US6405211B1 — Object-oriented representation of technical conte…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 152 words

A method of generating a peer information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, by a process of assimilating a plurality of information containers each dealing with such attributes, comprising: providing a plurality of information containers each comprising a plurality of information objects having potentially different structures, at least one of said information objects identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description of said attribute, parsing information objects of said information containers, selecting a pair of information objects identifying a common attribute, and, without regard to the structure of the objects, combining values, value ranges and/or descriptions of said common attribute identified by said pair of information objects, to produce a new information object for the attribute identified by said selected pair of information objects, and generating a new peer information container comprising at least said new information object.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 152 words

A method of generating a peer information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, by a process of assimilating a plurality of information containers each dealing with such attributes, comprising: providing a plurality of information containers each comprising a plurality of information objects having potentially different structures, at least one of said information objects identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description of said attribute, parsing information objects of said information containers, selecting a pair of information objects identifying a common attribute, and, without regard to the structure of the objects, combining values, value ranges and/or descriptions of said common attribute identified by said pair of information objects, to produce a new information object for the attribute identified by said selected pair of information objects, and generating a new peer information container comprising at least said new information object.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising repeating said selecting step for further pairs of information objects identifying common attributes, to produce additional new information objects for said common attributes, wherein said new information container comprises said additional new information objects.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 65 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said new information container is utilized in generation of additional new information containers, further comprising repeating said parsing and selecting steps on information objects of said new peer information container, and information objects of another information container, generating an additional new peer information container comprising at least a combined information object produced by the repetition of said selecting step.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said generated new peer information container comprises information objects parsed from said information containers dealing with unique attributes which have not been combined with other information objects.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 1 wherein each of said objects include properties characterizing the object and/or an attribute represented by the object.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 5 wherein each of said objects are a member of an object class, objects in a common class having common properties.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 110 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said objects comprise a parent object and a plurality of child objects, properties of said parent object including pointers to said child objects, and said parsing step comprises determining whether two or more of said child objects identify a common attribute, and if so, said combining step comprises combining values, value ranges and/or descriptions of said common attribute identified by said child objects, to produce a new information object for the attribute identified by the child objects, and said generated new peer information container includes said parent object and said new information object, said new information container being a child of said parent object.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 65 words

The method of claim 7 wherein said parent object has a child logic property indicating a logical relationship between said plurality of child objects, said parsing step comprises evaluating said child logic property to determine an appropriate combination, if any, of said child objects, and said combining step comprises combining child objects consistently with said child logic property to generate said new peer information container.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method of claim 1 further comprising an additional information object comprising a meaning object defining a meaning for one or more other objects, said selecting step comprising selecting a pair of information objects identifying compatible meaning objects.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 1 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with a computer based markup language.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 10 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with Extensible Markup Language and incorporate an XML document type definition (DTD).

Claim 13

Independent Claim 144 words

A method of evaluating an information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, by a process of filtering an input information container based on one or more applicability conditions, comprising: providing an input information container comprising a plurality of information objects, at least a first of said information objects identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description of said attribute, and at least a second of said information objects identifying an applicability condition identifying circumstances under which said first information object provides relevant information about said attribute, evaluating said applicability condition against circumstances of interest to determine applicability of one or more information objects of said information container, and filtering out information objects evaluated to be inapplicable, and generating a peer information container comprising only information objects determined to be applicable.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 144 words

A method of evaluating an information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, by a process of filtering an input information container based on one or more applicability conditions, comprising: providing an input information container comprising a plurality of information objects, at least a first of said information objects identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description of said attribute, and at least a second of said information objects identifying an applicability condition identifying circumstances under which said first information object provides relevant information about said attribute, evaluating said applicability condition against circumstances of interest to determine applicability of one or more information objects of said information container, and filtering out information objects evaluated to be inapplicable, and generating a peer information container comprising only information objects determined to be applicable.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 12 wherein at least one of said information objects comprises a parent object and at least one of said information objects comprises a child object, said parent object stored separately from said child object and not independently providing information for attributes of said child object.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 13 wherein each of said objects include properties characterizing the object and/or an attribute represented by the object.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 14 wherein each of said objects are a member of an object class, objects in a common class having common properties.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 14 wherein properties of said parent object include a pointer to said child object.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 54 words

The method of claim 12 further comprising a third information object comprising an implication object, said first object being a child of said implication object identifying characterizations of one or more properties, and said second object being a child of said implication object, defining an applicability condition for said characterizations of said first object.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 17 further comprising a fourth information object comprising a THEN child of said implication object, said THEN child providing characterizations of one or more properties when said applicability condition is met.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 17 further comprising a fourth information object comprising an ELSE child of said implication object, said ELSE child providing characterizations of one or more properties when said applicability condition is not met.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 17 wherein said second object defines a range, and further comprising fourth and fifth information objects comprising endpoint objects defining endpoints of said range.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 16 words

The method of claim 17 wherein said second child object defines a value for an attribute.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 21 wherein the value defined by said second object is a numeric value.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 21 wherein the value defined by said second object is a predefined text value.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 17 wherein said second object has an object operator property defining an operator to be applied to said value.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 24 wherein said object operator is one of: equal (=), not equal (≠), greater than (>), greater than or equal (≧), less than (<), or less than or equal (≦).

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 17 wherein said second object defines a group of conditions, and further comprising objects defining each of said conditions.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 26 wherein said second object has a child logic property indicating a logical relationship between said conditions that must be met for the applicability condition to be met.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 12 further comprising a third information object comprising a meaning object defining a meaning for one or more other objects, said first or second object including a pointer to said meaning object.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 44 words

The method of claim 12 wherein said information container further comprises a reference object referencing a second information container, and generating a peer information container includes obtaining information objects of said second information container and including said information objects in said peer information container.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 55 words

The method of claim 29 wherein said information container further comprises context objects associated with said reference object to provide a context for the reference to said second information container, and generating said peer information container includes obtaining only those information objects of said second information container within the context provided by said context objects.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 30 wherein said context objects include a reference object referencing a third information container, and generating said peer information container includes obtaining only those information objects of said third information container referenced by said second information container.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 12 wherein at least one of said information objects comprises a parent object and at least one of said information objects comprises a child object, said parent object stored separately from said child object and not independently providing information for attributes of said child object.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 12 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with a computer based markup language.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 33 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with Extensible Markup Language and incorporate an XML document type definition (DTD).

Claim 37

Independent Claim 132 words

A method of evaluating a first information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical 1 properties, a system or a methodology, and including a reference to a second information container identifying further attributes of a thing that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, comprising: providing first and second input information containers each comprising a plurality of information objects, said information objects identifying attributes and values, value ranges or description of said attributes, at least said first information container including a reference object referencing said second information container, and generating a peer information container from said first information container by obtaining information objects of said second information container and including said information objects from said second information container in said peer information container.

Claim 38

Independent Claim 132 words

A method of evaluating a first information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical 1 properties, a system or a methodology, and including a reference to a second information container identifying further attributes of a thing that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, comprising: providing first and second input information containers each comprising a plurality of information objects, said information objects identifying attributes and values, value ranges or description of said attributes, at least said first information container including a reference object referencing said second information container, and generating a peer information container from said first information container by obtaining information objects of said second information container and including said information objects from said second information container in said peer information container.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 56 words

The method of claim 35 wherein said first information container further comprises context objects associated with said reference object to provide a context for the reference to said second information container, and generating said peer information container includes obtaining only those information objects of said second information container within the context provided by said context objects.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 41 words

The method of claim 36 wherein said context objects include a reference object referencing a third information container, and generating said peer information container includes obtaining only those information objects of said third information container referenced by said second information container.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 49 words

The method of claim 35 wherein at least one of said information objects comprises a parent object and at least one of said information objects comprises a child object, said parent object stored separately from said child object and not independently providing information for attributes of said child object.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 35 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with a computer based markup language.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 39 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with Extensible Markup Language and incorporate an XML document type definition (DTD).

Claim 44

Independent Claim 114 words

A method of storing a semantic representation of a document identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, using a controlled taxonomy, comprising storing in a memory, a plurality of information objects, at least a first one of said information objects being a child object identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description for said attribute, at least a second one of said information objects being a parent object, said parent object stored separately from said child object and providing a context for an attribute identified by said child object, said parent object not independently providing information for attributes of said child object.

Claim 45

Independent Claim 114 words

A method of storing a semantic representation of a document identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, using a controlled taxonomy, comprising storing in a memory, a plurality of information objects, at least a first one of said information objects being a child object identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description for said attribute, at least a second one of said information objects being a parent object, said parent object stored separately from said child object and providing a context for an attribute identified by said child object, said parent object not independently providing information for attributes of said child object.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 41 wherein each of said objects include properties characterizing the object and/or an attribute represented by the object.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 42 wherein each of said objects are a member of an object class, objects in a common class having common properties.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 42 wherein properties of said parent object include a pointer to said child object.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 62 words

The method of claim 41 further comprising a third information object comprising an implication object identifying conditional characterizations of one or more properties, said parent object being a child of said implication object defining an applicability condition for said conditional characterizations identifying circumstances under which said implication object provides relevant information about said properties based upon attribute values of said child object.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 45 further comprising a fourth information object comprising a THEN child of said implication object, said THEN child providing characterizations of one or more properties when said applicability condition is met.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 45 further comprising a fourth information object comprising an ELSE child of said implication object, said ELSE child providing characterizations of one or more properties when said applicability condition is not met.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 28 words

The method of claim 45 wherein said child object defines a range, and further comprising fourth and fifth information objects comprising endpoint objects defining endpoints of said range.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 45 wherein said child object defines a value for an attribute.

Claim 54

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 49 wherein the value defined by said child object is a numeric value.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 49 wherein the value defined by said child object is a predefined text value.

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 45 wherein said child object has an object operator property defining an operator to be applied to said value.

Claim 57

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 52 wherein said object operator is one of: equal (=), not equal (≠), greater than (>), greater than or equal (≧), less than (<), or less than or equal (≦).

