Information management system

Claim 2

An information management system, comprising: structure management means for storing a structure management table having a record containing a record pointer to a higher record than said record in a predetermined high-low relationship; and entity management means for storing an entity management table having records each containing an item pointer to an information item and said record pointer in said structure management table representing a connection relationship among said records in said entity management table, wherein information management is performed by using said structure management means and said entity management means in combination.

Claim 3

An information management system for allocating unique identifiers to individual information items for information management, said information system comprising: structure management means for storing a structure management table having a record containing a pointer to a higher record than said record in a predetermined high-low relationship; and entity management means for storing an entity management table having a record containing a pointer to an information item, wherein information management is performed by using said structure management means and said entity management means in combination; wherein said structure management table in said structure management means comprises records corresponding to types of the individual information items, each of said records storing pointers to high-rank and low-rank records that have the high-low relationship with each said record and a pointer to one of front-rank and rear-rank records that are in the same rank in said high-low relationship as each said record, wherein said entity management table in said entity management means comprises records each storing a label corresponding to a respective one of said records in said structure management table, an identifier for one of the individual information items corresponding to said label, pointers to low-rank and rear-rank records corresponding to a structure of said management table, and a pointer to said one of the individual information item corresponding to said identifier, and further including identifier management means for storing a pair of said identifier and a pointer, said identifier corresponding to said label of one of said records in said entity management table and said pointer pointing to said one of said records in said entity management table which corresponds to said identifier corresponding to said structure management table, and wherein information is managed by using said structure management means and said entity management means through intermediation of said identifier management means.

Claim 4

An information management system for allocating unique identifiers to individual information items for information management, said information system comprising: structure management means for storing a structure management table having a record containing a pointer to a higher record than said record in a predetermined high-low relationship; and entity management means for storing an entity management table having a record containing a pointer to an information item, wherein information management is performed by using said structure management means and said entity management means in combination; wherein said structure management table in said structure management means comprises records corresponding to types of the individual information items, each of said records storing pointers to high-rank and low-rank records that have the high-low relationship with each said record and a pointer to one of front-rank and rear-rank records that are in the same rank in said high-low relationship as each said record, wherein said entity management table in said entity management means comprises records each storing a label corresponding to a respective one of said records in said structure management table, an identifier for one of the individual information items corresponding to said label, pointers to low-rank and rear-rank records corresponding to a structure of said management table, and a pointer to said one of the individual information item corresponding to said identifier, and further including identifier management means for storing a pair of said identifier and a pointer, said identifier corresponding to said label of one of said records in said entity management table and said pointer pointing to said one of said records in said entity management table which corresponds to said identifier corresponding to said structure management table, and wherein information is managed by using said structure management means and said entity management means through intermediation of said identifier management means.

Claim 5

An information management system for allocating unique identifiers to individual information items for information management, said information management system comprising: structure management means for storing a structure management table having a record containing a pointer to a higher record than said record in a predetermined high-low relationship; and entity management means for storing an entity management table having a record containing a pointer to an information item, wherein information management is performed by using said structure management means and said entity management means in combination, wherein said structure management table in said structure management means comprises records corresponding to types of the individual information items, each of said records storing pointers to high-rank and low-rank records that have the high-low relationship with each said record and a pointer to one of front-rank and rear-rank records that are in the same rank in said high-low relationship as each said record, wherein said entity management table in said entity management means comprises records each storing a label corresponding to a respective one of said records in said structure management table, an identifier for one of the individual information items corresponding to said label, pointers to low-rank and rear-rank records corresponding to a structure of said management table, and a pointer to said one of the individual information item corresponding to said identifier, and further including identifier management means for storing a pair of said identifier and a pointer, said identifier corresponding to said label of one of said records in said entity management table and said pointer pointing to said one of said records in said entity management table which corresponds to said identifier corresponding to said structure management table, wherein information is managed by using said structure management means and said entity management means through intermediation of said identifier management means, and wherein said structure management means stores more than one structure management tables and has a nexus structure management table for managing a relationship among said plurality of structure management tables, and wherein said information management system allows one of said structure management tables to make an access to another structure management table via said nexus structure management table for data retrieval.

Claim 6

An information management system for allocating unique identifiers to individual information items for information management, said information management system comprising: structure management means for storing a structure management table having a record containing a pointer to a higher record than said record in a predetermined high-low relationship; and entity management means for storing an entity management table having a record containing a pointer to an information item, wherein information management is performed by using said structure management means and said entity management means in combination, wherein said structure management table in said structure management means comprises records corresponding to types of the individual information items, each of said records storing pointers to high-rank and low-rank records that have the high-low relationship with each said record and a pointer to one of front-rank and rear-rank records that are in the same rank in said high-low relationship as each said record, wherein said entity management table in said entity management means comprises records each storing a label corresponding to a respective one of said records in said structure management table, an identifier for one of the individual information items corresponding to said label, pointers to low-rank and rear-rank records corresponding to a structure of said management table, and a pointer to said one of the individual information item corresponding to said identifier, and further including identifier management means for storing a pair of said identifier and a pointer, said identifier corresponding to said label of one of said records in said entity management table and said pointer pointing to said one of said records in said entity management table which corresponds to said identifier corresponding to said structure management table, wherein information is managed by using said structure management means and said entity management means through intermediation of said identifier management means, and wherein said structure management means stores more than one structure management tables and has a nexus structure management table for managing a relationship among said plurality of structure management tables, and wherein said information management system allows one of said structure management tables to make an access to another structure management table via said nexus structure management table for data retrieval.

Claim 7

An information management system for allocating unique identifiers to individual information items for information management, said information management system comprising: structure management means for storing a structure management table having a record containing a pointer to a higher record than said record in a predetermined high-low relationship; and entity management means for storing an entity management table having a record containing a pointer to an information item, wherein information management is performed by using said structure management means and said entity management means in combination, wherein said structure management table in said structure management means comprises records corresponding to types of the individual information items, each of said records storing pointers to high-rank and low-rank records that have the high-low relationship with each said record and a pointer to one of front-rank and rear-rank records that are in the same rank in said high-low relationship as each said record, wherein said entity management table in said entity management means comprises records each storing a label corresponding to a respective one of said records in said structure management table, an identifier for one of the individual information items corresponding to said label, pointers to low-rank and rear-rank records corresponding to a structure of said management table, and a pointer to said one of the individual information item corresponding to said identifier, and further including identifier management means for storing a pair of said identifier and a pointer, said identifier corresponding to said label of one of said records in said entity management table and said pointer pointing to said one of said records in said entity management table which corresponds to said identifier corresponding to said structure management table, wherein information is managed by using said structure management means and said entity management means through intermediation of said identifier management means, and wherein said entity management means comprises one or more entity management tables including that entity management table in which said pointer to an information item corresponding to said identifier is not stored, and said structure management means comprises one or more structure management tables including that structure management table corresponding in structure to said entity management table in which said pointer to an entity information item corresponding to said identifier is not stored.

Claim 8

An information management system for allocating unique identifiers to individual information items for information management, said information management system comprising: structure management means for storing a structure management table having a record containing a pointer to a higher record than said record in a predetermined high-low relationship; and entity management means for storing an entity management table having a record containing a pointer to an information item, wherein information management is performed by using said structure management means and said entity management means in combination, wherein said structure management table in said structure management means comprises records corresponding to types of the individual information items, each of said records storing pointers to high-rank and low-rank records that have the high-low relationship with each said record and a pointer to one of front-rank and rear-rank records that are in the same rank in said high-low relationship as each said record, wherein said entity management table in said entity management means comprises records each storing a label corresponding to a respective one of said records in said structure management table, an identifier for one of the individual information items corresponding to said label, pointers to low-rank and rear-rank records corresponding to a structure of said management table, and a pointer to said one of the individual information item corresponding to said identifier, and further including identifier management means for storing a pair of said identifier and a pointer, said identifier corresponding to said label of one of said records in said entity management table and said pointer pointing to said one of said records in said entity management table which corresponds to said identifier corresponding to said structure management table, wherein information is managed by using said structure management means and said entity management means through intermediation of said identifier management means, and wherein said entity management means comprises one or more entity management tables including that entity management table in which said pointer to an information item corresponding to said identifier is not stored, and said structure management means comprises one or more structure management tables including that structure management table corresponding in structure to said entity management table in which said pointer to an entity information item corresponding to said identifier is not stored.

Claim 9

An information management system according to claim 2, wherein said identifier management means stores an identifier management table which comprises a structure management table name table for storing names of one or more structure management tables, a label retrieval table pointed to by an entry of a structure management table name in said structure management table name table and storing each label of each of records in one of entity management tables that corresponds to said entry, and an identifier list pointed to by an entry of a label in said label retrieval table and storing a pair of said identifier of said individual information item corresponding to each of labels and said pointer to a record in said entity management table which corresponds to said individual information item.

Claim 10

A process schedule control system for performing a process schedule control by using said information management system as defined in claim 2, further comprising: policy definition means for performing a policy definition including a definition of said structure management table required for said process schedule control; project definition means for performing a project definition including a definition of said entity management table corresponding to one or more structure management tables defined by said policy definition means; and work flow management means for controlling processes using said structure management table and said entity management table defined by said policy definition means and said project definition means, and said identifier management means.

Claim 11

A process schedule control system according to claim 6, wherein said work flow management means checks a condition of work in said processes and gives a working instruction according to said condition to a worker by using said structure management table, said entity management table and said identifier management means.

Claim 12

A process schedule control system according to claim 7, further comprising: standard report means for generating a report on a result of said work by using said structure management table, said entity management table and said identifier management means; and special report means for managing a history of said work and generating a report on the history in response to an inquiry.

Claim 13

A process schedule control system according to claim 6, wherein said identifier management means stores an identifier management table which comprises a structure management table name table for storing names of one or more structure management tables, a label retrieval table pointed to by an entry of a structure management table name in said structure management table name table and storing each label of each of records in one of entity management tables that corresponds to said entry, and an identifier list pointed to by an entry of a label in said label retrieval table and storing a pair of said identifier of said individual information item corresponding to each of labels and said pointer to a record in said entity management table which corresponds to said individual information item.

Claim 14

A process schedule control system according to claim 9, wherein a process label for initiating a program is stored in each of said records of said one or more structure management tables, and said program executes a process corresponding to each said record.

Claim 15

An information retrieval method for a first information item related to a second information item whose corresponding identifier is already known, said first and second information items being stored in said information management system as defined in claim 5, said method comprising the steps of: finding a type of an information item that is before or above a type of said second information in rank and is before or above a type of said first information item in rank in a nexus structure management table which is one of said structure management tables and indicates a structure of a relationship among said individual information items including a relationship between said first and second information items; retrieving the type of said information found in said label retrieval table pointed to by an entry of said nexus structure management table in said structure management table name table; finding a record that is above a record storing said identifier corresponding to said second information item from records in said entity management table which are sequentially pointed to by pointers stored in said identifier list pointed to by an entry of a label retrieved in said label retrieval table; finding an identifier stored in a record which is below in rank said record found and corresponds to the type of said first information; finding a label of the type of said first information item in a label retrieval table pointed to by an entry of structure management table names stored in said structure management table name table; finding an identifier that matches said identifier found from said identifier list pointed to by an entry of said label found; finding said first information item using a pointer to said first information item stored in a record in said entity management table pointed to by a pointer that corresponds to said matched identifier when there is a match; and repeating, when there is no match, the step of finding the label of the type of said first information item in a label retrieval table pointed to by an entry of structure management table names stored in said structure management table name table.

Claim 16

An information management system for managing individual information items, comprising: entity management means for managing records corresponding to said individual information items, one of said records including type information indicating a type of one of said individual information items; and structure management means for storing records corresponding to said type information and for managing a connection relationship among said individual information items using a connection relationship among said records corresponding to said type information, said information management system managing said individual information items by using said entity management means and said structure management means.

Claim 17

An information management system for managing individual information items, comprising: entity management means for managing records corresponding to said individual information items, one of said records including type information indicating a type of one of said individual information items; and structure management means for storing records corresponding to said type information and for managing a connection relationship among said individual information items using a connection relationship among said records corresponding to said type information, said information management system managing said individual information items by using said entity management means and said structure management means.

Claim 18

An information management system for managing individual information items, comprising: entity management means for managing records corresponding to said individual information items, one of said records including type information indicating a type of one of said individual information items; and structure management means for storing records corresponding to said type information and for managing a connection relationship among said individual information items using a connection relationship among said records corresponding to said type information; wherein said entity management means stores a record having a pointer to a lower record and a pointer to one of said individual information items, and said structure management means stores a data record having a pointer to a higher data record and corresponding to the type information; and said information management system manages said individual information items by using said entity management means and said structure management means.

Claim 19

An information management system for managing individual information items, comprising: entity management means for managing records corresponding to said individual information items, one of said records including type information indicating a type of one of said individual information items; and structure management means for storing records corresponding to said type information and for managing a connection relationship among said individual information items using a connection relationship among said records corresponding to said type information; wherein said entity management means stores a record having a pointer to a lower record and a pointer to one of said individual information items, and said structure management means stores a data record having a pointer to a higher data record and corresponding to the type information; and said information management system manages said individual information items by using said entity management means and said structure management means.

Claim 20

An information management system according to claim 13, wherein said record stored in said entity management means has an identifier for identifying said individual information items, and further comprising identifier management means for storing a pair of said identifier and a pointer to a record in said entity management means corresponding to said identifier, whereby said individual information items are managed by using said structure management means and said entity management means through intermediation of said identifier management means.

Claim 21

An information management system for managing individual information items, comprising: entity management means for managing records corresponding to said individual information items, one of said records including type information indicating a type of one of said individual information items; and structure management means for storing records corresponding to said type information and for managing a connection relationship among said individual information items using a connection relationship among said records corresponding to said type information; wherein said entity management means stores a record having a pointer to a lower record and a pointer to one of said individual information items, and said structure management means stores a record having a pointer to another record in the same rank in a high-low relationship as said record and corresponding to the type information; and said information management system manages said individual information items by using said entity management means and said structure management means.

Claim 22

An information management system for managing individual information items, comprising: entity management means for managing records corresponding to said individual information items, one of said records including type information indicating a type of one of said individual information items; and structure management means for storing records corresponding to said type information and for managing a connection relationship among said individual information items using a connection relationship among said records corresponding to said type information; wherein said entity management means stores a record having a pointer to a lower record and a pointer to one of said individual information items, and said structure management means stores a record having a pointer to another record in the same rank in a high-low relationship as said record and corresponding to the type information; and said information management system manages said individual information items by using said entity management means and said structure management means.

Claim 25

An information management method according to claim 16, further comprising steps of: assigning an identifier to said one of said individual information items; attaching said identifier to said record; managing a pair of said identifier and a pointer to said record to which said identifier is attached for each of types of said individual information items; and managing said individual information items using said identifier.

Claim 26

An information management method according to claim 17, further comprising steps of: finding said higher data item pointed to by said pointer to said higher data item in generated data items; finding a record corresponding to said higher data item; finding a lower record pointed to by said pointer to said lower record in generated records; finding an identifier attached to said record pointed to by said lower record; finding another record attached with said identifier found; and retrieving one of said individual information items pointed to from a record which is lower than said another record in rank.

Claim 27

A computer-readable storage medium, when used by a computer for managing individual information items, used to direct said computer to perform the functions of: generating a record having a record pointer to a lower record and an item pointer to one of said individual information items; generating a data item having a higher item pointer to a higher data item than said data item in a predetermined high-low relationship, representing a type of one of said information items and representing a connection relationship among said records using said record pointer to said lower record and said item pointer to said higher data item; and managing said individual information items using said record and said data item.

Claim 28

A computer-readable storage medium, when used by a computer for managing individual information items, used to direct said computer to perform the functions of: generating a record having a record pointer to a lower record and an item pointer to one of said individual information items; generating a data item having a higher item pointer to a higher data item than said data item in a predetermined high-low relationship, representing a type of one of said information items and representing a connection relationship among said records using said record pointer to said lower record and said item pointer to said higher data item; and managing said individual information items using said record and said data item.