Method and system for automated data storage and retrieval

• US 7,013,298 B1
• Filed: 05/03/1999
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyperphrase Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Hyperphrase Technologies LLC
• Inventors: De La Huerga, Carlos
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US09/247,349
• Time in Patent Office: 2,507 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/4, 707/10, 707/102, 707/104, 705/4, 705/3, 709/217, 709/218
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/94 Hypermedia Hyperlinking G06F40/134
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/12 Use of codes for handling textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system and method for creating links between first records stored on a database and references to the first records within a second record, the system including a data reference list including keywords or phrases which may be used in the second record to reference the first records, the system also including address formats corresponding to each data reference which indicate the form of a first record address corresponding to the data reference, the system also including record rule sets for gleaning information from the second record for populating the address format, when a data reference is identified, the system identifying the corresponding address format, gleaning address information from the second record, forming the record address and linking the first record reference to the first record via the record address.

Claims

1. A system for linking first record references to a first record wherein the references are in a second record, the system comprising:

(a) a database (DB) including;

at least one address format specifying an address format of the first record address; and

(b) a processor linked to the DB and running a pulse sequencing program to perform the steps of;

(i) receiving the second record;

(ii) analyzing the second record to identify references to the first record; and

(iii) when a first record reference is identified, using information from the second record to form the address of the first record as specified by the address format.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the address format also specifies required information for forming the address for the first record, the DB further includes at least one record rule set (RRS) specifying rules for gleaning the required information from a record and, wherein, when the first record is referenced in the second record, the processor gleans the required information from the second record in the manner specified by the RRS.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the RRS corresponds to the address format.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the second record is characterized by a data type, the RRS is associated with the data type and the processor, prior to gleaning, determines the second record data type and identifies the RRS associated with the second record data type.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the DB also includes a data reference (DR) which is associated with the address format and wherein, when searching for a reference to the first record, the processor searches for instances of the DR.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the program includes a wordprocessor, the DR is a text name associated with the first record and the first record address is a markup language data reference.

7. The system of claim 1 also for creating markup language data references between the first record references and the first record, the processor also, when a first record reference is identified, provides the first record reference to a user as a selectable segment and links the selectable segment to the first record via the first record address such that, when the selectable segment is selected, the first record is provided to the user.

8. The system of claim 7 further including a processor wherein, after the selectable segment is provided, the processor performs the steps of, when the second record is accessed, monitoring changes to the second record and, when the selectable segment is modified, de-links the selectable segment and the first record.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the DB includes a plurality of address formats and their associated RRSs and DRs, and, wherein the processor searches the second record for any of the DRs and, when any of the DRs is identified, the processor identifies the associated address format and RRS, gleans the required information from the second record in the manner specified by the associated RRS and forms the address corresponding to the first record.

10. The system of claim 1 further including an interface for entering the second record, the second record entered in record segments and, wherein, the processor runs the program as second record segments are entered via the interface.

11. The system of claim 1 for use with a data specifying device wherein the step of receiving includes receiving the second record from the data specifying device.

12. A system which receives database records, each record including a separate information set and characterized by at least one data type, for a specific record, the system using the specific record'"'"'s information set to construct a record address which enables easy subsequent record access, the system comprising:

(a) a database (DB) including at least one address format which is associated with the at least one record type and which specifies a unique set of required information to form a record address for the record type; and

(b) a processor linked to the DB and running a pulse sequencing program to perform the steps of, for the specific record;

(i) receiving the information set;

(ii) confirming the data type and the associated address format;

(iii) analyzing the information set to glean the required information;

(iv) using the required information to form a record address as specified by the address format; and

(v) storing the record at the record address.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein there are a plurality of record types, the DB includes a separate address format for each of the different record types and, wherein, the step of confirming includes the steps of determining the record type and the associated address format.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the DB further includes at least a separate record rule set (RRS) specifying a set of rules for gleaning required information from a record and, wherein, the processor gleans required information in the manner specified by the RRS.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the RRSs correspond to each of the address formats.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the program is a first application program and the processor also performs a second application program to link stored records which are referenced in a first record to the referenced records, to this end the processor further performing the steps of, after at least one record is stored:

searching the first record for a reference to a stored record;

when a reference to a stored record is identified;

determining the address associated with the referenced record;

providing the reference to a user as a selectable segment and linking

the selectable segment to the referenced stored record via the record address such that, when the selectable segment is selected, the record is provided to the user.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the processor provides a data reference (DR) for the record information set, the DR useable of refer to the record in other records, the processor, when searching for a reference in the first record, searching for the DR.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein, after the record address is formed, the processor also correlates the DR with the record address and stores the DR along with the record address, the processor determining the address associated with a reference by identifying the address associated with an identified DR.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the RRS is a first RRS and the DB also associates a second RRS with the address format, the second RRS specifying rules for gleaning the required information from the first record, when a DR is gleaned from an information set, the processor also correlating the DR with the address format and storing the DR along with the address format, the processor determining the address associated with a reference by, when a DR is identified:

identifying the address format associated with the DR;

identifying the second RRS associated with the identified address format and the required information specified by the identified address format;

gleaning the required information from the first record as specified by the second RRS; and

forming the record address using the required information and as specified by the address format.

20. A method of collecting a group of related data records on a computer system and storing said data records in a manner permitting their retrieval in an ordered manner and display by an interactive display program capable of displaying a plurality of interface supported data formats, comprising:

(a) receiving a first reference to a group of related data records from an accessory computer system;

(b) retrieving said group of related data records using information in said first reference, a list of databases and a list of instructions for retrieving each data record;

(c) creating a reference to each of said related data records;

(d) creating a master control file; and

(e) storing said group of related data records and said master control files to a data storage device.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of creating a master control file includes also creating a plurality of secondary control files, prior to storing, the method further including the step of determining in which of said master control or secondary control file said reference is to be placed by using information in a list of data types and the step of storing including storing the group of related data records and the master control and secondary control files to a data storage device.

22. A system which receives database records, each record including a separate information set and characterized by at least one data type, for a specific record, the system using the specific record'"'"'s information set to identify a record address which enables easy subsequent record access, the system also for use with a data specifying device which provides the database records, including at least one field specifying a data reference, the system comprising:

a receiver for receiving records from the specifying device; and

a processor linked to the receiver and running a pulse sequencing program to perform the steps of, for a specific record;

(i) receiving the information set;

(ii) identifying the DR;

(iii) using the DR to identify a record address for the record; and

(iv) storing the record at the record address.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the specifying device is a hand held device.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the specifying device is a database.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the specifying device, in addition to specifying the DR, also specifies other information which is used to identify the address.

26. A method for linking first record references to a first record wherein the references are in a second record, the method used with a database (DB) including at least one address format specifying an address format of the first record address, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving the second record;

(ii) analyzing the second record to identify references to the first record; and

(iii) when a first record reference is identified, using information from the second record to form the address of the first record as specified by the address format.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the address format also specifies required information for forming the address for the first record, the DB further includes at least one record rule set (RRS) specifying rules for gleaning the required information from a record and, wherein, the method further includes the steps of:

when the first record is referenced in the second record, gleaning the required information from the second record in the manner specified by the RRS.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the RRS corresponds to the address format and, wherein, prior to gleaning, the method includes the step of correlating the RRS with the address format to identify the RRS.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the second record is characterized by a data type, the RRS is associated with the data type and, prior to gleaning, the method includes the steps of determining the second record data type and identifying the RRS associated with the second record data type.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the DB also includes a data reference (DR) which is associated with the address format and wherein the step of searching includes searching for instances of the DR.

31. The method of claim 26 also for creating markup language data references between the first record references and the first record, the method further including the steps of:

when a first record reference is identified, providing the first record reference to a user as a selectable segment; and

linking the selectable segment to the first record via the first record address such that, when the selectable segment is selected, the first record is provided to the user.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein, after the selectable segment is provided, the method includes the steps of, when the second record is accessed, monitoring changes to the second record and, when the selectable segment is modified, de-linking the selectable segment and the first record.

33. The method of claim 29 wherein the DB includes a plurality of address formats and their associated RRSs and DRs, and, wherein the step of searching includes searching the second record for any of the DRs and, when any of the DRs is identified, the method includes the steps of identifying the associated address format and RRS, gleaning the required information from the second record in the manner specified by the associated RRS and forming the address corresponding to the first record.

34. The method of claim 26 further including an interface for entering the second record, the second record entered in record segments and, wherein, the method is performed as second record segments are entered via the interface.

35. The method of claim 26 for use with a data specifying device wherein the step of receiving includes receiving the second record from the data specifying device.

36. A method which receives database records, each record including a separate information set and characterized by at least one data type, for a specific record, the method using the specific record'"'"'s information set to construct a record address which enables easy subsequent record access, the method for use with a database including at least one address format which is associated with the at least one record type and which specifies a unique set of required information to form a record address for the record type, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) receiving the information set;

(ii) confirming the data type and the associated address format;

(iii) analyzing the information set to glean the required information;

(iv) using the required information to form a record address as specified by the address format; and

(v) storing the record at the record address.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein there are a plurality of record types, the DB includes a separate address format for each of the different record types and, wherein, the step of confirming includes the steps of determining the record type and the associated address format.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the DB further includes at least a separate record rule set (RRS) specifying a set of rules for gleaning required information from a record and, wherein, the step of gleaning includes gleaning the required information in the manner specified by the RRS.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the RRSs correspond to each of the address formats.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the method also links stored records which are referenced in a first record to the referenced records, to this end the method further including the steps of, after at least one record is stored:

searching the first record for a reference to a stored record;

when a reference to a stored record is identified;

determining the address associated with the referenced record;

providing the reference to a user as a selectable segment and linking the selectable segment to the referenced stored record via the record address such that, when the selectable segment is selected, the record is provided to the user.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the database includes a data reference (DR) for the record information set, the DR useable of refer to the record in other records and the method includes the steps of, when searching for a reference in the first record, searching for the DR.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein, after the record address is formed, the method also includes the steps of, correlating the DR with the record address and storing the DR along with the record address, the method determining the address associated with a reference by identifying the address associated with an identified DR.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the RRS is a first RRS and the DB also associates a second RRS with the address format, the second RRS specifying rules for gleaning the required information from the first record, when a DR is gleaned from an information set, the method also correlating the DR with the address format and storing the DR along with the address format, the method determining the address associated with a reference by, when a DR is identified:

identifying the address format associated with the DR;

identifying the second RRS associated with the identified address format and the required information specified by the identified address format;

gleaning the required information from the first record as specified by the second RRS; and

forming the record address using the required information and as specified by the address format.