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US6161125A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Generic schema for storing configuration information on a client computer

Assignee: Oracle America Inc
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Filing: 1998-05-14
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Granted: 2000-12-12
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Expires: 2018-05-14
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Abstract

Abstract Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing a data framework and associated client/server protocol for storing and exchanging data among computers in a network. A data schema having an n-way tree-type structure with a root node layer, intermediate node layers, and a data layer for storing configuration data is described. The intermediate node layers contain a multitude of nodes containing categorical information relating to components and various aspects of the computer network. Following a tree structure, each intermediate node and root node has branches emanating to nodes below it. These subordinate nodes are referred to as children nodes. The data node layer is at the bottom of the tree and contains actual specific configuration data relating to components and other aspects of the computer network, such as information regarding users registered to use the network. Certain portions of the intermediate nodes and data nodes make up persistent dataspaces in which the actual specific configuration data in the data nodes is modified on either a client or a server computer, and is stored on the server computer. This allows the associated specific information to be nonvolatile and accessible by a multiplicity of client computers. The client/server protocol allows configuration data to be transferred between a client and server and for the maintenance of the connection between the client and the server. Configuration data and user profiles are stored on a server computer thereby minimizing the amount of memory needed by the client computer, which can be a device with low memory capabilities such as network computers, PDAs, or smart cards. The protocol also includes a method of coalescing configuration data before sending it to a client computer thereby reducing the memory requirements of the client computer.

Inventors

  • 👤 Bernard A. Traversat
  • 👤 Tom Saulpaugh
  • 👤 Jeffrey A. Schmidt
  • 👤 Gregory L. Slaughter

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-04 14:22
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/445; G06F9/44505; H; H04; H04L; H04L41/00; H04L41/08; H04L41/085; H04L41/0853; H04L41/0856; H04L61/00; H04L61/45; H04L67/00; H04L67/2866; H04L67/30; H04L67/306; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04L67/01; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 169 words
A virtual data framework for storing user and client configuration data in a computer network including a plurality of client computers connected to at least one server computer, the virtual data framework comprising: a root node level; at least one intermediate node level including a plurality of intermediate nodes subordinate to the root node level storing categorical information relating to the computer network; a data node level subordinate to the intermediate node level storing specific values relating to the user and client configuration data in the computer network; and a plurality of persistent dataspaces including at least one such intermediate node from the intermediate node level and such associated specific values as stored in a data node level, where data in each persistent dataspace can be modified on each such client computer or the server computer and stored on the client computer, the associated specific values being nonvolatile such that the associated specific values persist after modification and are accessible by any client computer from any other client computer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 169 words
A virtual data framework for storing user and client configuration data in a computer network including a plurality of client computers connected to at least one server computer, the virtual data framework comprising: a root node level; at least one intermediate node level including a plurality of intermediate nodes subordinate to the root node level storing categorical information relating to the computer network; a data node level subordinate to the intermediate node level storing specific values relating to the user and client configuration data in the computer network; and a plurality of persistent dataspaces including at least one such intermediate node from the intermediate node level and such associated specific values as stored in a data node level, where data in each persistent dataspace can be modified on each such client computer or the server computer and stored on the client computer, the associated specific values being nonvolatile such that the associated specific values persist after modification and are accessible by any client computer from any other client computer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 31 words
A data framework as recited in claim 1 further comprising a client data framework that resides on the client computer and a server data framework that resides on the server computer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 22 words
A data framework as recited in claim 2 wherein client platform and client profile information is stored in the server data framework.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 27 words
A data framework as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of transient data areas for storing configuration data derived when the client computer is enabled.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 16 words
A data framework as recited in claim 1 wherein the client computer is a network computer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 36 words
A data framework as recited in claim 1 wherein the plurality of persistent dataspaces further comprises a plurality of data entries each having a name, a list of related nodes, property names and associated property values.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 127 words
A virtual data framework for arranging and storing information relating to user configuration data and a client configuration data, the client being one computer in a network including at least one server computer, the virtual data framework comprising: a root node; a plurality of intermediate node levels, each intermediate node level having at least one intermediate node storing categorical information associated with the network; and configuration information associated with a plurality of intermediate nodes, the configuration information relating to and residing in a transient dataspace on the client computer thereby enabling the client computer to adapt to various profiles and preferences determined when a connection between the client computer and a server computer having at least one persistent dataspace storing user and client configuration data is enabled.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 127 words
A virtual data framework for arranging and storing information relating to user configuration data and a client configuration data, the client being one computer in a network including at least one server computer, the virtual data framework comprising: a root node; a plurality of intermediate node levels, each intermediate node level having at least one intermediate node storing categorical information associated with the network; and configuration information associated with a plurality of intermediate nodes, the configuration information relating to and residing in a transient dataspace on the client computer thereby enabling the client computer to adapt to various profiles and preferences determined when a connection between the client computer and a server computer having at least one persistent dataspace storing user and client configuration data is enabled.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 28 words
A data framework as recited in claim 7 wherein the plurality of intermediate node levels includes a top intermediate node level having a plurality of top intermediate nodes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 29 words
A data framework as recited in claim 8 wherein each top intermediate node in the plurality of top intermediate nodes defines a dataspace including a plurality of data entries.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 26 words
A data framework as recited in claim 9 further comprising a software dataspace, a device dataspace, an interface dataspace, an alias dataspace, and a temp dataspace.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 33 words
A data framework as recited in claim 10 wherein the software dataspace is a persistent dataspace thereby causing data entries in the dataspace to be saved when the client computer is shut down.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 21 words
A data framework as recited in claim 11 wherein the software dataspace is populated with configuration data from the server computer.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

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US5678041A Cited
US5806065A Cited
WO1997049023A2 Cited
US5768510A Cited
WO1998031124A1 Cited
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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) 2003-12-12 2004-06-12 2004-12-12 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-12-12 2008-06-12 2008-12-12 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-12-12 2012-06-12 2012-12-12 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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