US5737592A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Accessing a relational database over the Internet using macro language files
Assignee: Cisco Technology Inc
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Filing: 1995-06-19
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Granted: 1998-04-07
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Expires: 2015-06-19
Abstract
Abstract The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for executing SQL queries in a relational database management system via the World Wide Web of the Internet. In accordance with the present invention, Web users can request information from RDBMS software via HTML input forms, which request is then used to create an SQL statement for execution by the RDBMS software. The results output by the RDBMS software are themselves transformed into HTML format for presentation to the Web user.
Inventors
- 👤 Tam Minh Nguyen
- 👤 Venkatachary Srinivasan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 09:37
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/958; G06F16/972; G06F16/20; G06F16/28; G06F16/284; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
A method for executing Structured Query Language (SQL) queries in a computer-implemented relational database management system via a network, comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) input form to a browser executed by a client computer in the network for display on a monitor attached thereto; (b) receiving a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request from the browser to access the relational database, wherein the request includes data entered by the user into the HTML input form; (c) substituting the data entered by the user into the HTML input form into a dynamic SQL query using a common name space, wherein the common name space comprises variables found in both the dynamic SQL query and the HTML input form; (d) transmitting the SQL query to a relational database management system for execution; (e) receiving an output table from the relational database management system in response to the transmitted SQL query; (f) merging the output table from the relational database management system into an HTML report form; and (g) transmitting the HTML report form to the browser for display on the monitor attached to the client computer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
189 words
A method for executing Structured Query Language (SQL) queries in a computer-implemented relational database management system via a network, comprising the steps of: (a) transmitting a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) input form to a browser executed by a client computer in the network for display on a monitor attached thereto; (b) receiving a HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request from the browser to access the relational database, wherein the request includes data entered by the user into the HTML input form; (c) substituting the data entered by the user into the HTML input form into a dynamic SQL query using a common name space, wherein the common name space comprises variables found in both the dynamic SQL query and the HTML input form; (d) transmitting the SQL query to a relational database management system for execution; (e) receiving an output table from the relational database management system in response to the transmitted SQL query; (f) merging the output table from the relational database management system into an HTML report form; and (g) transmitting the HTML report form to the browser for display on the monitor attached to the client computer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 above, wherein the merging step comprises the step of merging the output table from the relational database management system into an HTML report form using a common name space, wherein the common name space comprises variables found in both the output table and the HTML report form.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 above, wherein the HTML input form, dynamic SQL query and HTML report form are stored in a macro language file.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 3 above, wherein the macro language comprises an SQL command section, an HTML input form section, and an HTML report form section.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of variable substitution in a macro language file, comprising the steps of: (a) reading a macro language file containing both Structured Query Language (SQL) and HyperText Markup Language (HTML) statements; (b) parsing each of the SQL and HTML statements to identify definitions and uses of variables in the SQL and HTML statements; and (c) substituting values assigned to the variables from the definitions of the variables to the uses of the variables at the time that the SQL and HTML statements are processed.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
85 words
A method of variable substitution in a macro language file, comprising the steps of: (a) reading a macro language file containing both Structured Query Language (SQL) and HyperText Markup Language (HTML) statements; (b) parsing each of the SQL and HTML statements to identify definitions and uses of variables in the SQL and HTML statements; and (c) substituting values assigned to the variables from the definitions of the variables to the uses of the variables at the time that the SQL and HTML statements are processed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
101 words
The method of claim 5 above, wherein the substituting step comprises the steps of: (1) looking up definitions of variables in a variable substitution table when an SQL or HTML statement containing the variable is processed; (2) if the variable is present in the variable substitution table, then substituting the value from the variable substitution table into the SQL or HTML statements; and (3) if the variable is not present in the variable substitution table, then leaving the variable name intact in the SQL or HTML statement until a next time that the SQL or HTML is processed by the system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method is defined is claim 6 above, wherein the substituting step further comprises performing the substitution step recursively.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of creating a macro language file, comprising the steps of: (a) creating a macro language file to contain both Structured Query Language (SQL) statements and HyperText Markup Language statements (HTML); (b) defining one or more variables in the macro language file; (c) using the defined variables in both the SQL and HTML statements in the macro language file to represent a common name space for both data retrieval and display presentation; and (d) storing the macro language file containing both the SQL and HTML statements to a data storage device.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
92 words
A method of creating a macro language file, comprising the steps of: (a) creating a macro language file to contain both Structured Query Language (SQL) statements and HyperText Markup Language statements (HTML); (b) defining one or more variables in the macro language file; (c) using the defined variables in both the SQL and HTML statements in the macro language file to represent a common name space for both data retrieval and display presentation; and (d) storing the macro language file containing both the SQL and HTML statements to a data storage device.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of retrieving data from a relational database, comprising the steps of: (a) retrieving a macro language file containing both Structured Query Language (SQL) statements and HyperText Markup Language (HTML) statements from a data storage device; (b) transmitting the SQL statements to a relational database management system, wherein the relational database management system performs the SQL statements to generate an output result table; and (c) receiving the output result table from the relational database management system; and (d) mapping the output result table into the HTML statements of the macro language file using a common name space, wherein variable names identified in the HTML statements correspond to variable names identified in the SQL statements.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
115 words
A method of retrieving data from a relational database, comprising the steps of: (a) retrieving a macro language file containing both Structured Query Language (SQL) statements and HyperText Markup Language (HTML) statements from a data storage device; (b) transmitting the SQL statements to a relational database management system, wherein the relational database management system performs the SQL statements to generate an output result table; and (c) receiving the output result table from the relational database management system; and (d) mapping the output result table into the HTML statements of the macro language file using a common name space, wherein variable names identified in the HTML statements correspond to variable names identified in the SQL statements.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 9 above, wherein the common name space comprises predefined variables associated with output table columns.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 9 above, wherein the common name space comprises variables associated with output table columns.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 9 above, wherein the common name space comprises output table column names.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-04-06 | 2001-10-06 | 2002-04-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-04-06 | 2005-10-06 | 2006-04-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-04-06 | 2009-10-06 | 2010-04-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |