Patent Grant
8135758
The present invention relates to databases and, more particularly, to displaying information for the users of databases.
Databases are used to store data in a manner that facilitates subsequent use of the data. Typically, a database stores several tables which each include several records. Each one of the records can have several fields used to hold various types of information, for example, about a subject or an item.
More conventional databases, among other things, have proved to be difficult to access by an average user because some programming and/or system level knowledge is required to access them, for example, by using Structured Query Language (SQL). SQL is a standard interactive and programming language for getting information from and updating a database.
To allow end-users to more easily access and manage data stored in databases, database products (or programs) have been recently developed. Database products, among other things, often provide a user-interface, which allows users to conveniently perform various operations on data stored in the database. The interface provided by the database product is typically a Graphical User Interface (GUI) which allows the user to conveniently interact with the database product, and in turn, with the database. The user may interact with the Graphical User Interface (GUI) to, for example, view reports generated by the database product, or enter data into fields of a record. The visual representations of data provided by the database product can, for example, include a “browse” mode which allows records to be viewed, changed, sorted, deleted, or added.
It should be noted that a database product (or program) could also be provided as a database server (or host), which allows a client (or a guest) to access data in a database which is typically located in a remote physical location with respect to the client. Generally, a first database application program can, for example, be connected to a second database application program over a computer network. In any case, one database application program can act as a “client” (or guest) and establish a connection to another database application program which acts as “server” (or host) to a database. The client database application program can, in turn, provide the end-user (e.g., a human, or application program) with access to data, which is stored remotely.
As databases have become more prevalent in many modern computing environments (e.g., corporate environments, home-offices, homes), improved techniques for displaying information stored in databases would be useful.
Broadly speaking, the invention relates to techniques for displaying information associated with a database. The techniques can be used to provide a database-informer which displays information (or additional information) about various database objects that are displayed. It will be appreciated that the user can determine what information (or additional information) is to be displayed in connection with a selected database object. In other words, the user may be given the option to customize the database-informer, but it is possible for the database designer to lock-down the database-informer (i.e., define the database-informer for the user). It will also be appreciated that the desired information can be dynamically determined and provided on-demand (i.e., at the user's request). As a result, database users can be provided with customized up-to-date information about various database objects. In addition, information can be provided to the database users on-demand to minimize display of information which is not always desired by the user or necessary.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a user of a database product (e.g., a database program) can define an expression (e.g., a calculation expression) for a database object (e.g., database field, title, icon) that can be displayed for the user as output (e.g., report database). In general, a database object can be any object that has an associated representation that is capable of being displayed for the user. In one embodiment, various database objects are displayed for the user in a layout (or design) form typically used to design the output (e.g., database reports) which is displayed to the user. It will be appreciated that a user of the database product can conveniently construct an expression for the database by interacting with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that automatically displays and updates various options (e.g., tables, fields) that can be selected to construct the expression in accordance with one aspect of the invention. Also, it will be appreciated that the expression may be constructed using a combination of general formulas (e.g., logic, arithmetic, text) and database-specific operations and components (e.g., fields, state variables or functions of the database). In general, the expression can be based on one or more variables which are evaluated dynamically at runtime. Hence, a user can conveniently use a GUI to construct a very complex expression that is dynamically calculated on-demand and displayed for the user in accordance with another aspect of the invention.
The user can request to display the information by triggering an event or satisfying a condition (e.g., hovering a cursor in a determined proximity of a displayed database object for a determined amount of time). When the request for displaying the information is received, a database product can automatically retrieve the expression, execute it, and display the result of the execution for the user in accordance with one aspect of the invention. Typically, the result of the expression is displayed in a determined proximity of the displayed database object and the user can end the display by triggering an event or satisfying another condition (e.g., moving the cursor away from the determined proximity of the displayed database object).
It should be noted that the database-informer described above may be introduced to database users, for example, as a “tooltip” or any other name which may be readily understandable to the user. However, it will be appreciated, that unlike a conventional “tooltip” that displays static information, a database-informer can be customized to dynamically evaluate variables and display the information where and when the user wants it. Furthermore, there is no need to store what will be displayed or change the schema (or design) of a database in order to dynamically provide users with customized information on-demand as a calculation engine can be utilized to dynamically calculate an expression that defines the information to be displayed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention which will be further discussed below.
However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including as a method, an apparatus, a computer readable medium, a database product, program, or system. Several embodiments of the invention are discussed below.
Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example the principles of the invention.
