Sap Ag

Azi, Inc.

A21, Inc.

A2i, Inc.

Philip A Tinari

Paul N Weinberg

David E Brookler

Dave L Sullivan

Ariel Hazi

Richard T Endo

Nathan F Yospe

Dominic Tham

Eugene Cherny

Matan Arazi

Alexander K Alexandrov

Ronen Cohen

Anat Levi Segal

An embodiment of the invention comprises a method and apparatus for structuring, storing and retrieving data in database systems utilizing relational objects referred to as qualifiers. Catalog data are segregated into one or more primary tables (e.g., main tables), one or more lookup tables, and one or more qualified lookup tables following a predefined set of categories and a taxonomy. Qualified lookup tables comprise a special type of fields referred to as qualifiers. Searches are conducted in embodiments of the invention by determining a set of lookup fields, performing a lookup in one or more lookup tables, and retrieving data values which include association values with records that belong to one or more primary tables. The qualifiers are then used to narrow the search space by selecting only those values that satisfy the selection criteria with regard to the qualifiers. In embodiments of the invention, only a small set in the primary table are traversed to retrieve eligible records.

Method and apparatus for generating and utilizing qualifiers and qualified taxonomy tables

One or more embodiments of the invention enable a user to create multiple non-redundant views using metadata targeted at a specific audience that comprises language, regional, regulatory and/or cultural specific values. The word 'audience' for the purposes of this specification means a group of document consumers such as people or computers that are associated with a language, country, region, regulation or culture. Audience specific data therefore is data targeted at a specific audience and audience specific metadata is related to the descriptive information related to the data, such as a table name or a field name for example. At least one embodiment of the invention makes use of rule-based inheritance in providing metadata values via layers that comprise audience specific data.

Method for utilizing audience-specific metadata

Enables locating and merging potential data record matches. Enables locating duplicates through the definition of matching strategies. Each strategy may include transformations, matching rules and scoring thresholds to implement fuzzy matches that match closely related data records that are not exact matches. Performing a search allows for narrowing down the records to a desired set on which to apply a given matching strategy. Merging is performed on the potential duplicates thus located to consolidate data and remove duplicates. By narrowing down the records to a closely related set via a search, merging is simplified to work on a small number of closely related records, thus simplifying the process. The total matching score obtained via execution of match strategies may be utilized to determine which potential record(s) to merge for example. May utilize past user input to provide intelligent inputs for rules, tokens, weights, fields, parameters or any other past user input.

Method and apparatus for matching non-normalized data values

Audience specific document targeted at a particular media type are generated by accessing data from an audience hierarchy. When obtaining a data value for a particular audience, if that value does not exist for that audience then the audience hierarchy may be utilized to find the data value for an inherited audience. By adding regional, cultural or regulatory subdivisions within the audience hierarchy and inheriting large portions of existing audience specific data entries, a large number of audience specific documents may be generated with a minimal amount of data entry required. Audiences may be specified in a given order for traversal within the hierarchy and displayed in a data entry and editing application utilizing visual characteristics to inform a user if the value for a particular piece of data is inherited from another layer or utilized from the particular layer in use. Audience specific documents may be masked and accessed by payment.

Method for generating documents using layer-specific inheritance rules

One or more embodiments of invention are directed to a multi-layered data model for generating audience-specific documents will now be described. The invention is used in the context of generating a document such as a catalog or web page for publication across regions and cultures comprising multiple languages. It allows users to rapidly generate multi-language, multi-culture and multi-region documents since fields flagged as multi-lingual may utilize existing buckets that comprise pre-filled multi-language, multi-culture and multi-region values without requiring the user to specify every multi-value when creating a record.

Multi-layered data model for generating audience-specific documents

The present invention provides for storage of data items with dissimilar structures in a single database table while minimizing the problems associated with prior approaches. In one aspect of the invention, a method of efficiently storing data items in a database management system (DBMS) is provided wherein each data item has at least one attribute associated with it, the method comprising identifying a set of attributes associated with each data item, creating, for use with all of the data items, a common data structure that excludes those attributes unique to any one of the data items, and associating each data item with attributes excluded from the data structure.

Efficient storage and access in a database management system

An interface for indicating the presence of inherited values in a document. The interface enables a user to rapidly determine if an audience specific document conforms to the expectations or requirements of an intended audience. The interface distinguishes between current, primary and secondary audience layer values through the use of color or any other mechanism that allows a user to quickly identify data that is missing and needs to be populated, changed or remain unchanged if the inherited data is suitable for the given audience. Using the interface, users can determine at a glance what information is inherited and what level of inheritance that information is from. Before generating an audience specific document targeted at a particular media type, an audience hierarchy may be created and utilized for entry and edit of data for a desired audience.

Interface for indicating the presence of inherited values in a document

A system and method for providing a timeshared electronic catalog is disclosed. The system comprises an electronic database having a plurality of data records that comprise a master data set. The system comprises at least a first and second subset of the data records, wherein each subset comprises one or more data records selected from the master data set. The system includes a software program comprising a data record masking module for selectively providing a first view for displaying one of the subsets to a first user. Each of the plurality of data records contains a plurality of data elements, or fields, or attributes. The data record masking module is further for selecting which data elements are provided in the view. The system further includes a means for selectively providing which executable features from a plurality of executable features may be provided with each view.

Method and system for generating user defined timeshared derivative electronic catalogs from a master catalog

Embodiments of the invention improve upon current systems by allowing users to dynamically generate and repeatedly modify the appearance of any set of tabular data. When the system obtains input relating to formatting the table, the appearance of the table is dynamically modified so the users can instantaneously view any changes to the table caused by the input (e.g., WYSIWYG). Users provide input (e.g., layout information) that relates to various types of pivot operations, sorting operation, and/or merging operations performed on the table. The user may, for example, select a certain field and then initiate a pivot operation using the selected field. The system is configured in accordance with one embodiment of the invention so that the layout information is stored independent of and/or associated with the table data.

Method and apparatus for dynamically formatting and displaying tabular data in real time

Timeshared electronic catalog system and method

The invention describes a method and apparatus for structuring, maintaining, and using families of data. According to the invention, given one or more sets of partitioning data, one may construct a set of families based on the values of fields and attributes of the records in a database system. The families are stored and managed in separate tables. The records in data tables are identified as belonging to one or more families. Furthermore, families may be represented in a hierarchical structure. Families may also inherit from each other based on a parent to child relationship also stored in the database. The invention provides means for fast and organized retrieval of sets data from a database. These and other features greatly facilitate automatic and consistent document generation.

Method and apparatus for structuring, maintaining, and using families of data

The present invention provides for simultaneous display of a tabular and a form view of the records, (b) displaying multiple disparate values in a single control, and (c) formatting the values based on characteristics of the records.

Simultaneous display and formatting of disparate values in a tabular form

The present invention provides for indexing of occurrences of a value in at least one data record using a bit vector wherein a bit vector is associated with the value and a bit of the bit vector representation is associated with the at least one data record, a determination is made whether the value exists in the at least one data record, a bit value is assigned to the bit in the bit vector representation based on the outcome of the determination. Further, operations may be performed on multiple bit vectors indexing data records and values used in the data records to determine the existence of combinations and associations between the corresponding values and the indexed data records.

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Beverly Hills, CA, United States of America

Philip A Tinari