Generation and storage of connections between objects in a computer network

• US 5,608,900 A
• Filed: 06/21/1994
• Issued: 03/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gordon, Jeffrey D., Kleewein, James C., Farber, Joel F., Dockter, Michael J., Seppi, Kevin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lintz, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US08/262,999
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/650, 395/800, 395/325, 395/200.09, 370/94.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/288 Entity relationship models
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system and method for creating a knowledge base continuously developed through a method of repetitiously connecting various sources of locally and remotely located sources of data. The various sources of data can include reports, articles, books, audio recording, multi-media or computer data. The system uses a systematic approach of selecting a search criteria, selecting a set of search objects, identifying connections (relationships) between the search criteria and the search objects, creating an attribute (description of the relationship) and storage of the connection and its attribute. By following this approach additional connections can be made between already connected objects to exhaustively collect all possible relationships between objects. Through the use of unique identifiers the connections are made between systems located across networks. Unused cycle times of participating systems on the network are monitored and when sufficient cycles are present to perform connection searching the available system performs the connection process thus creating the knowledge base.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for automatically generating and storing connections between objects in advance of queries for them, comprising the steps of:

detecting free processor cycles in a computer system;

invoking, under program control, a process for execution on the computer system to use the free cycles to search for objects which are related to one another;

upon the locating of objects which are related to one another, creating under program control a globally unique identified connection and attribute between the objects;

storing, in computer memory, the globally unique identified connection under program control in logical association with the related objects, and

wherein for a given search criteria one or more connections and attributes thereof are iteratively created between every object and every other available related object and stored within computer memory to be available to future queries.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the free processor cycles are detected by a second computer system.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of identifiers allowing indirect reference to any one of objects, connections and/or attributes.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein connections are made among sub-parts of the selected objects.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein connections may be made in any direction or number among the selected objects or their sub-parts.

6. A computer-based method for automatically generating and storing connections between objects in advance of queries for them as per claim 1, wherein said objects are located across computer networks.

7. A computer-based method for automatically generating and storing in computer memory connections between objects in advance of queries for them, comprising the steps of:

receiving a program-initiated directive to dispatch a connection locating process;

invoking under program control the connection locating process to search for objects which are related to one another;

a upon the locating of objects which are related to one another, iteratively creating, under program control, a globally unique connection(s), including associated attribute(s), between the objects and storing, in computer memory, the globally unique connection(s) under program control in logical association with related objects, and

wherein globally unique identifiers allow indirect reference to any one of objects, connections or attributes.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein connections are made among sub-parts of the selected objects.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein connections may be made in any direction or number among the selected objects or their sub-parts.

10. A computer-based method for automatically generating and storing in computer memory connections between objects in advance of queries for them as per claim 7, wherein said objects are located across computer networks.

11. A computer-based method for generating connections between objects in advance of queries for them, comprising the steps of:

selecting a first search criteria using a search basis object;

searching a set of search objects for instances of the first search criteria;

upon locating the first search criteria in a search object, creating a globally unique connection;

upon locating the first search criteria in a search object, creating a globally unique connection attribute for the connection;

storing, in computer memory, the globally unique connection and connection attribute in logical association with the search basis object and the search object, and

wherein a globally unique connection is created between the search basis object and every available search object containing the first search criteria and stored in computer memory for future search queries using said first search criteria.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

upon locating the first search criteria in a search object, accessing a second search criteria associated with the first search criteria;

searching the search object for instances of the second search criteria;

upon locating the second search criteria in the search object, creating a connection between the search basis object and the search object, and

storing the connection in logical association with the search basis object and the search object.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of identifiers allowing indirect reference to any one of objects, connections and/or attributes.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein connections are made among sub-parts of the selected objects.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein connections may be made in any direction or number among the selected objects or their sub-parts.

16. A computer-based method for generating connections between objects in advance of queries for them as per claim 11, wherein said objects are located across computer networks.

17. A computer-based method for automatically generating and storing connections between objects located across computer networks in advance of queries for them, comprising the steps of:

detecting free processor cycles in a computer system;

invoking, under program control, a process for execution on the computer system to use the free cycles to search for objects located across computer networks which are related to one another;

upon the locating of objects which are related to one another, creating under program control a globally unique identified connection and attribute between the objects;

storing, in computer memory located within the computer network, the globally unique identified connection under program control in logical association with the related objects, and

wherein for a given search criteria one or more connections and attributes thereof are iteratively created between a plurality of objects located across computer networks and every other available related object and stored within said computer memory to be available to future queries.