Address link system, method and program product

• US 7,395,268 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2004
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Platforms, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Yoshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Wilson
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, BINH VAN
• Application Number:
  US10/873,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20040267792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/103
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/282 Hierarchical databases, e.g. IMS, LDAP data stores or Lotus Notes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

The address linker of an LDAP client has a capability of requesting retrieval of data in local files or retrieval of data in files registered on an LDAP server. The address linker of the LDAP server serves to share personal data and has a capability of retrieving data in files on the server and a capability of responding to data retrieval and registration request from the LDAP client. The LDAP client or server outputs a list of retrieval results and highlights latest data according to the updating date and time determined when pieces of personal data of the same name are registered in a plurality of files. The LDAP client or server further select latest data, reconstruct the data into a single file having a tree data structure and saves the file.

Claims

1. An address link system including a client terminal having a plurality of data files created by different software and having a plurality of personal data items, each item having an item name, a value, and an update date, wherein said client terminal comprises means for registering the personal data items according to an address linker protocol to be address searchable and retrievable from the data files based on a search request name;

means for retrieving said personal data items registered in said data files by address searching said client data files based on a user-input search request name and the address linker protocol, and outputting a retrieval result having personal data items associated with the user-input search request name;

means for determining, in response to the retrieval result having more than one personal data item having the same item name, which of said retrieved personal data items is new or old, based on said items'"'"' respective update dates;

means for selecting new data based on a result of the determining and highlighting said new data on a screen; and

means for reconstructing said new data into a single file having a tree data structure and registering the reconstructed single file of new data, wherein the address linker protocol is LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol).

2. The address link system according to claim 1, further including a server connected to said client terminal over a network and having a plurality of server data files created by different software, said data files having a plurality of personal data items, each item having an item name, a value, and an update date, wherein said server comprises:

means for registering said personal data items according to an address linker protocol to be address searchable and retrievable from the server data files based on a search request name;

means for retrieving said personal data items registered in said server data files by address searching said server data files in response to a request from said client terminal having the user-input search request name, and outputting a server retrieval result having the personal data items in the server data files associated with the user-input search request name;

means for determining, in response to the retrieval result having more than one personal data item having the same item name, which of said retrieved personal data items is new or old, based on said items'"'"' respective update dates; and

means for transmitting the server retrieval result data for highlighting new data based on the determination result.

3. The address link system according to claim 1, further including a server connected to said client terminal over a network and having a plurality of server data files created by different software, said data files having a plurality of personal data items, each item having an item name, a value, and an update date, wherein said server comprises:

means for registering said personal data items according to an address linker protocol to be address searchable and retrievable from the server data files based on a search request name;

means for retrieving said personal data items registered in said server data files by address searching said server data files in response to a request from said client terminal, the request having the user-input search request name, and outputting a server retrieval result having the personal data items in the server data files associated with the user-input search request name;

means for determining, in response to the retrieval result having more than one personal data item having the same item name, which of said retrieved personal data items is new or old, based on said items'"'"' respective update dates; and

means for selecting new data from pieces of data which are determined as new/old by said means for determining, and for reconstructing said selected new data into a single file having a tree data structure, and transmitting the personal data retrieved by the server to the client as a single piece of data composed of only the selected new data.

4. The address link system according to claim 2, wherein said client means for retrieving and said server means for retrieving each perform the address searching based on a LDAP protocol.

5. The address link system according to claim 3, wherein said client means for retrieving and said server means for retrieving each perform the address searching based on a LDAP protocol.

6. An address link method for a client terminal having a plurality of data files created by different software and having a plurality of personal data items, each item having an item name, a value, and an update date:

registering said personal data items according to an address linker protocol to be address searchable and retrievable from the server data files based on a search request name;

receiving a user-input search request name;

retrieving personal data registered in said data files by address searching said data files and generating a retrieval result of items associated with the user-input search request name;

determining, in response to the retrieval result having more than one personal data item having the same item name, which of said retrieved personal data items is new or old, based on said items'"'"' respective update dates;

selecting new data based on a result of the determining and highlighting said new data on a screen; and

reconstructing said new personal data into a single file having a tree data structure and registering the reconstructed new data, wherein the address linker protocol is LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol).

7. The address link method according to claim 6, further comprising:

providing a server connected to said client terminal over a network and having a plurality of server data files created by different software, the server data files having a plurality of personal data items, each item having an item name, a value, and an update date;

registering said personal data items according to an address linker protocol to be address searchable and retrievable from the server data files based on a search request name;

retrieving said personal data items registered in said server data files by address searching said server data files in response to a request from said client terminal, the request having the user-input search request name, and outputting a server retrieval result having the personal data items in the server data files associated with the user-input search request name;

determining, in response to the server retrieval result having more than one personal data item having the same item name, which of said retrieved personal data items is new or old, based on said items'"'"' respective undate dates; and

transmitting the server retrieval result data to the client for highlighting new data based on the determination result.

