US6128611A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Internet-enabled generic application program for accessing hierarchical data
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1998-04-30
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Granted: 2000-10-03
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Expires: 2018-04-30
Abstract
Abstract A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for accessing a hierarchical database. An objects framework models the database as one or more objects. An Internet-enabled generic application program accesses the database via the objects framework. The present invention introduces an Internet-enabled generic application program for accessing hierarchical databases, such as an IMS™ database, by modeling the database into an objects framework and then accessing the database via the objects framework using standard tools, such as the DL/I™ query language for the IMS™ database. The Internet-enabled generic application program dynamically builds a DL/I™ query string based on web browser inputs. The generic application program loads the objects framework to instantiate IMS™ objects and dynamically constructs DL/I™ calls to access the IMS™ database. The generic application program can be used in a number of different environments, such as: (1) DL/I™ batch processing and (2) on-line transactions including both IMS™ and CICS™ transactions. Moreover, the generic application program and objects framework can be executed in any MVS address space, including IMS™ and non-IMS™ address spaces, such as web server address spaces. With this invention, customers can continue to access their business data in IMS™ databases using the latest Internet technology, without relying on legacy application programs and without developing new application programs. Thus, the present invention offers improved IMS™ application programming productivity by supporting IMS™ business objects and data objects, by eliminating complicated DL/I™ programming, and by supporting use of object-oriented programming tools.
Inventors
- 👤 Bach Dinh Doan
- 👤 Shyh-Mei Fang Ho
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:05
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/958; G06F16/972; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/912; Y10S707/944; Y10S707/953; Y10S707/955; Y10S707/956; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S707/99939
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
79 words
A computerized apparatus for accessing a hierarchical database, comprising: (a) a computer; (b) one or more data objects that: (i) provide a direct mapping of data within the hierarchical database; and (ii) encapsulate data retrieved from the hierarchical database; (c) an objects framework, executed by the computer, for modeling the hierarchical database as the one or more data objects; and (d) an Internet-enabled generic application program, executed by the computer, for accessing the hierarchical database via the objects framework.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
79 words
A computerized apparatus for accessing a hierarchical database, comprising: (a) a computer; (b) one or more data objects that: (i) provide a direct mapping of data within the hierarchical database; and (ii) encapsulate data retrieved from the hierarchical database; (c) an objects framework, executed by the computer, for modeling the hierarchical database as the one or more data objects; and (d) an Internet-enabled generic application program, executed by the computer, for accessing the hierarchical database via the objects framework.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the objects framework comprises a C++ class library that interfaces to the application program.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the Internet-enabled generic application program further comprises means for dynamically instantiating data from the database as the one or more data objects using the objects framework.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data objects correspond to application views, database definitions, and data defined and stored in the database.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the application program dynamically loads previously defined objects into the objects framework to access the database during execution time.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an application program directly accesses the data in the database by interacting with the data object.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data object comprises a business object that provides business logic for the application program.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the business object invokes one or more methods of the data object to perform the necessary operations on the database.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the data object isolates the business object from specifics of the database.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the Internet-enabled generic application program further comprises means for accepting input from a web browser, means for dynamically constructing queries to access the database using the accepted input from the web browser, and means for generating a response to the accepted input using results from the dynamically constructed queries.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the Internet-enabled generic application program and the objects framework are executed by the computer in an address space separate from a web server.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the Internet-enabled generic application program and the objects framework are executed by the computer in a same address space as a web server.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the Internet-enabled generic application program accesses the hierarchical database via a web server executed by a second computer connected to the computer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
74 words
A computerized method for accessing a hierarchical database, comprising: (a) executing an objects framework in a computer to model the database as one or more data objects, wherein the one or more data objects: (i) provide a direct mapping of data within the hierarchical database; and (ii) encapsulate data retrieved from the hierarchical database; and (b) executing an Internet-enabled generic application program in the computer to access the hierarchical database via the objects framework.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
74 words
