US5802352A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for separating data retrieval and presentation in an object-oriented reporting system
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1996-03-18
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Granted: 1998-09-01
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Expires: 2016-03-18
Abstract
Abstract A report is generated in an object oriented software environment. A report iterator and a data iterator must have communications there between. The report iterator includes a report group header, a report group body having at least one report field, and a report group footer. Dependency is created between the contents of the report fields and an attribute of the current object. As a result of the communications established, a plurality of objects are stepped through sequentially. The dependency system is signalled each time the current object has changed. Each time the current object has changed, a new value is sent to a report field in the report group body.
Inventors
- 👤 Jenny Ming Chow
- 👤 Susan Franklin Griffin
- 👤 Martin Paul Nally
- 👤 Lawrence Scott Rich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 21:38
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/166; G06F40/183; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of generating a report in an object-oriented software environment, comprising the steps of: laying out a report iterator including a report group header, a report group body having at least one report field, and a report group footer; enabling communication between said report iterator and a data iterator; creating a dependency between contents of said at least one report field and an attribute of a current object; stepping sequentially through a plurality of objects including said current object as a result of said communication; signalling a dependency system that said current object of said plurality of objects has changed; and sending a new value each time said current object has changed to a report field of said report group body.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of generating a report in an object-oriented software environment, comprising the steps of: laying out a report iterator including a report group header, a report group body having at least one report field, and a report group footer; enabling communication between said report iterator and a data iterator; creating a dependency between contents of said at least one report field and an attribute of a current object; stepping sequentially through a plurality of objects including said current object as a result of said communication; signalling a dependency system that said current object of said plurality of objects has changed; and sending a new value each time said current object has changed to a report field of said report group body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of creating a dependency comprises: instructing an object to respond when a predetermined attribute thereof changes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said step of creating a dependency comprises the steps of: Selecting-a source object; selecting a source object attribute; selecting a target object; selecting a target object attribute; and connecting said source object attribute and said target object attribute with a line to visually indicate a connection therebetween.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 3, wherein said step of enabling communication comprises: connecting an iterator attribute of said report iterator to a self attribute of said data iterator.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
131 words
A system for generating a report in an object-oriented software environment, comprising: means for laying out a report iterator including a report group header, a report group body having at least one report field, and a report group footer; means for enabling communication between said report iterator and a data iterator; means for creating a dependency between contents of said at least one report field and an attribute of a current object; means for stepping sequentially through a plurality of objects including said current object as a result of said communication; means for signalling a dependency system that said current object of said plurality of objects has changed; and means for sending a new value each time said current object has changed to a report field of said report group body.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
131 words
A system for generating a report in an object-oriented software environment, comprising: means for laying out a report iterator including a report group header, a report group body having at least one report field, and a report group footer; means for enabling communication between said report iterator and a data iterator; means for creating a dependency between contents of said at least one report field and an attribute of a current object; means for stepping sequentially through a plurality of objects including said current object as a result of said communication; means for signalling a dependency system that said current object of said plurality of objects has changed; and means for sending a new value each time said current object has changed to a report field of said report group body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 5, wherein said means for creating a dependency comprises: means for instructing an object to respond when a predetermined attribute thereof changes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
The system of claim 5, wherein said means for creating a dependency comprises: means for selecting a source object; means for selecting a source object attribute; means for selecting a target object; means for selecting a target object attribute; and means for connecting said source object attribute and said target object attribute with a line to visually indicate a connection therebetween.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 7, wherein said means for enabling communication comprises: means for connecting an iterator attribute of said report iterator to a self attribute of said data iterator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
162 words
A computer program product for generating a report in an object-oriented software environment, comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for laying out a report iterator including a report group header, a report group body having at least one report field, and a report group footer; computer readable program code means for enabling communication between said report iterator and a data iterator; computer readable code means for creating a dependency between contents of said at least one report field and an attribute of a current object; computer readable code means for stepping sequentially through a plurality of objects including said current object as a result of said communication; computer readable code means for signalling a dependency system that said current object of said plurality of objects has changed; and computer readable code means for sending a new value each time said current object has changed to a report field of said report group body.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
162 words
A computer program product for generating a report in an object-oriented software environment, comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for laying out a report iterator including a report group header, a report group body having at least one report field, and a report group footer; computer readable program code means for enabling communication between said report iterator and a data iterator; computer readable code means for creating a dependency between contents of said at least one report field and an attribute of a current object; computer readable code means for stepping sequentially through a plurality of objects including said current object as a result of said communication; computer readable code means for signalling a dependency system that said current object of said plurality of objects has changed; and computer readable code means for sending a new value each time said current object has changed to a report field of said report group body.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
The computer program product for generating a report in an object-oriented software environment of claim 9, wherein said computer readable code means for creating a dependency comprises: computer readable code means for instructing an object to respond when a predetermined attribute thereof changes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
90 words
The computer program product for generating a report in an object-oriented software environment of claim 9, wherein said computer readable code means for creating a dependency comprises: computer readable code means for selecting a source object; computer readable code means for selecting a source object attribute; computer readable code means for selecting a target object; computer readable code means for selecting a target object attribute; and computer readable code means for connecting said source object attribute and said target object attribute with a line to visually indicate a connection therebetween.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
47 words
The computer program product for generating a report in an object-oriented software environment of claim 11, wherein said computer readable code means for enabling communication comprises: computer readable code means for connecting an iterator attribute of said report iterator to a self attribute of said data iterator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer program product for generating a report in an object-oriented software environment of claim 12, further comprising: computer readable code means for implementing an abtStepMessage protocol and an abtResetMessage protocol.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5263167A
Cited
US5664182A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-08-31 | 2002-03-02 | 2002-09-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-08-31 | 2006-03-02 | 2006-09-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-08-31 | 2010-03-02 | 2010-09-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |