System for developing data collection software applications
AssigneeWatterson-Prime Software, Inc.
InventorsBrenda G. Hatcher, Bruce E. Watterson, Paul R. Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A software system for creating new data collection applications for processing input data. User information is provided through a series of screen interfaces to a first program portion, which uses a series of templates to construct an information structure. The new application contains no code but only functional information. The information provided by the user is stored in a data dictionary. A second program portion interprets and accesses the information structure created by the first program portion in order to process input data provided by the user. Certain parts/functions of the information structure can be modified, by both the first and second program portions.
Claims29
A software system embodied on a computer-readable medium for developing new computer-based data collection applications, comprising:
- a first software program function for developing an information structure for a selected new data collection software application, the information structure including information concerning several components thereof which include data elements, data screens and rules for processing data and performing calculations thereon, said information being supplied by an end user of the data collection software application;
- means for developing and maintaining a data storage database for input data which is provided by an end user for the data collection software application, wherein the input data is processed in operation of the new data collection software application;
- and
- a second software program function for interpreting and accessing the information structure for processing the input data in accordance with the information structure developed by the first software program function, wherein the second software program function has the capability of modifying selected characteristics of the information structure in accordance with the end user's instructions.
A software system embodied on a computer-readable medium for developing screens used in a new computer program application, which includes obtaining screens from another application, including:
- a first software program function providing an end user an opportunity to select a desired screen from another application to which the software system has access and for importing said desired screen for use in the new application, wherein the first program function permits the user to drag the desired screen into a selected screen set for the new application;
- and
- another software program function which reads the information tables for said desired screen and brings into the new application a XML (extensible mark-up language) document associated with said desired screen, said another software program function thereafter storing said desired screen and the associated XML document in selected information tables for said new application.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.