US6292804B1 — Object relationship management system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 73 words

A method of managing relationships between objects in a computer system the objects having a first plurality of nodes, the method comprising: determining a first object which is modified; determining a first node in the first object which is modified; determiming a second plurality of nodes related directly or transitively to the first node; ordering the second plurality of nodes into an order; and processing the second plurality of nodes in the order.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 73 words

A method of managing relationships between objects in a computer system the objects having a first plurality of nodes, the method comprising: determining a first object which is modified; determining a first node in the first object which is modified; determiming a second plurality of nodes related directly or transitively to the first node; ordering the second plurality of nodes into an order; and processing the second plurality of nodes in the order.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 51 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of nodes comprises function nodes and value nodes, each function node having an evaluation function; and wherein processing the second plurality of nodes comprises: determining value nodes associated with the function nodes; and evaluating the evaluation functions of the function nodes.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 2 wherein evaluating the evaluation functions comprises modifying the value nodes associated with the function nodes by applying the evaluation functions.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 97 words

The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the value nodes associated with the functions nodes comprises: determining input value nodes from the second plurality of nodes, the input value nodes configured to store data which is input to the evaluation functions of the function nodes; and determining output value nodes from the second plurality of nodes, the output value nodes configured to store data obtained from evaluating the evaluation functions; and wherein evaluating the evaluation functions comprises modifying the output value nodes by applying the evaluation functions to the data stored in the input value nodes.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 55 words

The method of claim 2 , wherein the function nodes and the value nodes associated with the function nodes are in a parent and child dependency relation; and wherein determining the value nodes associated with the function nodes comprises identifying value nodes directly or indirectly coupled to the first node as children of dependency relations.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 5 wherein ordering the second plurality of nodes comprises ordering parent value nodes before children value nodes.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method of claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of nodes comprises predicate nodes and value nodes, each predicate nodes having value nodes associated therewith; and wherein processing the second plurality of nodes comprises: identifying value nodes associated with the predicate nodes; and solving the predicate nodes.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 7 wherein solving the predicate nodes comprises: passing the predicate nodes and the associated value nodes to a solver; and for each predicate node, modifying a value node associated with the predicate node to satisfy a predicate indicated by the predicate node.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 7 , wherein the predicate nodes and the value nodes associated with the predicate nodes are in an equivalence relation; and identifying the value nodes associated with the predicate nodes comprises identifying value nodes directly or indirectly coupled to the first node in equivalence relations.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 1 wherein the first plurality of objects include COM objects.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 10 wherein the nodes include interfaces provided by the COM objects.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 77 words

A method of copying objects in a computer system, and for copying relationships between the objects, the method comprising: receiving a first object to be copied; determining a first plurality of objects related directly or transitively to the first object; creating a first plurality of duplicate objects based on the first plurality of objects; and establishing relationships between objects in the first plurality of duplicate objects based on relationships between objects in the first plurality of objects.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 77 words

A method of copying objects in a computer system, and for copying relationships between the objects, the method comprising: receiving a first object to be copied; determining a first plurality of objects related directly or transitively to the first object; creating a first plurality of duplicate objects based on the first plurality of objects; and establishing relationships between objects in the first plurality of duplicate objects based on relationships between objects in the first plurality of objects.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 84 words

The method of claim 12 , wherein the objects comprise a plurality of nodes, and a plurality of copy semantic nodes, each of the plurality of nodes having value nodes in a parent and child dependency relation with a copy semantic node; and wherein determining the first plurality of objects related to the first object comprises: identifying objects having nodes directly coupled to the first object; and identifying objects having nodes indirectly coupled to the first object as children of a copy semantic node.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 12 wherein the objects include COM objects.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 88 words

A method for deleting objects from a first plurality of objects in a computer system, the method comprising: receiving a first object to be deleted from the first plurality of objects; determining a second plurality of objects related directly or transitively to the first object; ordering the objects in the second plurality of objects based on the relationships of the objects; and disconnecting objects in the second plurality of objects from objects in the first plurality of objects which are not included in the second plurality of objects.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 88 words