The present invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:
As noted in the background of the invention, as databases have become more prevalent in many modern computing environments (e.g., corporate environments, home-offices, homes), there is a need for improved techniques for displaying information stored in databases.
The techniques can be used to provide a database-informer which displays information (or additional information) about various database objects that are displayed. It will be appreciated that the user can determine what information (or additional information) is to be displayed in connection with a selected database object. In other words, the user may be given the option to customize the database-informer, but it is possible for the database designer to lock-down the database-informer (i.e., define the database-informer for the user). It will also be appreciated that the desired information can be dynamically determined and provided on-demand (i.e., at the user's request). As a result, database users can be provided with customized up-to-date information about various database objects. In addition, information can be provided to the database users on-demand to minimize display of information which is not always desired by the user or necessary.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a user of a database product (e.g., a database program) can define an expression (e.g., a calculation expression) for a database object (e.g., database field, title, icon) that can be displayed for the user as output (e.g., report database). In general, a database object can be any object that has an associated representation that is capable of being displayed for the user. In one embodiment, various database objects are displayed for the user in a layout (or design) form typically used to design the output (e.g., database reports) which is displayed to the user. It will be appreciated that a user of the database product can conveniently construct an expression for the database by interacting with a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that automatically displays and updates various options (e.g., tables, fields) that can be selected to construct the expression in accordance with one aspect of the invention. Also, it will be appreciated that the expression may be constructed using a combination of general formulas (e.g., logic, arithmetic, text) and database-specific operations and components (e.g., fields, state variables or functions of the database). In general, the expression can be based on one or more variables which are evaluated dynamically at runtime. Hence, a user can conveniently use a GUI to construct a very complex expression that is dynamically calculated on-demand and displayed for the user in accordance with another aspect of the invention.
The user can request to display the information by triggering an event or satisfying a condition (e.g., hovering a cursor in a determined proximity of a displayed database object for a determined amount of time). When the request for displaying the information is received, a database product can automatically retrieve the expression, execute it, and display the result of the execution for the user in accordance with one aspect of the invention. Typically, the result of the expression is displayed in a determined proximity of the displayed database object and the user can end the display by triggering an event or satisfying another condition (e.g., moving the cursor away from the determined proximity of the displayed database object, waiting for a determined amount of time).
It should be noted that the database-informer described above may be introduced to database users, for example, as a “tooltip” or any other name which may be readily understandable to the user. However, it will be appreciated, that unlike a conventional “tooltip” that displays static information, a database-informer can be customized to dynamically evaluate variables and display the information where and when the user wants it. Furthermore, there is no need to store what will be displayed or change the schema (or design) of a database in order to dynamically provide users with customized information on-demand as a calculation engine can be utilized to dynamically calculate an expression that defines the information to be displayed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention which will be further discussed below.
Embodiments of these aspects of the invention are discussed below with reference to
Referring to
When an expression 116 has been defined for the database object 110, then the user 106 may subsequently request to display the information, for example, during viewing of a page (e.g., report) that displays the object in a display 130. Typically, the user 106 can activate the display of the information 104 in the display 130 by triggering an event which is processed by the event handling 115 of the database product 100. By way of example, the user 106 may hover a cursor 132 for a determined amount of time (e.g., 2 seconds) in close proximity of the database object 110. It should also be noted that an event may be triggering based on one or more operating requirements. In any case, when the display of the information defined by the expression 116 for the database object 110 is initiated, the expression 116 is evaluated by the database engine 120. Thereafter, the result 140 of the evaluation is displayed in display 130. Typically, the result is displayed in close proximity of the cursor and/or the displayed database object 110. The expression 116 and the process of defining and evaluating it will be described in greater detail below. But first the following observations which should be made by those skilled in the art will be discussed.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that it is possible to display (or disable) the database-informer in variety of ways, for example, by using a global setting pertaining to all database-informers, or a more specific setting pertaining specific tables, forms, or layouts. Typically, there are different classes of database users. One such group of users can be referred to as database designers that, among other things, build the database schema, forms, reports, automated scripts. The other group of users may be referred to as end-users who typically create, search, edit and delete records. It will be appreciated that a database designer may define a database-informer for end-users and/or allow the end-users to define a database-informer. It should also be noted that the expression 116 can be associated with the database object 110 and stored in the database 102. However, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, there is no need to store the expression as database schema. In general, expressions E1, . . . , En may be defined respectively for database objects O1, . . . , On and, for example, stored as data 150 in the database 102. It should also be noted that an expression 152 may be associated with a group of database objects (O1 and O2) where each of the database objects may have an expression of their own (E1 and E2). In general, an expression can be associated and stored, for example, as a property of a database object.
