:

creating a report layout, the report layout containing one or more dynamic fields with a manually inserted data identifier for the live data feed;

automatically associating, at the server-side, each dynamic field with the data identifier for the live data feed;

using the associated data identifier to collect information from the live data feed for each dynamic field;

storing the collected information in the database using the associated data identifier to identify the collected information;

retrieving the information from the database using the associated data identifier;

displaying, at the client-side, the information for each dynamic field on a display using the associated data identifier in the report layout; and

generating the report in an archive mode or a real-time mode, wherein in the archive mode, the report includes previously stored static information from the database, and in the real-time mode, the report includes live dynamic information collected from the live data feed which has not yet been stored;

wherein the report layout and the data identifier are linked automatically and shared universally for the generation of a displayed report and a printed report.

2. The method for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 1, wherein the server-side module is configured to:

parse the report layout,

extract the data identifier from the dynamic field,

collect the information at the live data feed using the data identifier for each dynamic field for the report, and

store the information in the database with the data identifier and a time stamp according to a timer.

3. The method for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 1, wherein the server-side module is configured to:

parse the report layout,

extract the data identifier from the dynamic field,

collect the information at the live data feed using the data identifier for each dynamic field for the report, and

store the information in the database with the data identifier upon a user'"'"'s command.

4. The method for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 1, wherein the server-side module assigns a storage address to the information for each dynamic field using the data identifier before storing the information into the database, without the need of user interference after creating the report layout.

5. The method for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 1, wherein the client-side module can be set to the archive mode or the real-time mode, which are inter-changeable automatically upon a user action of saving, opening, closing, or deleting a report.

6. The method for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 4, wherein the storage address is predetermined automatically by the data identifier in the report layout.

7. The method for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 6, wherein the storage address comprises a database name, a table name and a column name.

8. The method for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 1, wherein the client-side module automatically inserts and displays a tool-bar like graphic user interface comprising:

a save button that allows storing the displayed information in the database and setting the client-side module to the archive mode,

an open button that allows retrieving and displaying the stored information and setting the client-side module to the archive mode,

a close button that allows closing the display of previously stored information and setting the client-side module to the real-time mode,

a delete button that allows deleting the stored information and setting the client-side module to the real-time mode,

a print button that allows printing the displayed information, and

an export button that allows exporting the stored information into any one of;

Comma Separated Values (CSV), HTML, or XML file formats,

on the display for report handling, without needing a user to manage the data identifier during run-time.

9. The method for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 1, wherein the client-side module is configured to poll the collected information for each dynamic field within the database and provide the user with the option to perform any one of:

a) save a displayed report and set the client-side module to the archive mode,

b) open a saved report from the database and set the client-side module to the archive mode,

c) close a report on the display and set the client-side module to the real-time mode,

d) view a real-time dynamic report,

e) print the displayed report,

f) delete a saved report from the database and set the client-side module to the real-time mode, or

g) export the displayed report to any one of;

Comma Separated Values (CSV), HTML, or XML file formats.

10. The method for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 9, wherein a format of the printed report corresponds to a format of the displayed report.

11. A system for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment that comprises a server-side module, a client-side module, a live data feed, and a database, the server-side module, client-side module, live data feed, and database being interconnected, the system comprising:

a tool for creating a report layout, the report layout containing one or more dynamic fields with a manually inserted data identifier for the live data feed;

a storage device containing computer code to automatically associate each dynamic field with the data identifier for the live data feed;

a collector using the associated data identifier to collect information from the live data feed for each dynamic field;

a logger in the server-side module for storing and retrieving the collected information in the database using the associated data identifier to identify the collected information; and

an interface displaying the information for each dynamic field on a display using the associated data identifier in the report layout;

wherein the server-side module is configured to generate the report in an archive mode or a real-time mode, wherein in the archive mode, the report includes previously stored static information from the database, and in the real-time mode, the report includes live dynamic information collected from the live data feed which has not yet been stored;

wherein the report layout and the data identifier are linked automatically and shared universally for the generation of a displayed report and a printed report, using a graphical user interface in the client-side module.

12. The system for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 11, wherein the server-side module is configured to:

parse the report layout,

extract the data identifier from the dynamic field,

collect the information at the live data feed using the data identifier for each dynamic field for the report, and

store the information in the database with the data identifier and a time stamp according to a timer.

13. The system for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 11, wherein the server-side module is configured to:

parse the report layout,

extract the data identifier from the dynamic field,

collect the information at the live data feed using the data identifier for each dynamic field for the report, and

store the information in the database with the data identifier upon a user'"'"'s command.

14. The system for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 11, wherein the server-side module is configured to:

assign a storage address to the information for each dynamic field using the data identifier before storing the information into the database, without the need of user interference after creating the report layout.

15. The system for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 11, wherein the client-side module can be set to an archive mode and a real-time mode, which are inter-changeable automatically upon a user action of saving, opening, closing, or deleting a report.

16. The system for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 14, wherein the storage address is predetermined automatically by the data identifier in the report layout.

17. The system for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 16, wherein the storage address comprises a database name, a table name, and a column name.

18. The system for generating reports for a computer monitored or aided environment according to claim 11, wherein the client-side module is configured to poll the collected information for each dynamic field within the database and provide the user with the option to perform any one of:

a) save a displayed report and set the client-side module into the archive mode,

b) open a saved report from the database and set the client-side module into the archive mode,

c) close a report on the display and set the client-side module into the real-time mode,

d) view a real-time dynamic report,

e) print the displayed report,

f) delete a saved report from the database and set the client-side module into the real-time mode, or

g) export the displayed report to any one of;

Comma Separated Values (CSV), HTML, or XML file formats.