A method for deleting objects from a first plurality of objects in a computer system, the method comprising: receiving a first object to be deleted from the first plurality of objects; determining a second plurality of objects related directly or transitively to the first object; ordering the objects in the second plurality of objects based on the relationships of the objects; and disconnecting objects in the second plurality of objects from objects in the first plurality of objects which are not included in the second plurality of objects.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 89 words

The method of claim 15 , wherein the objects in the first plurality of objects comprise a plurality of value nodes and delete semantic nodes, each of the plurality of delete semantic nodes having value nodes in a parent and child dependency relation; and wherein determining the second plurality of objects comprises: identifying objects from the first plurality of objects having nodes directly coupled the first object; and identifying objects from the first plurality of objects having nodes indirectly coupled to the first object as children of dependency relations.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 15 wherein the objects include COM objects.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 95 words

A computer program product for managing relationships between objects in a computer system, the objects having a first plurality of nodes, the computer program product comprising: code for determining a first object which is modified; code for determining a first node in the first object which is modified; code for determining a second plurality of nodes related directly or transitively to the first node; code for ordering the second plurality of nodes into an order; code for processing the second plurality of nodes in the order; and a computer readable medium for storing the codes.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 95 words

A computer program product for managing relationships between objects in a computer system, the objects having a first plurality of nodes, the computer program product comprising: code for determining a first object which is modified; code for determining a first node in the first object which is modified; code for determining a second plurality of nodes related directly or transitively to the first node; code for ordering the second plurality of nodes into an order; code for processing the second plurality of nodes in the order; and a computer readable medium for storing the codes.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 134 words

The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the second plurality of nodes comprises function nodes and value nodes, each function node having an evaluation function; wherein code for determining the second plurality of nodes comprises: code for determining input value nodes from the value nodes in the second plurality of nodes, the input value nodes configured to store data which is input to the evaluation functions of the function nodes; code for determining output value nodes from the value nodes in the second plurality of nodes, the output value nodes configured to store data obtained from evaluating the evaluation functions; and wherein code for processing the second plurality of nodes comprises code for modifying the output value nodes by applying the evaluation functions to the data stored in the input value nodes.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 13 words

The computer program product of claim 18 wherein the objects include COM objects.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 98 words

A computer system for managing relationships between objects in a computer system, the objects having a first plurality of nodes, the system comprising: a memory coupled to a bus; and a processor coupled to the memory via the bus, the processor configured to determine a first object which is modified, to determine a first node in the first object which is modified, to determine a second plurality of nodes related directly or transitively to the first node, to order the second plurality of nodes into an order, and to process the second plurality of nodes in the order.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 98 words

A computer system for managing relationships between objects in a computer system, the objects having a first plurality of nodes, the system comprising: a memory coupled to a bus; and a processor coupled to the memory via the bus, the processor configured to determine a first object which is modified, to determine a first node in the first object which is modified, to determine a second plurality of nodes related directly or transitively to the first node, to order the second plurality of nodes into an order, and to process the second plurality of nodes in the order.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 135 words

The computer system of claim 21 , wherein the second plurality of nodes comprises function nodes and value nodes, each function node having an evaluation function; wherein the processor is configured to determine the second plurality of nodes by determining input value nodes from the value nodes in the second plurality of nodes, the input value nodes configured to store data which is input to the evaluation functions of the function nodes, and by determining output value nodes from the value nodes in the second plurality of nodes, the output value nodes configured to store data obtained from evaluating the evaluation functions; and wherein the processor is configured to process the second plurality of nodes by modifying the output value nodes by applying the evaluation functions to the data stored in the input value nodes.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 12 words

The computer system of claim 21 wherein the objects include COM objects.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2004-09-17	2005-03-19	2005-09-18	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2008-09-17	2009-03-19	2009-09-18	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2012-09-17	2013-03-19	2013-09-18	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Object relationship management system

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