Claim 58

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 45 wherein said child object defines a group of conditions, and further comprising grandchild objects defining each of said conditions.

Claim 59

Dependent Claim 32 words

The method of claim 54 wherein said child object has a child logic property indicating a logical relationship between said conditions that must be met for the applicability condition to be met.

Claim 60

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 41 further comprising a third information object comprising a meaning object defining a meaning for one or more other objects, said child or parent object including a pointer to said meaning object.

Claim 61

Dependent Claim 19 words

The method of claim 41 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with a computer based markup language.

Claim 62

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 57 wherein said information objects are formatted in accordance with Extensible Markup Language and incorporate an XML document type definition (DTD).

Claim 63

Dependent Claim 145 words

Apparatus for generating a peer information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, by a process of assimilating a plurality of information containers each dealing with such attributes, comprising: storage containing a plurality of information containers each comprising a plurality of information objects, at least one of said information objects identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description of said attribute, and processing circuitry programmed to: parse information objects of said information containers, select a pair of information objects identifying a common attribute, and combine values, value ranges and/or descriptions of said common attribute identified by said pair of information objects, to produce a new information object for the attribute identified by said selected pair of information objects, and generate a new peer information container comprising at least said new information object.

Claim 64

Dependent Claim 145 words

Apparatus for generating a peer information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, by a process of assimilating a plurality of information containers each dealing with such attributes, comprising: storage containing a plurality of information containers each comprising a plurality of information objects, at least one of said information objects identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description of said attribute, and processing circuitry programmed to: parse information objects of said information containers, select a pair of information objects identifying a common attribute, and combine values, value ranges and/or descriptions of said common attribute identified by said pair of information objects, to produce a new information object for the attribute identified by said selected pair of information objects, and generate a new peer information container comprising at least said new information object.

Claim 65

Dependent Claim 149 words

Apparatus for evaluating an information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, by a process of filtering an input information container based on one or more applicability conditions, comprising: storage containing an input information container comprising a plurality of information objects, at least a first of said information objects identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description of said attribute, and at least a second of said information objects identifying an applicability condition identifying circumstances under which said first information object provides relevant information about said attribute, and processing circuitry programmed to: evaluate said applicability condition against circumstances of interest to determine applicability of one or more information objects of said information container, and filter out information objects evaluated to be inapplicable, and generate a peer information container comprising only information objects determined to be applicable.

Claim 66

Dependent Claim 149 words

Apparatus for evaluating an information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, by a process of filtering an input information container based on one or more applicability conditions, comprising: storage containing an input information container comprising a plurality of information objects, at least a first of said information objects identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description of said attribute, and at least a second of said information objects identifying an applicability condition identifying circumstances under which said first information object provides relevant information about said attribute, and processing circuitry programmed to: evaluate said applicability condition against circumstances of interest to determine applicability of one or more information objects of said information container, and filter out information objects evaluated to be inapplicable, and generate a peer information container comprising only information objects determined to be applicable.

Claim 67

Dependent Claim 136 words

Apparatus for evaluating a first information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, which includes a reference to a second information container identifying further attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, comprising: storage containing said first and second input information containers each comprising a plurality of information objects, said information objects identifying attributes and values, value ranges or description of said attributes, at least said first information container including a reference object referencing said second information container, and processing circuitry programmed to generate a peer information container from said first information container by obtaining information objects of said second information container and including said information objects from said second information container in said peer information container.

Claim 68

Dependent Claim 136 words

Apparatus for evaluating a first information container identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, which includes a reference to a second information container identifying further attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, comprising: storage containing said first and second input information containers each comprising a plurality of information objects, said information objects identifying attributes and values, value ranges or description of said attributes, at least said first information container including a reference object referencing said second information container, and processing circuitry programmed to generate a peer information container from said first information container by obtaining information objects of said second information container and including said information objects from said second information container in said peer information container.

Claim 69

Dependent Claim 111 words

Apparatus for storing a semantic representation of a document identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, using a controlled taxonomy, comprising storage containing a plurality of information objects, at least a first one of said information objects being a child object identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description for said attribute, at least a second one of said information objects being a parent object, said parent object stored separately from said child object and providing a context for an attribute identified by said child object, said parent object not independently providing information for attributes of said child object.

Claim 70

Dependent Claim 111 words

Apparatus for storing a semantic representation of a document identifying attributes of an object that occupies space and has physical properties, a system or a methodology, using a controlled taxonomy, comprising storage containing a plurality of information objects, at least a first one of said information objects being a child object identifying an attribute and a value, value range or description for said attribute, at least a second one of said information objects being a parent object, said parent object stored separately from said child object and providing a context for an attribute identified by said child object, said parent object not independently providing information for attributes of said child object.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2005-06-10	2005-12-10	2006-06-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2009-06-10	2009-12-10	2010-06-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2013-06-10	2013-12-10	2014-06-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Object-oriented representation of technical content and management, filtering, and synthesis of technical content using object-oriented representations

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag