Patent Application
20200057569
Various network devices may be disposed throughout a drilling rig in order to control various operations on the drilling rig. These network devices may be dedicated systems that control drilling equipment, monitor the performance of the drilling rig, and/or perform various maintenance operations with respect to the drilling rig. Traditionally, when an upgrade was desired for a dedicated system, a person was sent onsite to execute manually the process for updating the system. This manual update process was rare as many dedicated systems did not change dramatically over time. However, as systems become more advance, updates may be implemented on a more regular basis. Therefore, there is a balance of risk between opening a drilling rig to remote attacks and sending a person onsite to execute manually the process for updating a system. Thus, data infrastructure in drilling rigs is desired that can provide secure data management to drilling rig systems and that may also scale according to changing numbers of systems and changing time requirements for transferring data.
In general, in one aspect, the disclosed technology relates to a system. The system includes various persistent storage devices disposed within a drilling management network. The system further includes a control system that includes a programmable logic controller (PLC) configured for managing a drilling process. The system further includes a data management controller coupled to the persistent storage devices. The system further includes various network devices coupled to the data management controller, the control system, and the persistent storage devices. The data management controller obtains data from a remote device over a network connection with the drilling management network. The data management controller determines a persistent storage device among the persistent storage devices that corresponds to a predetermined data type associated with the data. The data management controller stores the data in the persistent storage device associated with the predetermined data type.
In general, in one aspect, the disclosed technology relates to a method. The method includes obtaining, over a network connection, data between a remote device and a drilling management network. The method further includes determining a persistent storage device among various persistent storage devices that corresponds to a predetermined data type associated with the data. The method further includes storing the data in the persistent storage device associated with the predetermined data type. The method further includes transmitting the data in the persistent storage device to a network device in the drilling management network.
In general, in one aspect, the disclosed technology relates to a method. The method includes obtaining a request for data from a network device located in a drilling management network. The method further includes determining whether a network operating condition of the drilling management network corresponds to a production condition. The drilling management network performs one or more drilling operations during the production condition. The method further includes determining, in response to the network operating condition corresponding to the production condition, a production persistent storage device among various persistent storage devices that corresponds to a predetermined data type associated with the data. The method further includes transmitting the data from the production persistent storage device to the network device.
Other aspects of the disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.
Specific embodiments of the disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying figures. Like elements in the various figures are denoted by like reference numerals for consistency.
In the following detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the description.
Throughout the application, ordinal numbers (e.g., first, second, third, etc.) may be used as an adjective for an element (i.e., any noun in the application). The use of ordinal numbers is not to imply or create any particular ordering of the elements nor to limit any element to being only a single element unless expressly disclosed, such as by the use of the terms “before”, “after”, “single”, and other such terminology. Rather, the use of ordinal numbers is to distinguish between the elements. By way of an example, a first element is distinct from a second element, and the first element may encompass more than one element and succeed (or precede) the second element in an ordering of elements.
In general, embodiments of the disclosure include a system and various methods for providing a data management architecture within a drilling management network. In particular, one or more embodiments are directed to a system that includes a data management controller that administers data transfers between the drilling management network and remote devices. In some embodiments, for example, the network connection is a low throughput connection. As such, the data management controller may administer the transfer of various data files using the low throughput connection over a predetermined amount of time. After completion of the data transfers, the data files are stored in various persistent storage devices based on predetermined data types, such as software images, data models, etc. In some embodiments, persistent storage devices are segregated based on data associated with various network operating conditions, such as production conditions and staging conditions. For example, staging conditions may be where software and/or hardware in a drilling management network is undergoing tests prior to use in actual production conditions.
Once data is stored in persistent storage devices, various security protocols may be implemented on the drilling management network to enable safe usage of the data by network devices throughout the drilling management network. For example, by maintaining data in a corresponding persistent storage device, the drilling management network may maintain data redundancy in case a network device, such as a virtual machine or software container, terminates operations with the corresponding data. Accordingly, the data management controller and the persistent storage devices may provide a clear chain of data transportation for how data enters the drilling management network and is transmitted to specific systems in the drilling management network. For example, when a particular version of a software application interferes with one or more processes in a control system, the data management controller may map data associated with the version back from the installation of the software application to the corresponding persistent storage device and back to the source of the data and time of arrival into the network.
