Patent US5706502A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5706502A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Internet-enabled portfolio manager system and method
Assignee: Oracle America Inc
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Filing: 1996-03-25
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Granted: 1998-01-06
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Expires: 2016-03-25
Abstract
Abstract A portfolio management system (PMS) is disclosed that allows users to manage, create, edit, debug and compile software portfolios that can include several different types of components, or projects. For example, projects can be Java applets, standalone executable programs, image files, Java class libraries or remote Java applets. The software portfolios and/or their constituent projects can be stored on the system hosting the portfolio management system or on any remote system that can be accessed via the Internet using standard Internet communications protocols, such as FTP or HTTP. The PMS includes portfolio files, each of which includes links to the projects that compose a portfolio and project files that set out the attributes of one project. The PMS also provides portfolio methods that allow users to create, choose, import and remove entire portfolios and project methods that allow users to create, import, choose, edit, remove, run, copy and paste projects. The contents of a particular portfolio or project file determines how the PMS implements the aforementioned methods. For example, if a user wants to import a portfolio from a remote system, the PMS invokes an integrated Web browser, which downloads the desired portfolio onto the local system. The PMS also allows users to publish portfolios and projects on the Internet to be used by others within certain limits set by the publisher. For example, the publisher can restrict copying of source programs while allowing copying of executables.
Inventors
- 👤 Jill Paula Foley
- 👤 Karen Lynn Sielski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 23:27
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
A portfolio management system for portfolios of software projects that are distributed over a set of networked computers connected to the Internet, said portfolio management system being resident on a first computer of said set of networked computers and comprising: a set of portfolio files, each of a subset of said set of portfolio files representing one portfolio and including respective references to members of a set of project files, said references being selected from a file name when said project file member is local to said first computer or a URL when said project file member is remote from said first computer; each member of said set of project files respectively specifying project attributes of one member of a set of projects, said set of projects being the projects associated said one portfolio; a portfolio manager including a set of user-selectable portfolio methods that are configured to process said portfolios based on information in said portfolio files; and a Web browser that is configured to download to said portfolio manager system selected remote portfolio files from the Internet as said selected portfolio files are needed by said portfolio methods to process said portfolios.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
194 words
A portfolio management system for portfolios of software projects that are distributed over a set of networked computers connected to the Internet, said portfolio management system being resident on a first computer of said set of networked computers and comprising: a set of portfolio files, each of a subset of said set of portfolio files representing one portfolio and including respective references to members of a set of project files, said references being selected from a file name when said project file member is local to said first computer or a URL when said project file member is remote from said first computer; each member of said set of project files respectively specifying project attributes of one member of a set of projects, said set of projects being the projects associated said one portfolio; a portfolio manager including a set of user-selectable portfolio methods that are configured to process said portfolios based on information in said portfolio files; and a Web browser that is configured to download to said portfolio manager system selected remote portfolio files from the Internet as said selected portfolio files are needed by said portfolio methods to process said portfolios.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The system of claim 1, further comprising: a user interface that is configured to: display said portfolios, including the projects composing said portfolios, in a consistent fashion that is independent of location of said portfolios and projects; and enable user interaction with said portfolio methods so that the user can determine and manipulate the displayed portfolio using said portfolio methods.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
The system of claim 2, wherein a subset of said user-selectable portfolio methods comprises at least one of: a create portfolio method that is used by said portfolio manager to create portfolios; an import method that is used by said portfolio manager to import existing portfolios; a choose portfolio method that is used by said portfolio manager to designate which one of said portfolios to work with; and a remove portfolio method that is used by said portfolio manager to remove portfolios.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
106 words
The system of claim 3, further comprising: a project manager including a set of user-selectable project methods that are configured to process said projects based on said project attributes in project files respectively associated with said projects; said Web browser being further configured to download to said portfolio manager system selected remote project files from the Internet as said selected remote project files are needed by said portfolio methods and said project methods to process said projects; and said user interface being further configured to enable user interaction with said project methods so that the user can determine and manipulate displayed projects using said project methods.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 4, wherein a subset of said project attributes comprises at least one of: a project name field; a project type field; a project administrative information field; a contents field; and a run page URL field.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
The system of claim 5, wherein said project type field has a value that is selected from a group of predefined values including: "APPLET", signifying that said contents represent a Java applet; and at least one of: "STANDALONE", signifying that said contents represent a standalone executable program compiled to run on said first computer; "PACKAGE", signifying that said contents represent a Java class library; "IMAGE", signifying that said contents represent a data file; and "REMOTE", signifying that said contents represent a remote applet.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 6, wherein said contents field comprises at least one reference to a group of embedded project files.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 6, wherein said contents field comprises contents of the project associated with said project file.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 6, wherein a subset of said project methods comprises at least one of: a project create method; a project import method; a project choose method; a project edit method; a project remove method; a project run method; a project copy method; and a project paste method.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 9, further comprising: a project menu including a set of selectable options, each of a subset of said set of selectable options corresponding to one of said subset of said project methods.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
250 words
The system of claim 10, further comprising: a project create submenu associated with the project create option on said project menu, said project create submenu being displayed by said user interface when a user selects said project create option, said project create submenu allowing said user to enter said project attributes for a new project; a project choose submenu associated with the project choose option on said project menu, said project choose submenu being displayed by said user interface when a user selects said project choose option, said project choose submenu presenting a list of projects that can be chosen by said user; a project remove submenu associated with the project remove option on said project menu, said project remove submenu being displayed by said user interface when a user selects said project remove option, said project remove submenu presenting a list of projects that can be removed by said user; a project run submenu associated with the project run option on said project menu, said project run submenu being displayed by said user interface when a user selects said project run option, said project run submenu presenting a list of projects that can be run by said user; and a project edit submenu associated with the project edit option on said project menu, said project edit submenu being displayed by said user interface when a user selects said project edit option, said project run submenu presenting a list of projects whose project attributes can be edited by said user.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
191 words
A method for use in a local computer connected via the Internet with a set of remote computers, said method enabling a user of said first computer to perform software development operations on software portfolios that are collections of projects, said method comprising the steps of: displaying a set of software development icons, including a portfolio manager icon and a project manager icon; enabling said user to select one of said icons; executing a software development object corresponding to the selected software development icon, said portfolio manager and project manager icons being respectively associated with a portfolio manager software development object and a project manager software development object; displaying a set of options associated with said executing software development object that correspond to said executing object's associated software development methods; enabling said user to select one of said set of options associated with said executing software development object and to specify as said object's input a software entity selected from a portfolio or a project; said software entity not being constrained to be located solely on said local computer, and executing said selected option's associated method on said selected software entity.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
191 words
A method for use in a local computer connected via the Internet with a set of remote computers, said method enabling a user of said first computer to perform software development operations on software portfolios that are collections of projects, said method comprising the steps of: displaying a set of software development icons, including a portfolio manager icon and a project manager icon; enabling said user to select one of said icons; executing a software development object corresponding to the selected software development icon, said portfolio manager and project manager icons being respectively associated with a portfolio manager software development object and a project manager software development object; displaying a set of options associated with said executing software development object that correspond to said executing object's associated software development methods; enabling said user to select one of said set of options associated with said executing software development object and to specify as said object's input a software entity selected from a portfolio or a project; said software entity not being constrained to be located solely on said local computer, and executing said selected option's associated method on said selected software entity.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said software development methods associated with said portfolio manager object comprise at least one of: a portfolio create method; a portfolio choose method; a portfolio import method; and a portfolio remove method.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 13, wherein, when said selected option is associated with said portfolio create method, said step of executing said associated method comprises: enabling said user to enter a new name and new location for a new portfolio; and creating a new portfolio file corresponding to said new portfolio, said new portfolio having a name and location derived from said new name and new location.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
109 words
The method of claim 13, wherein, when said selected option is associated with said portfolio choose method, said step of executing said associated method comprises: displaying a choose submenu including a list of user-selectable portfolios; upon said user selecting a particular portfolio from said choose submenu: when said particular portfolio is remote, downloading a remote portfolio file corresponding to said selected portfolio via the Internet and enabling said user to work with projects referenced in said remote portfolio file; when said particular portfolio is local, accessing a local portfolio file corresponding to said selected portfolio and enabling said user to work with projects referenced in said local portfolio file.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
97 words
The method of claim 13, wherein, when said selected option is associated with said portfolio import method, said step of executing said associated method comprises: enabling said user to enter a name and location for an imported portfolio, said location being selected from remote or local; when said location is remote, accessing a remote portfolio file corresponding to said imported portfolio via the Internet and making said imported portfolio available to said user; and when said location is local, accessing a local portfolio file corresponding to said imported portfolio and making said imported portfolio available to users.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 13, wherein, when said selected option is associated with said portfolio remove method, said step of executing said associated method comprises: displaying a remove submenu including a list of upon said user-selectable portfolios; upon said user selecting a particular portfolio from said choose submenu, making said particular portfolio unavailable to users.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said software development methods associated with said project manager object comprise at least one of: a project create method; a project import method; a project choose method; a project edit method; a project remove method; a project run method; a project copy method; and a project paste method.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
185 words
The method of claim 18, wherein, when said selected option is associated with said project create method, said step of executing said associated method comprises: displaying a project create menu on which said user enters attributes of a new project, said attributes including a project type name and location, said project type being selected from a predefined set of values including applet and at least one of standalone program, Java package, image file and remote applet; writing said attributes to a new project file having a project file name and location that are derived from said project name and location; when said project type is selected from said applet, standalone program or Java package values: enabling said user to enter source code links to source code files associated with said new project; and writing said source code links to said new project file; and writing into a particular portfolio file associated with a particular portfolio of which said project is a component, said project name and project location so that said project can be accessed via said particular portfolio by said portfolio and project methods.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
116 words
The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of: when said project type is entered by said user as said remote applet value, enabling said user to enter a project URL identifying a remote applet and a run page URL identifying the URL of an HTML page that includes an applet tag referencing said remote applet; and writing said project URL and run page URL to said new project file; so that, when a user runs said new project using said run method, said HTML page identified by said run page URL is downloaded to and executed by said local computer, which, under control of said executing HTML page, downloads and runs said remote applet.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
125 words
The method of claim 18, wherein, when said selected option is associated with said project import method, said step of executing said associated method comprises: enabling said user to enter a name and location for an imported project, said location being selected from remote or local; when said location is remote, accessing a remote project file corresponding to said imported project via the Internet; when said location is local, accessing a local project file corresponding to said imported project; and adding a reference to the imported project's project file to a particular portfolio file associated with a particular portfolio of which said imported project is a component so that said imported project can be accessed from said particular portfolio by said portfolio and project methods.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
105 words
The method of claim 18, wherein: when said selected option is associated with said project copy method, said step of executing said associated method comprises: copying contents of a first user-selected project to a clipboard; and when said selected option is associated with said project paste method, said step of executing said associated method comprises: pasting contents of said clipboard into a second, user-specified project; such that, when said first user-selected project has a project type of applet and said copying step is following by said pasting step, said pasting step comprises writing said clipboard contents to said second project using an HTML applet tag.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
98 words
The method of claim 18, wherein: when said selected option is associated with said project run method, said stop of executing said associated method comprises: enabling a user to select an executable project to be run; and when said executable project has a project type value of applet and has an associated project file that does not specify a run page URL for an HTML page that is configured to execute said executable project, generating a new HTML page containing an applet tag with tag attributes and tag parameters based on said project attributes of said executable project.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of: running said new HTML page in said local computer, said local computer subsequently loading and executing said executable project under control of said HTML page.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
216 words
In a set of networked computers connected to the Internet that includes a first computer and a subset of remote computers, a computer-readable memory configured to direct said first computer to process software portfolios that can be located on said remote computers and whose components, or projects, can be distributed across said remote computers, said computer-readable memory comprising: a set of portfolio files, each of a subset of said set of portfolio files representing one portfolio and including respective references to members of a set of project files, said references being selected from a file name when said project file member is local to said first computer or a URL when said project file member is remote from said first computer; each member of said set of project files respectively specifying project attributes of one member of a set of projects, said set of projects being the projects associated said one portfolio; an executable portfolio manager object including a set of user-selectable portfolio methods that are configured to direct said first computer to process said portfolios based on information in said portfolio files; and an executable browser object that is configured to direct said first computer to download selected remote portfolio files from the Internet as said selected portfolio files are needed by said portfolio methods.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
216 words
In a set of networked computers connected to the Internet that includes a first computer and a subset of remote computers, a computer-readable memory configured to direct said first computer to process software portfolios that can be located on said remote computers and whose components, or projects, can be distributed across said remote computers, said computer-readable memory comprising: a set of portfolio files, each of a subset of said set of portfolio files representing one portfolio and including respective references to members of a set of project files, said references being selected from a file name when said project file member is local to said first computer or a URL when said project file member is remote from said first computer; each member of said set of project files respectively specifying project attributes of one member of a set of projects, said set of projects being the projects associated said one portfolio; an executable portfolio manager object including a set of user-selectable portfolio methods that are configured to direct said first computer to process said portfolios based on information in said portfolio files; and an executable browser object that is configured to direct said first computer to download selected remote portfolio files from the Internet as said selected portfolio files are needed by said portfolio methods.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
73 words
The computer-readable memory of claim 25, further comprising: an executable user interface object that is configured to: direct said first computer to display said portfolios, including the projects composing said portfolios, in a consistent fashion that is independent of location of said portfolios and projects; and direct said first computer to enable user interaction with said portfolio methods so that the user can determine and manipulate the displayed portfolio using said portfolio methods.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
83 words
The computer-readable memory of claim 26, wherein a subset of said user-selectable portfolio methods comprises at least one of: a create portfolio method that is used by said portfolio manager to create portfolios; an import method that is used by said portfolio manager to import existing portfolios; a choose portfolio method that is used by said portfolio manager to designate which one of said portfolios to work with; and a remove portfolio method that is used by said portfolio manager to remove portfolios.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
104 words
The computer-readable memory of claim 27, further comprising: a project manager including a set of user-selectable project methods that are configured to process said projects based on said project attributes in project files respectively associated with said projects; said browser being further configured to download to said memory selected remote project files from the Internet as said selected remote project files are needed by said portfolio methods and said project methods to process said projects; and said user interface being further configured to enable user interaction with said project methods so that the user can determine and manipulate displayed projects using said project methods.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
40 words
The computer-readable memory of claim 28, wherein a subset of said project attributes comprises at least one of: a project name field; a project type field; a project administrative information field; a contents field; and a run page URL field.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
85 words
The computer-readable memory of claim 29, wherein said project type field has a value that is selected from a group of predefined values that includes: "APPLET", signifying that said contents represent a Java applet; and at least one of: "STANDALONE", signifying that said contents represent a standalone executable program compiled to run on said first computer; "PACKAGE", signifying that said contents represent a Java class library; "IMAGE", signifying that said contents represent a data file; and "REMOTE", signifying that said contents represent a remote applet.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer-readable memory of claim 30, wherein said contents field comprises: at least one reference to a group of embedded project files.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer-readable memory of claim 30, wherein said contents field comprises: contents of the project associated with said project file.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
51 words
The computer-readable memory of claim 30, wherein a subset of said project methods comprises at least one of: a project create method; a project import method; a project choose method; a project edit method; a project remove method; a project run method; a project copy method; and a project paste method.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer-readable memory of claim 33, further comprising: a project menu including a set of selectable options, each of a subset of said set of selectable options corresponding to one of said subset of said project methods.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
251 words
The computer-readable memory of claim 34, further comprising: a project create submenu associated with the project create option on said project menu, said project create submenu being displayed by said user interface when a user selects said project create option, said project create submenu allowing said user to enter said project attributes for a new project; a project choose submenu associated with the project choose option on said project menu, said project choose submenu being displayed by said user interface when a user selects said project choose option, said project choose submenu presenting a list of projects that can be chosen by said user; a project remove submenu associated with the project remove option on said project menu, said project remove submenu being displayed by said user interface when a user selects said project remove option, said project remove submenu presenting a list of projects that can be removed by said user; a project run submenu associated with the project run option on said project menu, said project run submenu being displayed by said user interface when a user selects said project run option, said project run submenu presenting a list of projects that can be run by said user; and a project edit submenu associated with the project edit option on said project menu, said project edit submenu being displayed by said user interface when a user selects said project edit option, said project edit submenu presenting a list of projects whose project attributes can be edited by said user.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
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| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-01-05 | 2009-07-07 | 2010-01-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |