Systems and methods for generating an interactive user interface from a database

• US 9,921,855 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2015
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JM Consulting
• Original Assignee: JM Consulting
• Inventors: Lynch, Karin
• Primary Examiner(s): CHIUSANO, ANDREW TSUTOMU
• Application Number:
  US14/663,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20160018953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for generating interactive user interface pages from a data store. At least a portion of metadata is received from a data store, wherein the appearance and functionality of a plurality of interactive user interface pages is based on the metadata. The display and functionality of an interactive maintenance page is generated based on at least a portion of the metadata, wherein the interactive maintenance page is one of the plurality of interactive user interface pages, and wherein the interactive maintenance page maintains the plurality of interactive user interface pages. One or more instructions are received from the interactive maintenance page. The metadata is updated based upon the one or more instructions, and the appearance and functionality of at least one of the interactive user interface pages and/or the interactive maintenance page is modified based on the metadata.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of generating interactive user interface pages from a database, comprising:

receiving at least a portion of metadata from a database, the portion of the metadata being configured for defining the appearance of a plurality of interactive user interface pages;

generating a display of a first interactive maintenance page based on the portion of the metadata received from the database, wherein the first interactive maintenance page is one of the plurality of interactive user interface pages, the first interactive maintenance page comprising a plurality of fields, and wherein the first interactive maintenance page enables creation and modification of the plurality of interactive user interface pages;

receiving one or more instructions from a user via the plurality of fields of the first interactive maintenance page;

updating the portion of the metadata received from the database based upon the one or more instructions to generate updated metadata associated with the appearance and functionality of the first interactive maintenance page to add to the plurality of fields a first maintenance field displayable on the first interactive maintenance page;

modifying the appearance and functionality of the first interactive maintenance page based on the updated metadata, by adding the first maintenance field to the first interactive maintenance page without modifying source code associated with the generation of the first interactive maintenance page;

receiving one or more additional instructions from the user via the first interactive maintenance page to update the updated metadata to create a second interactive maintenance page, wherein the second interactive maintenance page enables modification of the plurality of interactive user interface pages;

receiving, via the first interactive maintenance page, one or more instructions to add a second maintenance field to the second interactive maintenance page, wherein the second interactive maintenance page and second maintenance field are created without modifying the source code, and wherein the second maintenance field is not present in the plurality of fields of the first interactive maintenance page;

receiving, via the second maintenance field of the second interactive maintenance page, one or more instructions to modify the first interactive maintenance page; and

displaying at least one of the plurality of interactive user interface pages based on the first maintenance field, the second maintenance field, the one or more instructions to modify the first interactive maintenance page, and the updated metadata.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more instructions to create a new interactive user interface page; and

creating the new interactive user interface page in the plurality of interactive user interface pages by updating the metadata from the database, wherein the metadata from the database is updated based on the one or more instructions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the new interactive user interface page is created based on an unchanging source code.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the new interactive user interface page is populated with metadata from the database associated with a second interactive user interface page.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving one or more instructions to delete an interactive user interface page from the plurality of interactive user interface pages; and

deleting the interactive user interface page from the plurality of interactive user interface pages by updating the metadata from the database and without modifying source code associated with the generation of the interactive user interface page, wherein the metadata from the database is updated based on the one or more instructions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the display of an interactive maintenance page further comprises:

receiving user identity information of a user;

identifying elements of the interactive maintenance page to which the user has permission to access; and

generating the display of the interactive maintenance page, wherein the display comprises the elements to which the user has permission to access.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving time or date information;

receiving a portion of the metadata from the database based on the time or date information; and

generating the display and functionality of at least one of the plurality of interactive user interface pages based on the time or date information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to render an interactive user interface page or the interactive maintenance page;

receiving a navigation path taken to reach the interactive user interface page or the interactive maintenance page;

if the navigation path corresponds to a first path, rendering the interactive user interface page or the interactive maintenance page in a first manner with a first set of one or more fields; and

if the navigation path corresponds to a second path, rendering the interactive user interface page or the interactive maintenance page in a second manner with a second set of one or more fields.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the appearance and functionality of at least one of the interactive user interface pages and/or the interactive maintenance page is based at least in part on a set of one or more user-defined conditional rules stored in the metadata from the database.

10. A system for generating interactive user interface pages from a data storage device, the system including:

a data storage device storing instructions for generating interactive user interface pages in a network environment; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform a method including;

receiving at least a portion of metadata from a database, wherein the appearance of a plurality of interactive user interface pages is based on the metadata from the database;

generating a display of a first interactive maintenance page based on a portion of the metadata from the database, wherein the first interactive maintenance page is one of the plurality of interactive user interface pages, the first interactive maintenance page comprising a plurality of fields, and wherein the first interactive maintenance page enables creation and modification of the plurality of interactive user interface pages;

receiving one or more instructions from a user via the plurality of fields of the first interactive maintenance page;

updating the portion of the metadata from the database based upon the one or more instructions to generate updated metadata associated with the appearance and functionality of the first interactive maintenance page to add a first maintenance field displayable on the first interactive maintenance page to the plurality of fields;

modifying the appearance and functionality of the first interactive maintenance page based on the updated metadata, by adding the first maintenance field on the first interactive maintenance page, without modifying source code associated with the generation of the first interactive maintenance page;

receiving one or more additional instructions from the user via the first interactive maintenance page to update the updated metadata to create a second interactive maintenance page, wherein the second interactive maintenance page enables modification of the plurality of interactive user interface pages;

receiving, via the first interactive maintenance page, one or more instructions to add a second maintenance field to the second interactive maintenance page, wherein the second interactive maintenance page and second maintenance field are created without modifying the source code, and wherein the second maintenance field is not present in the plurality of fields of the first interactive maintenance page;

receiving, via the second maintenance field of the second interactive maintenance page, one or more instructions to modify the first interactive maintenance page; and

displaying at least one of the plurality of interactive user interface pages based on the first maintenance field, the second maintenance field, the one or more instructions to modify the first interactive maintenance page, and the updated metadata.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured for:

receiving one or more instructions to create a new interactive user interface page; and

creating the new interactive user interface page in the plurality of interactive user interface pages by updating the metadata from the database, wherein the metadata from the database is updated based on the one or more instructions.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the new interactive user interface page is created based on an unchanging source code.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured for:

receiving one or more instructions to delete an interactive user interface page from the plurality of interactive user interface pages; and

deleting the interactive user interface page from the plurality of interactive user interface pages by updating the metadata from the database and without modifying source code associated with the generation of the interactive user interface page, wherein the metadata from the database is updated based on the one or more instructions.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein generating the display of an interactive maintenance page further comprises:

receiving user identity information of a user;

identifying elements of the interactive maintenance page to which the user has permission to access; and

generating the display of the interactive maintenance page, wherein the display comprises the elements to which the user has permission to access.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured for:

receiving time or date information;

receiving a portion of the metadata from the database based on the time or date information; and

generating the display and functionality of at least one of the plurality of interactive user interface pages based on the time or date information.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a request to render an interactive user interface page or the interactive maintenance page;

receiving a navigation path taken to reach the interactive user interface page and/or the interactive maintenance page;

if the navigation path corresponds to a first path, rendering the interactive user interface page or the interactive maintenance page in a first manner with a first set of one or more fields; and

if the navigation path corresponds to a second path, rendering the interactive user interface page or the interactive maintenance page in a second manner with a second set of one or more fields.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for generating interactive user interface pages from a database, the method including:

receiving at least a portion of metadata from a database, wherein the appearance of a plurality of interactive user interface pages is based on the metadata from the database;

generating a display of a first interactive maintenance page based on a portion of the metadata from the database, wherein the first interactive maintenance page is one of the plurality of interactive user interface pages, the first interactive maintenance page comprising a plurality of fields, and wherein the first interactive maintenance page enables creation and modification of the plurality of interactive user interface pages;

receiving one or more instructions from a user via the plurality of fields of the first interactive maintenance page;

updating the portion of the metadata from the database based upon the one or more instructions to generate updated metadata associated with the appearance and functionality of the first interactive maintenance page to add a first maintenance field displayable on the first interactive maintenance page to the plurality of fields;

modifying the appearance and functionality of the first interactive maintenance page based on the updated metadata, by adding the first maintenance field on the first interactive maintenance page, without modifying source code associated with the generation of the first interactive maintenance page;

receiving one or more additional instructions from the user via the first interactive maintenance page to update the updated metadata to create a second interactive maintenance page, wherein the second interactive maintenance page enables modification of the plurality of interactive user interface pages;

receiving, via the first interactive maintenance page, one or more instructions to add a second maintenance field to the second interactive maintenance page, wherein the second interactive maintenance page and second maintenance field are created without modifying the source code, and wherein the second maintenance field is not present in the plurality of fields of the first interactive maintenance page;

receiving, via the second maintenance field of the second interactive maintenance page, one or more instructions to modify the first interactive maintenance page; and

displaying at least one of the plurality of interactive user interface pages based on the first maintenance field, the second maintenance field, the one or more instructions to modify the first interactive maintenance page, and the updated metadata.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the method further including:

receiving one or more instructions to create a new interactive user interface page; and

creating the new interactive user interface page in the plurality of interactive user interface pages by updating the metadata from the database, wherein the metadata from the database is updated based on the one or more instructions.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the new interactive user interface page is created based on an unchanging source code.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the method further including:

receiving one or more instructions to delete an interactive user interface page from the plurality of interactive user interface pages; and

deleting the interactive user interface page from the plurality of interactive user interface pages by updating the metadata from the database and without modifying source code associated with generation of the interactive user interface page, wherein the metadata from the database is updated based on the one or more instructions.