The drilling rig (12) may include a derrick (68) and hoisting system, a rotating system, and/or a mud circulation system, for example. The hoisting system may suspend the drill string (58) and may include draw works (70), fast line (71), crown block (75), drilling line (79), traveling block and hook (72), swivel (74), and/or deadline (77). The rotating system may include a kelly (76), a rotary table (88), and/or engines (not shown). The rotating system may impart a rotational force on the drill string (58). Likewise, the embodiments shown in
The mud circulation system may pump drilling fluid down an opening in the drill string. The drilling fluid may be called mud, which may be a mixture of water and/or diesel fuel, special clays, and/or other chemicals. The mud may be stored in mud pit (78). The mud may be drawn into mud pumps (not shown), which may pump the mud though stand pipe (86) and into the kelly (76) through swivel (74), which may include a rotating seal. Likewise, the described technologies may also be applicable to underbalanced drilling. If underbalanced drilling is used, at some point prior to entering the drill string, gas may be introduced into the mud using an injection system (not shown).
The mud may pass through drill string (58) and through drill bit (54). As the teeth of the drill bit (54) grind and gouge the earth formation into cuttings, the mud may be ejected out of openings or nozzles in the drill bit (54). These jets of mud may lift the cuttings off the bottom of the hole and away from the drill bit (54), and up towards the surface in the annular space between drill string (58) and the wall of borehole (46).
At the surface, the mud and cuttings may leave the well through a side outlet in blowout preventer (99) and through mud return line (not shown). Blowout preventer (99) comprises a pressure control device and a rotary seal. The mud return line may feed the mud into one or more separator (not shown) which may separate the mud from the cuttings. From the separator, the mud may be returned to mud pit (78) for storage and re-use.
Various sensors may be placed on the drilling rig (12) to take measurements of the drilling equipment. In particular, a hookload may be measured by hookload sensor (94) mounted on deadline (77), block position and the related block velocity may be measured by a block sensor (95) which may be part of the draw works (70). Surface torque may be measured by a sensor on the rotary table (88). Standpipe pressure may be measured by pressure sensor (92), located on standpipe (86). Signals from these measurements may be communicated to a surface processor (96) or other network elements (not shown) disposed around the drilling rig (12). In addition, mud pulses traveling up the drillstring may be detected by pressure sensor (92). For example, pressure sensor (92) may include a transducer that converts the mud pressure into electronic signals. The pressure sensor (92) may be connected to surface processor (96) that converts the signal from the pressure signal into digital form, stores and demodulates the digital signal into useable MWD data. According to various embodiments described above, surface processor (96) may be programmed to automatically detect one or more rig states based on the various input channels described. Processor (96) may be programmed, for example, to carry out an automated event detection as described above. Processor (96) may transmit a particular rig state and/or event detection information to user interface system (97) which may be designed to warn various drilling personnel of events occurring on the rig and/or suggest activity to the drilling personnel to avoid specific events. As described below, one or more of these equipments may be operated by a drilling management network coupled to the drilling rig (12). For example, the drilling management network X (200) described below in
Turning to
In one or more embodiments, a persistent storage device is a virtual machine or software container that includes functionality for accessing and/or providing data for a predetermined data type. For example, in some embodiments, the persistent storage device includes functionality to provide data without using a data management controller as an intermediary, e.g., a persistent storage device may directly receive requests for data from within a drilling management network. Thus, the persistent storage device may be decentralized and separate from a data management controller.
In one or more embodiments, a data management controller includes hardware and/or software that includes functionality for managing storage and/or retrieval of data with respect to various persistent storage devices. For example, the data management controller may be part of a central data repository that includes various persistent storage devices in a drilling management network. Likewise, the data management controller may establish one or more network connections (e.g., remote network connection (285)) to one or more remote devices (e.g., remote server A (280), remote user device B (290)). As such, the data management controller may administer the transfer of data between a remote device and the drilling management network.