The calculation expression 116 is represented as one or more byte-codes (210) in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The bytecode (210) can be generated for the expression 116 by parsing the expression using a parser (220). The parser (220) may, for example, generate a binary tree representation (250) which is used to generate byte-codes (210) which are interpreted (be executed) by the bytecode interpreter (230) to calculate the result of the expression 116 before it is displayed. It should be noted that in general, the expression may be determined after it has been determined to display the information. As such, it is possible to, for example, redefine, or dynamically define the expression itself when the expression is determined. By way of example, a first defined expression may be used when a first condition is met, a second expression may be used when a second condition is met, an event can cause altering the expression itself, and so on.
Initially, an expression is defined (202) for a database object which can be displayed. It should be noted that the expression can be dynamically evaluated at runtime to generate a result which can be displayed as information (or additional information) for the database object. The process of defining (202) an expression will be described in greater detail below.
A display method 204 will now be described. After an expression is defined (202), a display method 204 initially displays (206) the database object for which an expression has been defined (202). By way of example, a database product (or program) may display one or more database objects as output (e.g., report) in a browse or (view) page (or mode of operation). In any case, when the database object is displayed, it is determined (208) whether to display the information (or additional information) which has been defined (202) by the expression for the database object. This determination (208) may be made, for example, based on user input (e.g., by triggering an event or satisfying a condition, for example, hovering a mouse for a determined amount of time in a determined proximity of the database object). In general, the determination (208) may be made based on any programmable criteria (e.g., automatically invoking a database-informer for a determined set of database objects).
In any case, if it is determined (208) not to display the information for the object, the display method 204 ends. However, if it is determined (208) to display the information for the object, the expression which has been defined (202) for the database object is determined (210). Typically, the expression defined for the objects is associated with the object and stored (e.g., as a property of the database objects), In general, the expression may be determined (208) after it has been determined (208) to display the information. As such, it is possible to, for example, redefine, or dynamically define the expression itself when the expression is determined (210). By way of example, a first defined expression may be used when a first condition is met, a second expression may be used when a second condition is met, an event can cause altering the expression itself, and so on.
After the expression has been determined (210), the expression is evaluated (212) to determine the result of the evaluation as information which can be displayed for the database object. Accordingly, the information is displayed (214) for the database object. The display method 204 ends after the information is displayed (214) for the database object. However, it should be noted that other operations may be performed before the display method 204 ends. For example, it can be determined whether to end the display of the information and/or the object itself, for example, based on user input, an event, or condition. The display method 204 will be described below in greater detail in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
As noted above, a database product (e.g., a database program) may be used to define an expression for database objects it displays. In addition, the expression can be dynamically evaluated by at runtime by the database product to generate and display the desired information (or additional information) in connection with the database object. Furthermore, a database product can provide a Graphical User Interface (GUI) which allows a user to conveniently define an expression for database objects in accordance with one aspect of the invention.
It will be appreciated that the calculation expression displayed in display portion 312 may be conveniently constructed by selecting one or more of the options displayed in the display portion 316. In this example, various fields of the table “projects” are displayed and a particular field, namely, “Date Created” is selected to generate the expression in the display portion 312. In general, a database product automatically determines and displays the options which can be selected by the user in accordance with one aspect of the invention. These options may, for example, be determined and displayed as one or more fields from a table in the display portions 314 and 316. In one embodiment, the user is able to view and select form a list of tables displayed in the display portion 314 (not shown). In addition, as a result of the selection of a table in the display portion 314, the list of selectable fields for the table is automatically updated by the database product and displayed in the display portion 316 (not shown). It should be noted that the database product can examine the relationship between data stored in a database in order to, for example, determine what tables are related to each other, so that the user can be provided with a list of options to select and conveniently construct the expression in the display 312.
In addition, as shown in
As shown in
However, referring back to
It should also be noted that the user can request that information be displayed by hovering a cursor in proximity of the database object 302 for a determined amount of time (e.g., 2 seconds). Normally, the database object 302 shows the “status” (e.g., open, closed) in a “project” table. However, by hovering a cursor, or initiating another event, or satisfying a condition, the user can request that information defined by the calculation expression be displayed. In this example, in addition to seeing that a project is “open,” that user can also request and be provided with the date the project was opened. Hence, the user can customize the information (or additional) information to be displayed by for a database object by defining a calculation expression and then request to see the information which will be dynamically determined on-demand for the user. It should be noted that the user can also request to end the display of this information by moving the cursor away from the proximity of the database object in the display area 302. This means that screen 350 need not be cluttered with information. Also, it will be appreciated that there is no need to store the result of the calculation as part of data in the database as it is possible to recalculate the calculation expression every time the user requests the information, for example, by hovering the cursor as discussed above. As such, customized information can be provided to the user dynamically and on-demand without changing the structure of database or adding schema.
It should also be noted that it is possible to construct calculation expressions that are much more complex that the relatively simple example discussed above, as the invention allows use of various general and database specific terms to construct a calculation expression. These terms include variables (e.g., database fields, status variables) that are determined dynamically at run time. By way of example, general formulae include: logic operators (e.g., AND, OR, XOR), textual functions (e.g., extract words, count the number of words, extract leftmost), text formatting (e.g., font, line spacing), mathematical-functions (e.g., factorial, logarithm), and other miscellaneous functions (e.g., date, time). As will be appreciated, these general operations can be combined with specific database terms (e.g., database fields, database state variables) to construct extremely complex calculation expressions. Furthermore, users of the database product can construct extremely complex calculations with relative ease by interacting with an GUI interface that displays various options that are available. This is possible because the database product is able to utilize the relationship between data to automatically determine and update available options which are presented to the user. Also, the database product can utilize a robust calculation engine which allows many general operations to be combined with specific database components and operations.
As another example, a calculation expression can be constructed that determines the number of days a project has been opened, or report who opened the projects for the status field shown in
Referring now to
As depicted in
As noted above, an indicator may be provided and displayed, for example, in a layout mode to show that a calculation expression has been defined for a database object. It should also be noted that the process of defining a calculation expression for a database object may be introduced to users, as providing a “tooltip” which may be a readily understandable and more familiar concept to the users. As depicted in
Next, it is determined (404) whether the user has selected at least one of the objects which have been displayed (402). If it is determined (404) that no object has been selected, it is determined (417) whether to end the display (e.g., whether the user has requested to end the display in the layout mode) and the display method 202 ends. However, if it is determined (404) that an object has been selected, a “define database-informer” screen is displayed (406).
Referring back to
Next, if it is determined (416) that a database field has been selected, the database field is added (418) to the calculation expression. Thereafter, it is determined (420) whether the user has selected another table, and one or more fields can be displayed (414) for the selected table accordingly. In addition, it is determined (421) whether a formulae, operator, or function is to be added to the dynamic calculation expression. Accordingly, a formulae, operator, or function may be added (430) to the dynamic calculation expression. Thereafter, if it is determined (422) that the calculation expression is complete, it is determined (426) whether to end the display and the method 202 may end or proceed to determine (412) whether another table has been selected in a same manner as discussed above. However, if it is determined (422) that the calculation expression is complete, the calculation expression is associated with the selected object and stored (424) and the method 202 ends. The method 202 can also end if it is determined (406, 426) to end the display, for example, based on user request.
In any case, the generated (513) byte-code(s) is(are) executed (514), and the result of the execution is determined and (or possibly converted) to displayable representation (e.g., text, graphics) which are displayed (516) for the user. Typically, the result of the execution (512) is displayed in a determined proximity of the displayed object. Next, it is determined (518) whether to end display of the information and the display of the information can end (524) accordingly. The display method 200 ends when it is determined (520, 522) to end the display, for example, based on user input that requests to end display.
The advantages of the invention are numerous. Different embodiments or implementations may yield one or more of the following advantages. One advantage is that the invention allows users of databases to view customized information based on various records in the database without having to view these records. Another advantage of the invention is that users of databases are able to conveniently define powerful expressions based on various variables which are dynamically determined at runtime. Yet another advantage of the invention is that the desired information need not be stored or needlessly clutter the display as it can be determined and displayed on-demand and erased form the displays when no longer desired. Still another advantage of the invention is that schema or design of the database need not be modified in order to provide the database users with customized dynamic information on-demand.
The many features and advantages of the present invention are apparent from the written description, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled
This application is a Continuation of and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/128,459, filed May 12, 2005, entitled “CUSTOMIZABLE, DYNAMIC AND ON-DEMAND DATABASE-INFORMER FOR RELATIONAL DATABASES” which is hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11128459 | May 2005 | US |
| Child | 12606972 | US |
