Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-03
2001-08-21
Black, Thomas G. (Department: 2771)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C707S793000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06279005
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a menu-based information management system on a computer that uses an open hierarchical data structure to organize and access information, and in particular, it discloses a method to generate menu data from sets of elements that relate to information objects in an information management system.
REFERENCES
U.S. Patent Documents
U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,125 May 13, 1997 Zellweger 395/600
U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,261 Apr. 15, 1994 Simonette 395/600
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,042 Nov. 9, 1993 Brandt 395/156
U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,967 Aug. 20, 1991 Ephrath et. al. 364/200
Other References
Date, C. J. An Introduction to Database Systems. vol. 1, Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1986.
Wood, Derrick. Data Structures, Algorithms, and Performance. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Welsey, 1993.
Zellweger, Paul. “Web-base Sales: Defining the Cognitive Buyer.” International Journal of Electronic Markets. Vol. 7-No. 3, pp. 16-22.
Zellweger, Paul. “The Knowledge Tree.” unpublished paper. copyright 1998 ArborWay Electronic Publishing, Inc. Jan. 3, 1998.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An open hierarchical data structure (U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,125 Zellweger) produces a highly efficient menu-based retrieval technology. Zellweger (1997) identifies this easy to use, end-user retrieval technology as a content menu. In contrast to prior retrieval technologies, the structure organizes information and its content menu works like an index in the back of a book, using a list of lists to locate information. The primary advantage of the content menu is that it shows end-users what they can expect to find in an information system.
However, the only way to build an open hierarchical structure, until this disclosure, was by hand. That is, each node and menu entry had to be added to the structure, one at a time. This was consistent with prior menu management art, Brandt (U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,042) and Eprath et. al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,967), but for a particularly large or richly detailed content domain, the lack of automated ways to generate menu data makes this particular approach labor intensive and expense.
Prior art to building hierarchical data structures from conventional database sources has been disclosed by Simonetti (U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,261 Apr. 15, 1994). Input data is derived from columns in a database table that all share a “natural hierarchical ordering” like columns storing information on “country, states, counties, and cities”. This approach reduces storage and makes searches more efficient. To broaden query capabilities one hierarchical structure is merged with another using a common set of nodes that intersect like “cities” or “states”. The result produces a structure that provides “topological map” of the database that can be navigated to help answer specific queries. However, the new structure in this art no longer functions like a conventional hierarchical access method, and it can only be used by an expert who understands both the database content and relational database technology.
OBJECT AND ADVANTAGES
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for generating menu data for an open hierarchical data structure that provides the basis for an end-user menu system.
One object of the present invention is to produce the means to use a programming language or set of code to represent a set of relationships between one or more sets of external data and nodes in an open hierarchical data structure.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide the means to automate the process of building paths in an open hierarchical data structure using sets of elements stored in a variety of predetermined formats.
One objective of the present invention is to generate path segments in an open hierarchical data structure that correspond to the rules that govern its nodes and paths and thereby allow multiple paths to flow from a root node to the same information object at the end of a path.
Another object of the present invention is to produce the means to provide a program interface to generate menu data for an open hierarchical data structure.
One objective of the present invention is to provide the means to generate menu data for an open hierarchical data structure from coded arguments to a software system that can use these arguments to produce a series of connected nodes that forms a path in the structure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objects of the invention are attained by providing the methods and apparatus to generate menu data in an open hierarchical data structure that forms the basis for an end-user menu system. The present invention uses one or more sets of elements stored on a computer, in database structure or in a predetermined format in a file on disk, to generate this menu data. The invention does this by providing the software means to use a programming language or set of code to represent the relationship between external sets of elements and the structure that stores menu data.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5041967 (1991-08-01), Ephrath et al.
patent: 5261042 (1993-11-01), Brandt
patent: 5295261 (1994-03-01), Simonette
patent: 5388196 (1995-02-01), Pajak et al.
patent: 5630125 (1997-05-01), Zellweger
patent: 5937163 (1999-08-01), Lee et al.
patent: 5937407 (1999-08-01), Sakata
patent: 5953724 (1999-09-01), Lowry
Black Thomas G.
Trinh William
Zellweger Paul
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