In some embodiments, the data management controller administers high volume time-controlled data transfers to the drilling management network. For example, the data management controller may monitor network traffic into and out of the network to determine a predetermined period of time when a data transfer does not interfere production operations. Accordingly, as a remote network connection may be a low throughput connection, the data management controller may perform a data transfer over one or more time periods to complete the data transfer. Upon obtaining data at the drilling management network, the data management controller may include functionality to identify one or more predetermined data types associated with the data and store the data in a persistent storage device associated with the predetermined data type.
In one or more embodiments, a persistent storage device is associated with software images (e.g., software images (281)). For example, the persistent storage device may include various software images for different software versions used by network devices throughout a drilling management network. For example, the drilling management network X (200) may include a configuration manager (255) that includes hardware and/or software with functionality to determine whether a software update exists for one or more networks devices. Upon detecting the software update, the configuration manager (255) may access persistent storage device A (271) to obtain a software image for the corresponding software update. In another embodiment, a persistent storage device is associated with network configurations for various control systems and other network devices for different network operating conditions. As such, a configuration manager may adjust network save and/or adjust network configuration for various virtual machines, software containers, and other network devices throughout the drilling management network using one or more persistent storage devices.
Keeping with
PLCs coupled to host devices may form various control systems (e.g., control systems (215)), such as various drilling operation control systems and various maintenance control systems. In particular, PLCs may include hardware and/or software with functionality to control one or more processes performed by a drilling rig, including, but not limited to the components described in
Returning to the persistent storage devices, in some embodiments, a persistent storage device is associated with data models (e.g., data models (282)). Data models may include various databases for geology and production data, drilling data, 3D models, nonwell related data, acquired data from drilling operations, etc. Likewise, data models may also include different versions of the same data, e.g., data acquired at different times and/or updated data versions based on later drilling operations. For example, one or more control processes performed by various control systems may use the data models to perform one or more drilling operations. In another embodiment, a user analyzes past drilling operations using one or more data models obtained from the persistent storage devices.
Turning to
In one or more embodiments, a host device includes a virtualization controller (e.g., virtualization controller A (231), virtualization controller N (232)) operating on a host operating system (e.g., host operation system A (221), host operating system N (222)). A virtualization controller may include hardware and/or software that includes functionality for communicating with other virtualization controllers on a drilling management network and/or implementing various virtualization services on the drilling management network. For example, virtualization controllers may be virtual machines or software containers operating on the host devices (211, 212). Virtualization services may include network processes that are operated on multiple network devices (e.g., host devices (211, 212), network elements (205), host devices (213)).
Furthermore, a software container may be a user-space instance implemented by a single kernel of a host operating system (e.g., host operating system A (221), host operating system N (222)). In particular, a software container may be an abstraction at an application layer that allows isolated processes to operate inside the software container. Likewise, multiples software containers may operate on a single kernel of an operating system. Software containers may include docker containers, Java™ containers, Windows Server® containers, etc. In contrast, a virtual machine may include hardware and/or software that may provide an abstraction of physical hardware. For example, a virtual machine may have an independent operating system that is separate from a host operating system where a virtual machine may operate on one or more host devices with dedicated memory and other computer resources.
Moreover, a virtualization services manager (e.g., virtualization services manager A (260)) may administer and/or monitor various host device resources for virtual machines and/or software containers operating on a virtualization services layer. Likewise, the virtualization general architecture of the drilling management network X (200) may be the same where a host operating system is running on bare metal (e.g., a hardware computing system), or as a virtual machine. For example, virtual machines and software containers may communicate with each other in the virtualization services layer and run virtualization services in an orchestrated manner.
Furthermore, a drilling management network may include user devices that may include hardware and/or software coupled to the drilling management network. User devices may be network devices that include functionality for presenting data and/or receiving inputs from a user regarding various drilling operations and/or maintenance operations performed within the drilling management network. For example, a user device may include personal computers, smartphones, human machine interfaces, and any other devices coupled to a network that obtain inputs from one or more users, e.g., by providing a graphical user interface (GUI). Likewise, a user device may present data and/or receive control commands from a user for operating a drilling rig. A network element may refer to various software and/or hardware components within a network, such as switches, routers, hubs, user equipment, or any other logical entities for uniting one or more physical devices on the network.
While
Turning to
In Block 300, a network connection is established between a drilling management network and a remote device in accordance with one or more embodiments. For example, the network connection may be a low throughput network connection that transfers rig specific data and/or common rig data to the drilling management network. The network connection may be established by a data management controller operating on the drilling management network. In particular, the network connection may be established at predetermined times and for specific intervals to allow the transfer of data without interfering with drilling or production operations. For example, the predetermined times may correspond to periods when control systems are offline and/or remote users are unlikely to be accessing the drilling management network over a remote network connection.
In Block 310, data is obtained from a network connection and at a drilling management network in accordance with one or more embodiments. For data transfers to a drilling management network, various limitations may exist. For example, a low throughput network connection may have high latency and limited availability or downlink time. As such, small amounts of data may be transferred without a problem, while a large data transfer may involve multiple days to complete the data transfer. A data management controller may maintain a constant data transmission over one or more time intervals to obtain the data in Block 310.
In Block 320, one or more persistent storage devices are determined that are associated with a predetermined data type in accordance with one or more embodiments. For example, data obtained from a network connection may be identified based on a predetermined set of data types. For example, data may include embedded metadata that specifies one or more data types for the data. On the other hand, a data management controller or other network device may analyze the data based on the data sender to determine data types associated with the data.
In Block 330, data is stored in one or more persistent storage devices associated with a predetermined data type in accordance with one or more embodiments. In response to determining a data type associated with the data, the data may be relayed over the drilling management network to the corresponding persistent storage device. The storing process may include recording a time stamp when the data was transmitted by a source and/or obtained at the drilling management network. Likewise, the data may be entered into one or more databases for later access. For example, if the data corresponds to a software image, a data management controller may store the software image based on the software version as well as any control systems that use software applications based on the software image.
In Block 340, data is provided to one or more network devices using one or more persistent storage devices in accordance with one or more embodiments. For example, a data management controller may act an intermediary between obtaining requests for data and providing access to network devices seeking the data. Moreover, once data is store in a persistent storage device, the persistent storage device may directly obtain requests for data and provide access to the data accordingly.
In one or more embodiments, data is provided from a persistent storage device to network devices using a jump host. For example, a jump host may implement a temporary conduit that is established and terminated in order to regulate authorized access to the persistent storage device. For example, a temporary conduit may limit network device access to specific times and/or to specifically authorized network devices. Thus, a temporary conduit may provide a communication path between network devices located in different security zones during authorized time periods. In one or more embodiments, a temporary conduit is a switched virtual connection. For example, a switched virtual connection may include hardware and/or software on two security zones in a drilling management network for implementing a virtual connection. Thus, when the switched virtual connection is “open”, no virtual connection may exist across the temporary conduit. When the switched virtual connection is “closed”, a virtual connection is formed that corresponds to a temporary virtual circuit. The temporary virtual circuit may then provide transmission of network traffic, such as persistent storage data, between two security zones.
In Block 350, one or more chains of data transportation are determined for data provided to one or more network devices in accordance with one or more embodiments. In particular, a chain of data transportation may include information regarding how data enters and is used by network devices within a drilling management network. For example, a chain of data transportation may be determined and/or stored by a persistent storage device, a data management controller, or other network device in the drilling management network. In some embodiments, the chain of data transportation describes the source (e.g., identification information for a remote device that transmits particular data to a drilling management network), date information such as one or more timestamps, and other information regarding when data enters the drilling management network and passes to one or more persistent storage devices. A chain of data transportation may also describe usage data by various network devices accessing the data from a respective persistent storage device. In some embodiments, a chain of data transportation includes information regarding use of particular data in staging operations, validation operations, and/or production operations.
