EP0287858A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Database processing apparatus
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1988-03-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-03-29
Abstract
Abstract A user friendly interface is provided to a database system using real world modelling and card-like display representation wherein the format of the display representation enables the user to select and move directly to another such representation. As an example, the combination of a relational data base, a complex syntax language for processing it and apparatus handling the data base by executing in the language enables the user, within reason, to perform the macro-operations which he would do were he using the data base provided on a manual card system. The structure of the data base is comprised of two classes of entity, "complicate" accessible by name or via another such entity, and "basic" accessible only via a complicate entity. An entity is stored as format and data separately, these being combined in entirety for display purposes and, in appropriate part, for syntax generation, when required. The number of possible formats is limited so that full selection is a two step operation - first, the format and then the data - by name or by relational operation. Both local and relational operations can be performed and selection of the operation to be performed is by menu. If a relational operation is instructed, selection of a field in the format of the starting entity on the display automatically generates, within the apparatus, the appropriate syntax frame, which is filled with the parameters corresponding to that part of the data segment of the entity that is displayed in the field. If the instructed operation is local, the syntax is not generated. Additional operation parameters and data can be entered from a keyboard.
Inventors
- 👤 Kouichi Kajigayahausu 206 Kajitani
- 👤 Kazuya Kosaka
- 👤 Masaki Satoh
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 21:05
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/24; G06F16/242; G06F16/2428
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
312 words
Database processing apparatus including data storage, a storage addressing system capable of accessing information in storage by record and a user/machine interface which includes a display area, user data input means and a locator mechanism, interactive with the display area, by which the user can select a portion of the display area, the storage containing records defining a common set of formats and records defining known types of data and a processor responsive to the data input means and the locator mechanism and controlling the addressing mechanism and the display area and arranged in operation to respond to a data input representing a known entity name to cause the format record for that named entity to be accessed together with the data records for that entity and to generate a display on the display area from such records, the format defining a card-like layout with geographically differentiated fields for different data types in which the data from the data records is appropriately displayed and to automatically overlay the generated display with an action display offering a set of operation options, one possible operation being effective on the data accessed and one possible operation being effective to access another entity or other data, and to the locator mechanism selecting a field of action display to register the selected operation option and to remove the overlayed action display and, thereafter, to the selection of a field of the generated display, to cause the selected operation to be performed in relation to that field and its contained data, so that, if the selected operation is an access operation, the records defined by the combination of the selected field and its contained data are accessed and a new display is generated whereby the user can interrogate stored data in a manner analogous to the handling of a manual card file without having to enter any code.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
312 words
Database processing apparatus including data storage, a storage addressing system capable of accessing information in storage by record and a user/machine interface which includes a display area, user data input means and a locator mechanism, interactive with the display area, by which the user can select a portion of the display area, the storage containing records defining a common set of formats and records defining known types of data and a processor responsive to the data input means and the locator mechanism and controlling the addressing mechanism and the display area and arranged in operation to respond to a data input representing a known entity name to cause the format record for that named entity to be accessed together with the data records for that entity and to generate a display on the display area from such records, the format defining a card-like layout with geographically differentiated fields for different data types in which the data from the data records is appropriately displayed and to automatically overlay the generated display with an action display offering a set of operation options, one possible operation being effective on the data accessed and one possible operation being effective to access another entity or other data, and to the locator mechanism selecting a field of action display to register the selected operation option and to remove the overlayed action display and, thereafter, to the selection of a field of the generated display, to cause the selected operation to be performed in relation to that field and its contained data, so that, if the selected operation is an access operation, the records defined by the combination of the selected field and its contained data are accessed and a new display is generated whereby the user can interrogate stored data in a manner analogous to the handling of a manual card file without having to enter any code.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
94 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the database is comprised of two species of entity, a complicate entity which can be accessed from the user/machine interface via its name or via another complicate entity and for which the format fields are automatically linked, when an access operation is selected, with a code format particular to that field, its contained data and access operation and a basic entity which can be accessed via the user/machine interface indirectly either as part of a complicate entity or via an access operation selected via a complicate entity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein, for a selected access operation in relation to an empty field, a code format is linked and executed which selects all and displays one of the set of entities having the attributes represented by the data in the non-empty fields of the entity on display and, for a selected field containing data, the entity conforming to the field and the contained data is accessed and displayed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the action display enables the selection of a FORWARD and a BACKWARD operation permitting the selective scrolling in a bidirectional mode through a selected set of entities.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the action display enables the selection of one of a plurality of field modifying operations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the information on an item(s) of basic data to be displayed and the information relating the fields with types of entities, stored in the storage means are defined according to a data model of a subject real world via a relational data model thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
308 words
A database system comprising a processor, storage, a display and input means interactive therewith, the processor executing in a complex syntax language in respect of operations concerned with the data base, the data base being composed of complicate entities which are accessible by name and can be both parent and child and basic entities which can be only children accessible from a parent complicate entity, each complicate entity comprising a particular one of a plurality of stored multiple field formats and an individual data set, the processor being arranged to interface, via the display and input means, with a user, wherein the processor includes logic, which, on the user inputting a complicate entity type and the individual name of that complicate entity, causes the processor to accesses the format for that type and the data set for that individual complicate entity, combining and displaying the same and displaying an operation menu; and which, on the user selecting an operation via the operation menu, which operation can be local to that entity or relational, causes the processor to become responsive to further inputs from the user in the appropriate one of two modes, local or relational; and logic which, if the relational mode is selected on the operational menu and a field is selected on the entity display, causes the processor to fetch a syntax structure in one to one correspondence with that field for that format, inserting parameters derived from the particular data in that field for the entity, and to execute the syntax, fetching the format and data so derived generating a next display; the processor, if the local mode is selected, performing direct processing in respect of the displayed entity, whereby, without knowledge of the data base handling syntax, a user can exercise the data base in a manner analogous to a manual card file system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
308 words
A database system comprising a processor, storage, a display and input means interactive therewith, the processor executing in a complex syntax language in respect of operations concerned with the data base, the data base being composed of complicate entities which are accessible by name and can be both parent and child and basic entities which can be only children accessible from a parent complicate entity, each complicate entity comprising a particular one of a plurality of stored multiple field formats and an individual data set, the processor being arranged to interface, via the display and input means, with a user, wherein the processor includes logic, which, on the user inputting a complicate entity type and the individual name of that complicate entity, causes the processor to accesses the format for that type and the data set for that individual complicate entity, combining and displaying the same and displaying an operation menu; and which, on the user selecting an operation via the operation menu, which operation can be local to that entity or relational, causes the processor to become responsive to further inputs from the user in the appropriate one of two modes, local or relational; and logic which, if the relational mode is selected on the operational menu and a field is selected on the entity display, causes the processor to fetch a syntax structure in one to one correspondence with that field for that format, inserting parameters derived from the particular data in that field for the entity, and to execute the syntax, fetching the format and data so derived generating a next display; the processor, if the local mode is selected, performing direct processing in respect of the displayed entity, whereby, without knowledge of the data base handling syntax, a user can exercise the data base in a manner analogous to a manual card file system.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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