Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
2003-04-04
2004-05-04
Robinson, Greta (Department: 2177)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
active
06732111
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to database management systems, database management methods, database management apparatus, and database management program products for adding file attachments and non-database objects, such as, text file data, web file data, image file data, and other file attachment objects to databases. The text data, web based data, and other objects may be retrieved when the data to which they relate is retrieved.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Relational databases are a commonly-employed data structure for representing data in a business or other environment. A relational database represents data in the form of a collection of two-dimensional tables. Each table comprises a series of cells arranged in rows and columns. Typically, a row in a table represents a particular observation. A column represents either a data field or a pointer to a row in another table.
For example, a database describing an organizational structure may have one table to describe each position in the organization, and another table to describe each employee in the organization. The employee table may include information specific to the employee, such as name, employee number, age, salary, etc. The position table may include information specific to the position, such as the position title (“salesman”, “vice president”, etc.), a salary range, and the like. The tables may be related by, for example, providing in each row of the employee table a pointer to a particular row in the position table, coordinated so that, for each row in the employee table, there is a pointer to the particular row in the position table that describes that employee's position. A relational database management system (RDBMS) supports “joining” these tables in response to a query from a user, so that the user making a query about, for example, a particular employee, may be provided with a report of the selected employee, including not only the information in the employee table, but also the information in the related position table.
Relational databases may be much more complex than this example, with several tables and a multiplicity of relations among them. Moreover, it is frequently desirable to add other objects, such as text data files, image data files, Web data files, and the like, to such databases.
With the widespread use of inexpensive portable computers, it is advantageous to replicate a database onto a portable computer for reference at locations remote from the central computer. The replicated database may then be referenced by the user of the portable computer, without requiring reference to the main database, which may be maintained at a central location inconvenient to the user of the portable computer. However, there are a number of difficulties with the use of a replicated database.
One disadvantage is that a full copy of the central database may require more data storage than is desired or economical. For example, a salesman working in the field may need to refer to the database for information regarding sales opportunities in his sales area, but have no need to refer to any information regarding sales opportunities outside of his area.
One possible approach to reduce the amount of required data storage is to simply replicate only that portion of the database that is needed by the user. However, this approach does not recognize that the criteria to determine which portions of the data are required is likely to vary over time. For example, the salesman may have a new city added to his territory. Under conventional approaches, the salesman would need to re-replicate his local copy of the database, this time selecting data including the added city. Such a practice is inconvenient, subject to error, and time-consuming.
A further disadvantage to a replicated database is the difficulties encountered in attempting to update data using the replicated copy. A change made to the replicated database is not made to the central database, leading to a discrepancy between the information that is stored in the replicated copy of the database and the information that is stored in the central database. Although it is possible to journal modifications made to the replicated copy and apply an identical modification to the central database, one problem that this approach faces is the possibility of colliding updates; that is, where a user of a replicated copy makes a change to data that is also changed by a user of the central copy or by the user of another replicated copy.
A still further disadvantage of many database management systems is the difficulty of adding text data file attachments, image data file attachments, web based data file attachments, and other objects to relational databases.
It is therefore desirable to provide a capability to maintain one or more partially-replicated copies of a central database, in such a way that the degree of replication may be easily changed without requiring a refresh of the entire replicated database, and that permits updates to be coordinated among users of the central database and users of the partially replicated databases. It is especially desirable to allow updates by the attachments of objects to the database, which objects can be retrieved along with the data items to which they relate.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of our invention to enable users to attach file attachments, including text data file attachments, image data file attachments, Web based data file attachments, and the like, to any business object that a developer or configurator chooses.
It is a further primary object of our invention to automatically replicate file attachments to all docking clients that have visibility to the business object. This is to enable users to update files on any database—server or mobile—and synchronize the files among all databases.
It is a still further primary object of our invention to enable mobile users to defer downloading of files, and in this way minimize connect time. This allows mobile users to request the deferred files in future docking sessions.
It is still a further primary object of our invention to provide software platform having a pre-defined, specialized business component that supports creating, updating and deleting file attachments. This is to permit developers and configurators to easily enable 20 file attachments on any business object by creating an applet that uses this specialized business component and adding the applet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by the method, system, apparatus, and program product of our invention.
Thus, according to our invention users may attach non-database objects, such as files and file attachments to any business object that a developer or configurator chooses. Our invention further provides for automatic replication of file attachments to all docking clients that have visibility to the business object. This is to enable users to update files and related non-database objects and attachments on any database—server or mobile—and synchronize the files among all databases.
It is also possible, using the method and apparatus of our invention to enable mobile users to defer downloading of files and related non-database objects and attachments, and in this way minimize connect time. This allows mobile users to request the deferred files in future docking sessions.
It is also possible, using the method, apparatus, system, and program product of our invention to provide a software platform having a pre-defined, specialized business component that supports creating, updating and deleting file attachments and non-database object files. This is to permit developers and configurators to easily enable file attachments on any business object by creating an applet that uses this specialized business component and adding the applet.
The method, apparatus, system, and program product of our invention supports the following file attachment attributes:
Multiple Versions. The method, apparatus, system, and program product of our invention allow users t
Brodersen Robert A.
Chatterjee Prashant
Cohen Jeffrey I.
Lim III Peter Siam Sy
Perkins Coie LLP
Robinson Greta
Siebel Systems Inc.
Soong James W.
LandOfFree
Method, apparatus, system, and program product for attaching... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method, apparatus, system, and program product for attaching..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method, apparatus, system, and program product for attaching... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3226458