In some embodiments, to determine a chain of data transportation, a data management controller records timestamp, version information, data requests, edit history, and other metadata regarding data associated with one or more persistent storage devices. For example, the data management controller may log any data requests transmitted by network devices to a persistent storage device. Likewise, the data management controller may record modifications to software and other data produced during staging operations, validation operations, and/or production operations. Thus, a persistent storage device may include multiple versions of the same data based on changes made to the data upon leaving and/or returning to a persistent storage device.
In some embodiments, a network device or an operator analyzes a chain of data transportation to identify one or more problems within a drilling management network. For example, if modified software code produces a malfunctioning control system, a chain of data transportation may identify when the software code was modified by one or more network devices. Likewise, using the chain of data transportation, other software images may be identified that had similar modifications. In contrast, without a chain of data transportation, the date, type, and/or source of the modification may be unknown during analysis of the malfunctioning control system.
Turning to
In Block 400, a request for data is obtained from a network device in a drilling management network in accordance with one or more embodiments. For example, a user may provide a user input at a user device on a drilling management network to access data in a persistent storage device. The request may be a message that identifies data, the persistent storage device with the data, and/or a data type associated with the data. Thus, the request may be transmitted directly to a corresponding persistent storage device. In another embodiment, a data management controller may identify the persistent storage device with the data, e.g., based on a predetermined data type, and relay the request accordingly.
In Block 410, a determination is made whether one or more network operating conditions of a drilling management network correspond to one or more production conditions in accordance with one or more embodiments. For example, a data management controller, a persistent storage device, and/or another network device may monitor a drilling management network to determine whether the network operating conditions identify drilling operations or productions operations are occurring the network. For example, a virtualization services manager may determine whether drilling operations and/or production operations are present in the network, and transmit a notification that the network operating conditions are production conditions.
In Block 420, a determination is made which persistent storage devices are associated with one or more network operating conditions in accordance with one or more embodiments. In one or more embodiments, for example, persistent storage devices may be segregated based on whether the data is using for staging conditions or production conditions. Specifically, persistent storage devices for production conditions may include software images, data models, and other types of data that is being using in drilling operations or production operations. Thus, the data may be verified by one or more control systems as being stable for use by one or more control systems. Likewise, staging persistent storage devices may include untested data and/or data undergoing verification by the drilling management network.
In some embodiments, for example, multiple persistent storage devices are located in a data repository. Within the data repository, the staging persistent storage devices are decoupled from production persistent storages. For example, during normal rig operations, control systems on the rig will be connected to the production persistent storages. During staging tests, control systems switch to the staging persistent storage device in order to prevent corruption of production data and compromising software builds during the testing phase. Moreover during staging, production persistent storages may become a data backup for various control systems and network devices in the drilling management network.
In Block 430, data is transmitted to a network device using one or more persistent storage devices associated with one or more network operating conditions in accordance with one or more embodiments.
Turning to
In response to obtaining the request to update software, the data management controller Z (510) and/or the virtualization services manager O (560) determine whether production operations are occurring in the drilling management network. Once production operations cease, the virtualization services manager O (560) terminates the production virtual machine R (542) and generates a staging virtual machine R (541). The staging virtual machine R (541) may be a virtual machine instantiation with similar functionality to the production virtual machine R (542). For example, the staging virtual machine R (541) may include additional functionality for debugging and/or monitoring software processes or hardware processes performed in connection to the staging virtual machine R (541).
As such, the virtualization services manager O (560) can test the initial software update (525) on the staging virtual machine R (541) before implementation in the production virtual machine R (542). Thus, the virtualization services manager O (560) may verify whether the software build on the staging virtual machine R (541) is stable and capable of performing various control processes under testing conditions before implementation in actual production conditions. Likewise, software code in the initial software update (525) may be modified on the staging virtual machine R (541), e.g., by changing configuration settings, adjusting processes associated with the software update to correspond to operations performed by one or more control systems, etc.
Once the staging virtual machine R (541) is generated, the data management controller Z (510) accesses the staging storage (571) where the initial software update (525) is stored. The data management controller Z (510) then transmits the initial software update (525) to the staging virtual machine R (541) for installation. The staging virtual machine R (541) may operate the updated software, make modifications to the initial software update (525), and perform various tests for a replacement virtual machine until a determination is made that the updated software can be used in a production virtual machine.