A computerized method for accessing a hierarchical database, comprising: (a) executing an objects framework in a computer to model the database as one or more data objects, wherein the one or more data objects: (i) provide a direct mapping of data within the hierarchical database; and (ii) encapsulate data retrieved from the hierarchical database; and (b) executing an Internet-enabled generic application program in the computer to access the hierarchical database via the objects framework.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computerized method of claim 14, wherein the objects framework comprises a C++ class library that interfaces to the application program.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computerized method of claim 14 further comprising the Internet-enabled generic application dynamically instantiating data from the database as the one or more data objects using the objects framework.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computerized method of claim 14, wherein the data objects correspond to application views, database definitions, and data defined and stored in the database.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computerized method of claim 14 further comprising the application program dynamically loading previously defined objects into the objects framework to access the database during execution time.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computerized method of claim 14 further comprising the application program directly accessing the data in the database by interacting with the data object.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computerized method of claim 14 further comprising the data object providing a business object with business logic for the application program.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The computerized method of claim 20 further comprising the business object invoking one or more methods of the data object to perform the necessary operations on the database.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computerized method of claim 20 further comprising the data object isolating the business object from specifics of the database.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
59 words
The computerized method of claim 14 further comprising: the Internet-enabled generic application program accepting input from a web browser; the Internet-enabled generic application program dynamically constructing queries to access the database using the accepted input from the web browser; and the Internet-enabled generic application program generating a response to the accepted input using results from the dynamically constructed queries.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computerized method of claim 23, wherein the Internet-enabled generic application program and the objects framework are executed by the computer in an address space separate from a web server.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
30 words
The computerized method of claim 14, wherein the Internet-enabled generic application program and the objects framework are executed by the computer in a same address space as a web server.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computerized method of claim 14, wherein the Internet-enabled generic application program accesses the hierarchical database via a web server executed by a second computer connected to the computer.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
96 words
A program storage medium readable by a computer, the medium embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for accessing a hierarchical database, the method comprising: (a) executing an objects framework in a computer to model the database as one or more data objects, wherein the one or more data objects: (i) provide a direct mapping of data within the hierarchical database; and (ii) encapsulate data retrieved from the hierarchical database; and (b) executing an Internet-enabled generic application program in the computer to access the hierarchical database via the objects framework.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
96 words
A program storage medium readable by a computer, the medium embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for accessing a hierarchical database, the method comprising: (a) executing an objects framework in a computer to model the database as one or more data objects, wherein the one or more data objects: (i) provide a direct mapping of data within the hierarchical database; and (ii) encapsulate data retrieved from the hierarchical database; and (b) executing an Internet-enabled generic application program in the computer to access the hierarchical database via the objects framework.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
22 words
The program storage medium of claim 27, wherein the objects framework comprises a C++ class library that interfaces to the application program.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
The program storage medium of claim 27, the method further comprising the Internet-enabled generic application dynamically instantiating data from the database as the one or more data objects using the objects framework.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
25 words
The program storage medium of claim 27, wherein the data objects correspond to application views, database definitions, and data defined and stored in the database.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
The program storage medium of claim 27, the method further comprising the application program dynamically loading previously defined objects into the objects framework to access the database during execution time.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
27 words
The program storage medium of claim 27, the method further comprising the application program directly accessing the data in the database by interacting with the data object.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
25 words
The program storage medium of claim 27, the method further comprising the data object providing a business object with business logic for the application program.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
31 words
The program storage medium of claim 33, the method further comprising the business object invoking one or more methods of the data object to perform the necessary operations on the database.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
23 words
The program storage medium of claim 33, the method further comprising the data object isolating the business object from specifics of the database.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
62 words
The program storage medium of claim 27, the method further comprising: the Internet-enabled generic application program accepting input from a web browser; the Internet-enabled generic application program dynamically constructing queries to access the database using the accepted input from the web browser; and the Internet-enabled generic application program generating a response to the accepted input using results from the dynamically constructed queries.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
31 words
The program storage medium of claim 36, wherein the Internet-enabled generic application program and the objects framework are executed by the computer in an address space separate from a web server.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
31 words
The program storage medium of claim 27, wherein the Internet-enabled generic application program and the objects framework are executed by the computer in a same address space as a web server.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
30 words
The program storage medium of claim 27, wherein the Internet-enabled generic application program accesses the hierarchical database via a web server executed by a second computer connected to the computer.
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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) | 2003-10-03 | 2004-04-03 | 2004-10-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-10-03 | 2008-04-03 | 2008-10-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-10-03 | 2012-04-03 | 2012-10-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |