Method, computer system, computer program and computer program product for storage and retrieval of data files in a data storage means

• US 8,706,686 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Split-Vision Kennis BV
• Original Assignee: Split-Vision Kennis BV
• Inventors: Van Der Heijden, Antonius Nicolaas Adrianus
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert, Ella
• Application Number:
  US11/022,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20050198077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,407 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 705/26, 707/1, 707/7, 707/102, 707/203, 707/200, 707/609, 707/705, 707/899, 709/206
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/20 of structured data, e.g. relational data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

A method and a computer system for storing data files in a data memory, wherein meta attributes comprising subject attributes, object attributes and relationships between these attributes are assigned to a data file. The meta attributes are selected from a meta attribute model or a knowledge card in which the meta attributes are structured in accordance with their meaning and context. A respective datafile is stored in the data memory on the basis of the meta attributes assigned thereto. The meta attributes assigned to a data file can be added to the data file or can be associated with the data file by means of a unique link.

Claims

1. A computer controlled method for storing a data file in a data memory, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by said computer, data representing at least one structured set of predefined meta attributes not derived from said data file to be stored, such a structured set of predefined meta attributes being called a knowledge card, said meta attributes having a specific meaning and being defined in a specific context related to subjects and objects and relationships between said meta attributes by a grouping thereof based on at least one of a hierarchical and logical and associative relation;

grouping in a matrix, under the control of said computer, said meta attributes comprised by a knowledge card;

comprising in said matrix meta attributes related to subjects and meta attributes related with objects of the same knowledge card;

storing, by said computer, said at least one knowledge card in an electronic storage device;

receiving, by said computer, a search command for retrieving at least one knowledge card from said electronic storage device, said search command comprising a search term;

retrieving, by said computer, at least one knowledge card from said electronic storage device, said retrieving being based on said search command;

displaying, by said computer, data representing said at least one retrieved knowledge card;

receiving, by said computer, data representing one of said at least one retrieved knowledge card;

retrieving, by said computer, from said electronic storage device one knowledge card represented by said received data representing one of said at least one retrieved knowledge card;

displaying, by said computer, said retrieved one knowledge card;

receiving, by said computer, at least one meta attribute comprised by said retrieved one knowledge card;

receiving, by said computer, said data file for storing in said data memory;

assigning, by said computer, said received at least one meta attribute comprised by said retrieved one knowledge card to said data file for storing said data file in said data memory; and

storing, by said computer, said data file in said data memory, said storing being based on said at least one meta attribute assigned to said data file;

further comprising the steps of;

receiving, by said computer, at least one meta attribute being comprised by a knowledge card stored in said electronic storage device;

retrieving, by said computer, at least one data file stored in said data memory, said retrieving being based on said received at least one meta attribute being comprised by a knowledge card stored in said electronic storage device; and

presenting, by said computer, said at least one retrieved data file,

wherein said relationships between said meta attributes are in an arrangement of said meta attributes relative to each other in said matrix.

2. The computer controlled method according to claim 1, wherein said received at least one meta attribute for retrieving a data file stored in said data memory is comprised by said one knowledge card comprising said at least one meta attribute on the basis of which said respective data file has been stored.

3. The computer controlled method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one knowledge card is constituted by:

at least one subject file comprising meta attributes related to subjects of the same knowledge card;

at least one object file comprising meta attributes related to objects comprised of the same knowledge card; and

wherein said at least one subject file and said at least object file are interrelated by said relationships between said meta attributes.

4. The computer controlled method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of:

altering, under control of said computer, a meta attribute of at least one of a group comprising a knowledge card, a subject file and an object file, by a user, a computer application or a process.

5. The computer controlled method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

adding to said data file, by said computer, said at least one meta attribute assigned to said data file; and

storing, by said computer, said data file and said at least one added meta attribute in said data memory.

6. The computer controlled method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

associating with said data file, by said computer, said at least one meta attribute assigned to said data file by a unique link created by said computer.

7. The computer controlled method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

associating with said data file, by said computer, said at least one meta attribute assigned to said data file by a unique link created by said computer; and

storing, by said computer, said unique link in a separate link file stored in a data memory.

8. The computer controlled method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of:

storing, under control of said computer, said link file and said data file in at least one of separate data memories and in a same data memory.

9. The computer controlled method according to claim 1, wherein, by said computer, a meaning and a context assigned to structured meta attributes comprised by said at least one knowledge card stored in said knowledge card device are adapted and updated in said at least one knowledge card stored in said knowledge device.

10. The computer controlled method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

altering, under control of said computer, a meta attribute assigned to a data file by a user, a computer application or a process.

11. A computer system for performing a computer controlled storing of data files in a data memory, the system comprising:

a data a processor; and

a data memory for storing data files therein under control of said data processor;

an electronic storage device for storing at least one structured set of predefined meta attributes not derived from a data file to be stored, such a structured set of predefined meta attributes being called a knowledge card, said meta attributes having a specific meaning and being defined in a specific context related to subjects and objects and relationships between said meta attributes by a grouping thereof based on at least one of a hierarchical and logical and associative relation;

a device for grouping in a matrix, under the control of said computer, said meta attributes comprised by a knowledge card;

a device for comprising in said matrix meta attributes related to subjects and meta attributes related with objects of the same knowledge card;

a device for receiving a search command for retrieving at least one knowledge card from said electronic storage device, said search command comprising a search term;

a device for retrieving at least one knowledge card from said electronic storage device, said retrieving being based on said search command;

a device for displaying data representing said at least one retrieved knowledge card;

a device for receiving data representing one of said at least one retrieved knowledge card;

a device for retrieving from said electronic storage device one knowledge card represented by said received data representing one of said at least one retrieved knowledge card;

a device for displaying said retrieved one knowledge card;

a device for receiving at least one meta attribute comprised by said retrieved one knowledge card;

a device for receiving a data file for storing in said data memory;

a device for assigning said received at least one meta attribute comprised by said retrieved one knowledge card to said data file for storing said data file in said data memory;

a device for storing said data file in said data memory, said storing being based on said at least one meta attribute assigned to said data file; and

further comprising;

a device for receiving at least one meta attribute being comprised by a knowledge card stored in said electronic storage device;

a device for retrieving at least one data file stored in said a data memory, said retrieving being based on said received at least one meta attribute being comprised by a knowledge card stored in said electronic storage device; and

a device for presenting said at least one retrieved data file,

wherein said relationships between said meta attributes are in an arrangement of said meta attributes relative to each other in said matrix.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said data processor comprises:

said device for assigning at least one meta attribute to said data file,

said device for storing said data file on the basis of at least one meta attribute assigned thereto,

said device for receiving at least one meta attribute being comprised by a knowledge card, and

said device for retrieving at least one data file stored in said data memory based on the received at least one meta attribute.

13. A computer program product comprising program code for reading by a computer for performing computer controlled storing of a data file in a data memory, when said computer program product comprises:

program code means for receiving, by said computer, data representing at least one structured set of predefined meta attributes not derived from said data file to be stored, such a structured set of predefined meta attributes being called a knowledge card, said meta attributes having a specific meaning and being defined in a specific context related to subjects and objects and relationships between said meta attributes by a grouping thereof based on at least one of a hierarchical and logical and associative relation;

program code means for grouping in a matrix, under the control of said computer, said meta attributes comprised by a knowledge card;

program code means for comprising in said matrix meta attributes related to subjects and meta attributes related with objects of the same knowledge card;

program code means for storing, by said computer, said at least one knowledge card in an electronic storage device;

program code means for receiving, by said computer, a search command for retrieving at least one knowledge card from said electronic storage device, said search command comprising a search term, said search term;

program code means for retrieving, by said computer, at least one knowledge card from said electronic storage device, said retrieving being based on said search command;

program code means for displaying, by said computer, data representing said at least one retrieved knowledge card;

program code means for receiving, by said computer, data representing one of said at least one retrieved knowledge card;

program code means for retrieving, by said computer, from said electronic storage device said one knowledge card represented by said received data representing one of said at least one retrieved knowledge card;

program code means for displaying, by said computer, said retrieved one knowledge card;

program code means for receiving, by said computer, at least one structured meta attribute comprised by said retrieved one knowledge card;

program code means for receiving, by said computer, said data file for storing in said data memory;

program code means for assigning, by said computer, said received at least one meta attribute comprised by said retrieved one knowledge card to said data file for storing said data file in said data memory; and

program code means for storing, by said computer, said data file in said data memory, said storing being based on said at least one meta attribute assigned to said data file, further comprising;

program code means for receiving, by said computer, at least one meta attribute being comprised by a knowledge card stored in said electronic storage device;

program code means for retrieving, by said computer, at least one data file stored in said a data memory, said retrieving being based on said received at least one meta attribute being comprised by a knowledge card stored in said electronic storage device; and

program code means for presenting, by said computer, said at least one retrieved data file,

wherein said relationships between said meta attributes are in an arrangement of said meta attributes relative to each other in said matrix.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said computer program product is arranged for integration in or addition to a computer application for storing of a data file in a data memory, when said computer program is being executed by said computer in conjunction with said computer application.

15. The computer program product according to claim 13, loaded in a main memory of a computer and is executed by said computer.

16. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said computer program product is arranged for integration in or addition to a computer application for storing of a data file in a data memory, when said computer program product is loaded in a main memory of said computer and is executed by said computer.