Moreover, the initial software update (525) or a modified software update may be further validated by an operator, other network devices, other staging virtual machines, etc. After validation, a validated software update (526) may be placed in the staging storage (571) and/or the production storage (572) if the update is ready for implementation in drilling operations. As such, the data management controller Z (510) may then distribute copies of the validated software update (526) to network devices in the drilling management network.
Embodiments may be implemented on a computing system. Any combination of mobile, desktop, server, router, switch, embedded device, or other types of hardware may be used. For example, as shown in
The computer processor(s) (602) may be an integrated circuit for processing instructions. For example, the computer processor(s) may be one or more cores or micro-cores of a processor. The computing system (600) may also include one or more input devices (610), such as a touchscreen, keyboard, mouse, microphone, touchpad, electronic pen, or any other type of input device.
The communication interface (612) may include an integrated circuit for connecting the computing system (600) to a network (not shown) (e.g., a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, mobile network, or any other type of network) and/or to another device, such as another computing device.
Further, the computing system (600) may include one or more output devices (608), such as a screen (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, touchscreen, cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor, projector, or other display device), a printer, external storage, or any other output device. One or more of the output devices may be the same or different from the input device(s). The input and output device(s) may be locally or remotely connected to the computer processor(s) (602), non-persistent storage (604), and persistent storage (606). Many different types of computing systems exist, and the aforementioned input and output device(s) may take other forms.
Software instructions in the form of computer readable program code to perform embodiments of the disclosure may be stored, in whole or in part, temporarily or permanently, on a non-transitory computer readable medium such as a CD, DVD, storage device, a diskette, a tape, flash memory, physical memory, or any other computer readable storage medium. Specifically, the software instructions may correspond to computer readable program code that, when executed by a processor(s), is configured to perform one or more embodiments of the disclosure.
The computing system (600) in
Although not shown in
The nodes (e.g., node X (622), node Y (624)) in the network (620) may be configured to provide services for a client device (626). For example, the nodes may be part of a cloud computing system. The nodes may include functionality to receive requests from the client device (626) and transmit responses to the client device (626). The client device (626) may be a computing system, such as the computing system shown in
The computing system or group of computing systems described in
Based on the client-server networking model, sockets may serve as interfaces or communication channel end-points enabling bidirectional data transfer between processes on the same device. Foremost, following the client-server networking model, a server process (e.g., a process that provides data) may create a first socket object. Next, the server process binds the first socket object, thereby associating the first socket object with a unique name and/or address. After creating and binding the first socket object, the server process then waits and listens for incoming connection requests from one or more client processes (e.g., processes that seek data). At this point, when a client process wishes to obtain data from a server process, the client process starts by creating a second socket object. The client process then proceeds to generate a connection request that includes at least the second socket object and the unique name and/or address associated with the first socket object. The client process then transmits the connection request to the server process. Depending on availability, the server process may accept the connection request, establishing a communication channel with the client process, or the server process, busy in handling other operations, may queue the connection request in a buffer until the server process is ready. An established connection informs the client process that communications may commence. In response, the client process may generate a data request specifying the data that the client process wishes to obtain. The data request is subsequently transmitted to the server process. Upon receiving the data request, the server process analyzes the request and gathers the requested data. Finally, the server process then generates a reply including at least the requested data and transmits the reply to the client process. The data may be transferred, more commonly, as datagrams or a stream of characters (e.g., bytes).
Shared memory refers to the allocation of virtual memory space in order to substantiate a mechanism for which data may be communicated and/or accessed by multiple processes. In implementing shared memory, an initializing process first creates a shareable segment in persistent or non-persistent storage. Post creation, the initializing process then mounts the shareable segment, subsequently mapping the shareable segment into the address space associated with the initializing process. Following the mounting, the initializing process proceeds to identify and grant access permission to one or more authorized processes that may also write and read data to and from the shareable segment. Changes made to the data in the shareable segment by one process may immediately affect other processes, which are also linked to the shareable segment. Further, when one of the authorized processes accesses the shareable segment, the shareable segment maps to the address space of that authorized process. Often, one authorized process may mount the shareable segment, other than the initializing process, at any given time.
Other techniques may be used to share data, such as the various data described in the present application, between processes without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The processes may be part of the same or different application and may execute on the same or different computing system.
Rather than or in addition to sharing data between processes, the computing system performing one or more embodiments of the disclosure may include functionality to receive data from a user. For example, in one or more embodiments, a user may submit data via a graphical user interface (GUI) on the user device. Data may be submitted via the graphical user interface by a user selecting one or more graphical user interface widgets or inserting text and other data into graphical user interface widgets using a touchpad, a keyboard, a mouse, or any other input device. In response to selecting a particular item, information regarding the particular item may be obtained from persistent or non-persistent storage by the computer processor. Upon selection of the item by the user, the contents of the obtained data regarding the particular item may be displayed on the user device in response to the user's selection.
By way of another example, a request to obtain data regarding the particular item may be sent to a server operatively connected to the user device through a network. For example, the user may select a uniform resource locator (URL) link within a web client of the user device, thereby initiating a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or other protocol request being sent to the network host associated with the URL. In response to the request, the server may extract the data regarding the particular selected item and send the data to the device that initiated the request. Once the user device has received the data regarding the particular item, the contents of the received data regarding the particular item may be displayed on the user device in response to the user's selection. Further to the above example, the data received from the server after selecting the URL link may provide a web page in Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) that may be rendered by the web client and displayed on the user device.
Once data is obtained, such as by using techniques described above or from storage, the computing system, in performing one or more embodiments of the disclosure, may extract one or more data items from the obtained data. For example, the extraction may be performed as follows by the computing system (600) in
Next, extraction criteria are used to extract one or more data items from the token stream or structure, where the extraction criteria are processed according to the organizing pattern to extract one or more tokens (or nodes from a layered structure). For position-based data, the token(s) at the position(s) identified by the extraction criteria are extracted. For attribute/value-based data, the token(s) and/or node(s) associated with the attribute(s) satisfying the extraction criteria are extracted. For hierarchical/layered data, the token(s) associated with the node(s) matching the extraction criteria are extracted. The extraction criteria may be as simple as an identifier string or may be a query presented to a structured data repository (where the data repository may be organized according to a database schema or data format, such as XML).
The extracted data may be used for further processing by the computing system. For example, the computing system of
The computing system in
The user, or software application, may submit a statement or query into the DBMS. Then the DBMS interprets the statement. The statement may be a select statement to request information, update statement, create statement, delete statement, etc. Moreover, the statement may include parameters that specify data, or data container (database, table, record, column, view, etc.), identifier(s), conditions (comparison operators), functions (e.g. join, full join, count, average, etc.), sort (e.g. ascending, descending), or others. The DBMS may execute the statement. For example, the DBMS may access a memory buffer, a reference or index a file for read, write, deletion, or any combination thereof, for responding to the statement. The DBMS may load the data from persistent or non-persistent storage and perform computations to respond to the query. The DBMS may return the result(s) to the user or software application.
The computing system of
For example, a GUI may first obtain a notification from a software application requesting that a particular data object be presented within the GUI. Next, the GUI may determine a data object type associated with the particular data object, e.g., by obtaining data from a data attribute within the data object that identifies the data object type. Then, the GUI may determine any rules designated for displaying that data object type, e.g., rules specified by a software framework for a data object class or according to any local parameters defined by the GUI for presenting that data object type. Finally, the GUI may obtain data values from the particular data object and render a visual representation of the data values within a display device according to the designated rules for that data object type.
Data may also be presented through various audio methods. In particular, data may be rendered into an audio format and presented as sound through one or more speakers operably connected to a computing device.
Data may also be presented to a user through haptic methods. For example, haptic methods may include vibrations or other physical signals generated by the computing system. For example, data may be presented to a user using a vibration generated by a handheld computer device with a predefined duration and intensity of the vibration to communicate the data.
The above description of functions presents only a few examples of functions performed by the computing system of
While the disclosure has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the disclosure as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the disclosure should be limited only by the attached claims.