8. The address link method according to claim 6, further comprising:

providing a server connected to said client terminal over a network and having a plurality of server files created by different software, the server data files having a plurality of personal data items, each item having an item name, a value, and an update date;

registering said personal data items according to an address linker protocol to be address searchable and retrievable from the server data files based on a search request name;

retrieving said personal data items registered in said server data files by address searching said server data files in response to a request from said client terminal, the request having the user-input search request name, and outputting a server retrieval result having the personal data items in the server data files associated with the user-input search request name;

determining, in response to the server retrieval result having more than one personal data item having the same item name, which of said retrieved personal data items is new or old, based on said items'"'"' respective update dates; and

selecting new data from pieces of data which are determined as new/old by said means for determining, and for reconstructing said selected new data into a single file having a tree data structure, and transmitting the personal data retrieved by the server to the client as a single piece of data composed of only the selected new data.

9. The address link method according to claim 6, wherein said retrieving performs said address searching based on a LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol).

10. The address link method according to claim 7, wherein said retrieving performs said address searching based on a LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol).

11. A computer system comprising a programmable computer storing a plurality of data files created by different software, the data files having a plurality of personal data items, each item having an item name, a value, and an update date, and having an address linker program, wherein the address linker program registers a plurality of search names and associates each search name with a corresponding plurality of personal data items within the plurality of data files, the address linker program on the programmable computer includes a block for receiving a user input search request having a search name, the address linker program on the programmable computer includes a block for retrieving personal data registered in said data files by address searching said data files and generating a retrieval result of items associated with the user-input search name, the address linker program on the programmable computer includes a block for determining, in response to the retrieval result having a plurality personal data items having the same item name, which of the plurality of said retrieved personal data items is new or old with respect to other of the plurality, based on said items'"'"' respective update dates, the address linker program on the programmable computer including a block for selecting new data based on a result of the determining and highlighting said new data on a screen;

and the address linker program on the programmable computer including a block for reconstructing said new personal data into a single file having a tree data structure and registering the reconstructed new date, wherein the address linker protocol is LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.

13. A computer system according to claim 11, wherein said address link program includes LDAP protocol for the address searching.

14. A computer system according to claim 11, wherein said address link program includes LDAP protocol for the address searching.

12. A computer system having a programmable server connected to a client terminal over a network and comprising a plurality of data files on the programmable server, created by different software, the data files having a plurality of personal data items, each item having an item name, a value, and an update date, and having an address linker program;

an address linker program on the programmable server, wherein the address linker program registers a plurality of search names and associates each search name with a corresponding plurality of personal data items within the plurality of data files, the address linker program on the programmable server includes a block for receiving a user input search request having a search name, the address linker program on the programmable server includes a block for retrieving personal data registered in said data files by address searching said data files and generating a retrieval result of items associated with the user-input search name, the address linker program on the programmable server includes a block for determining, in response to the retrieval result having a plurality personal data items having the same item name, which of the plurality of said retrieved personal data items is new or old with respect to other of the plurality, based on said items'"'"' respective update dates, and the address linker program on the programmable server includes a block for selecting new data from pieces of data which are determined as new/old by said means for determining, and for reconstructing said selected new data into a single file having a tree data structure, and transmitting the personal data retrieved by the server to the client as a single piece of data composed of only the selected new data, wherein the address linker protocol is LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol).

15. An address link system including a client terminal and a server connected to said client terminal over a network, said server having a plurality of server data files created by different software, said data files having a plurality of personal data items, each item having an item name, a value, and an update date, wherein said server comprises means for registering said personal data items according to an address linker protocol to be address searchable and retrievable from the server data files based on a search request name;

means for retrieving said personal data items according to an address linker protocol to be address searchable and retrievable from the server data files based on a search request name;

means for retrieving said personal data items registered in said server data files by address searching said sever data files in response to a request from said client terminal having the user-input search request name, and outputting a server retrieval result having the personal data items in the server data files associated with the user-input search request name;

means for determining, in response to the retrieval result having more than one personal data item having the same item name, which of said retrieved personal data items is new or old, based on said item'"'"'s respective update dates;

means for selecting new data based on a result of the determining and highlighting said new data on a screen; and

means for reconstructing said new data into a single file having a tree data structure and registering the reconstructed single file of new data, and transmitting the personal data retrieved by said server to said client terminal as a single piece of data composed of only the selected new data, wherein the address linker protocol is LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol).

16. An address link method for address link system including a client terminal and a server connected to said client terminal over a network, said server having a plurality of server data files created by different software, said data files having a plurality of personal data items, each item having an item name, a value, and an update date, wherein the method comprises registering, by said server, said personal data items according to an address linker protocol to be address searchable and retrievable from the server data files based on a search request name;

retrieving, by said server, said personal data items registered in said server data files by address searching said server data files in response to a request from said client terminal having the user-input search request name, and outputting a server retrieval result having the personal data items in the server data files associated with the user-input search request name;

determining, in response to the retrieval result having more than one personal data item having the same item name, which of said retrieved personal data items is new or old, based on said item'"'"'s respective update dates, by said server;

selecting, by said server, new data based on a result of the determining and highlighting said new data on a screen; and

reconstructing, by said server, said new data into a single file having a tree data structure and registering the reconstructed single file of new data, and transmitting the personal data retrieved by said server to said client terminal as a single piece of the data composed of only the selected new data, wherein the address linker protocol is LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol).