Co-presence data retrieval system

Details Co-presence data retrieval system Co-presence data retrieval system

1998-05-01

2001-06-05

Amsbury, Wayne (Department: 2171)

Data processing: database and file management or data structures

Database design

Data structure types

C707S793000, C707S793000, C709S203000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06243714

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to data retrieval systems generally and to data retrieval systems with co-presence mechanisms in particular.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Data retrieval systems are known in the art. A typical one is shown in
FIG. 1
to which reference is now made. Data retrieval systems typically consist of a data server
10
and multiple data-retrieval clients
12
which are typically separate computers. Upon command of a data-retrieval client
12
, the data server
10
accesses a data repository
14
, or database, that contains data objects
16
therein. Data objects
16
are typically files of information. The data-retrieval clients
12
also communicate with a user
17
, typically through an interactive display
18
.
A typical data retrieval operation depicted in
FIG. 2
to which reference is now made, proceeds as follows: upon receipt of an instruction (arrow
1
) from the user
17
to retrieve a certain data object
16
, the data-retrieval client
12
sends (arrow
2
) a request to the data server
10
on which the object resides. The data server
10
retrieves the requested data object
16
(arrow
3
) from the data repository
14
and sends the object
16
back (arrow
4
) to the data-retrieval client
12
. The data-retrieval client
12
then displays (arrow
5
) the retrieved data object
16
to the user
17
.
Additional features incorporated in a data retrieval system may include a data-management mechanism that allows a data-retrieval client
12
to create a new data object
16
, to modify a retrieved data object
16
and to send the created or modified data object
16
back to the data server
10
for storage in the data repository
14
, and a permission mechanism that allows the server
10
to approve or deny certain client requests.
Examples of data retrieval systems, some of which include the additional features, include the file transfer protocol (FTP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), Gopher and network file systems (NFS) standards, network news servers (NNTP), DEC Notes of Digital Electric Corporation of the USA, Lotus Notes of Lotus Inc. of the USA, Novell NetWare of Novell Inc. of the USA, and the relational database management systems (RDBMS) such as those manufactured by Oracle, Sybase, and Informix, all of the USA.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
There is provided, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a data retrieval system including a data server, at least one data retrieval client and a co-presence server. The data server retrieves at least one data object from among a plurality of data objects stored in a data repository. Each data retrieval client requests at least one data object from the data server. The co-presence server includes a unit for generating one virtual place per data object retrieved from the data server, a unit for associating each virtual place with its data object once its data object is accessed and at least one downloadable co-presence client, operative with the data retrieval client, for communicating with the data server. Each co-presence client includes an object association unit for associating a data object received from the co-presence server with one of the at least one virtual places in the co-presence server.
Additionally, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the downloadable co-presence client is implemented in one of the following languages: Java and ActiveX.
Finally, the object association unit includes apparatus for moving to a new virtual place.


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