Object oriented architecture with bidirectional linking of relationships between objects

• US 5,787,440 A
• Filed: 03/04/1996
• Issued: 07/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Crossties Software Corporation
• Original Assignee: Crossties Software Corporation
• Inventors: Martindale, John, Lovin, William R., Bakke, Stephen Peter, Dobyns, Patrick E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US08/610,693
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/575, 395/700, 395/200.09, 348/134, 370/58, 707/1, 707/103, 707/100
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

An object oriented architecture is provided wherein a plurality of objects are defined in the system. Each of the objects can comprise either a data oriented object, a program oriented object or a graphics oriented object. The parameters of the object are defined in an object table which includes as an integral part thereof a link table. Each object is linkable through the link table to other objects on the system, with each object on the system having a unique object number. The provision of the object'"'"'s number in the link table defines relationships with other objects in the system, which relationships can either be automatically created as a result of a predetermined functional aspect of the system or defined by the user. These relationships are bidirectional. The links are only a single link deep and are all on the same plane. These links allow system access to various features such as word processing files, FAX information, information about individuals or information about E-Mail. Additionally, the system allows the underlying program to a given object that created an object to be launched directly from the object window, such that the program is always linked to the object.

Claims

1. A method for linking objects in an object oriented system, comprising the steps of:

providing a database;

creating objects to define characteristics of predetermined portions of the database, each of the objects associated with one of the predetermined portions of the database;

creating bidirectional links between select ones of the any of the objects in accordance with predetermined criteria such that only two objects can be associated with a single bidirectional link in the database, the bidirectional links indicating a relationship between the linked objects such that each of said bidirectional links is created defining a relationship in the database between one of the linked objects and another of the linked objects, and between the another of the linked objects and the one of the linked objects;

storing the created bidirectional links in association with the associated one of each of the objects to define the bidirectional links from the associated one of each of the objects to others of the objects;

accessing a select one of any of the objects as a primary object, the step of accessing also accessing the stored bidirectional links associated with the primary object;

selecting one of the accessed links associated with the selected primary object;

selecting the object defined by the selected link as a new primary object, the associated links for the new primary object defining a link to the previous primary object; and

associating a unique and separate object number with each of the objects during the step of creating objects.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising providing a table for each of the created objects and storing the associated characteristics of the created object in the table.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of creating bidirectional links comprises storing in the table associated with each of the objects, the unique object numbers associated with the objects to which the one object is linked.

4. A method for linking objects in an object oriented system, comprising the steps of:

providing a database;

creating objects to define characteristics of predetermined portions of the database, each of the objects associated with one of the predetermined portions of the database;

creating bidirectional links between select ones of the any of the objects in accordance with predetermined criteria such that only two objects can be associated with a single bidirectional link in the database, the bidirectional links indicating a relationship between the linked objects such that each of said bidirectional links is created defining a relationship in the database between one of the linked objects and another of the linked objects, and between the another of the linked objects and the one of the linked objects, the step of creating bidirectional links is achieved in response to external user inputs, wherein a user defines the bidirectional links from any one object to another object;

storing the created bidirectional links in association with the associated one of each of the objects to define the bidirectional links from the associated one of each of the objects to others of the objects;

accessing a select one of any of the objects as a primary object, the step of accessing also accessing the stored bidirectional links associated with the primary object;

selecting one of the accessed links associated with the selected primary object; and

selecting the object defined by the selected link as a new primary object, the associated links for the new primary object defining a link to the previous primary object.

5. A method for linking objects in an object oriented system, comprising the steps of:

providing a database;

creating objects to define characteristics of predetermined portions of the database, each of the objects associated with one of the predetermined portions of the database;

creating bidirectional links between select ones of the any of the objects in accordance with predetermined criteria such that only two objects can be associated with a single bidirectional link in the database, the bidirectional links indicating a relationship between the linked objects such that each of said bidirectional links is created defining a relationship in the database between one of the linked objects and another of the linked objects, and between the another of the linked objects and the one of the linked objects, the step of creating bidirectional links operating in accordance with the occurrence of a predetermined event, such that when the predetermined event occurs a bidirectional link is created;

storing the created bidirectional links in association with the associated one of each of the objects to define the bidirectional links from the associated one of each of the objects to others of the objects;

accessing a select one of any of the objects as a primary object, the step of accessing also accessing the stored bidirectional links associated with the primary object;

selecting one of the accessed links associated with the selected primary object; and

selecting the object defined by the selected link as a new primary object, the associated links for the new primary object defining a link to the previous primary object.

6. A method for linking objects in an object oriented system, comprising the steps of:

providing a database;

creating objects to define characteristics of predetermined portions of the database, each of the objects associated with one of the predetermined portions of the database, the step of creating objects further comprising the steps of;

receiving characteristics external to the database associated with an object that is not part of the database,

adding the received characteristics to the database, and

creating a new object in response to the step of receiving that is associated with the receive characteristics;

creating bidirectional links between select ones of the any of the objects in accordance with predetermined criteria such that only two objects can be associated with a single bidirectional link in the database the bidirectional links indicating a relationship between the linked objects such that each of said bidirectional links is created defining a relationship in the database between one of the linked objects and another of the linked objects, and between the another of the linked objects and the one of the linked objects;

storing the created bidirectional links in association with the associated one of each of the objects to define the bidirectional links from the associated one of each of the objects to others of the objects;

accessing a select one of any of the objects as a primary object, the step of accessing also accessing the stored bidirectional links associated with the primary object;

selecting one of the accessed links associated with the selected primary object; and

selecting the object defined by the selected link as a new primary object, the associated links for the new primary object defining a link to the previous primary object.