Patent · US Expired

Database system with methods providing a platform-independent self-describing data packet for transmitting information

US6151602A · kind A · utility

131Cited by
5References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 25, 1998
Grant dateNov 21, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 25, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S707/99942
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A three-tier data processing system of the present invention includes a client application, operating on a client machine (i.e., first tier), which obtains data from a back-end data source (e.g., database server) by submitting a request (e.g., SQL query) to a middle tier. The middle tier, in turn, comprises a provider and a resolver. Data is actually returned to the client by means of a "data packet" of the present invention, which is a platform-independent self-describing data format used to exchange data between different subsystems of the architecture. A data packet normally represents a result set, which is received by a client from a remote server, containing both data and metadata. Upon receiving the data packet from the provider, the client unpacks the data and then proceeds to process and manipulate the data as if it were local data (e.g., for insert, deletes, updates, and the like). Additional data packets are provided for special purpose use, including a "delta" data packet, used when applying client updates, and an "error" data packet, used to report results (including errors, after a failed update attempt) back to a client. The resolver, upon receiving a delta data pack…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.