Abstract:
Systems and methods for accessing information from database trees are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for acquiring a link includes a database having a plurality of links obtained from at least a first source document and a second source document and a processor in communication with the database to search the database for links according to predetermined criteria and to extract the links from the database. In another embodiment, a method of forming a link between a first portion of a document and a second portion of a document includes specifying a first descriptor and a second descriptor, accessing a database, identifying a link in the database that defines a path between the first portion and the second portion, extracting the link and using the path to provide a user-manipulable link to refer a user from the first portion to the second portion.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to systems and methods for information management, and more particularly, to systems and methods for accessing information in database trees.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In recent years, commercial enterprises have increasingly transferred documents of various types into information databases that may be directly accessed by a user. Information databases offer a level of convenience to a user because they do not require the user to access physical volumes containing indexed information, or to access drawing files, and the like. Similarly, the use of information databases is advantageous to commercial enterprises because it allows significant cost savings. For example, the information database generally supports “paperless” operation, thus generally eliminating paper and printing costs. The use of information databases also largely eliminates the substantial floor space requirements generally associated with document libraries, filing cabinets and drawing files, which are typically used to store paper documents. Most importantly, the use of information databases significantly reduces the amount of time a user must devote to acquiring needed documents.  
         [0003]     As information databases increase in size, however, ease of access to desired information has correspondingly increased in difficulty. In particular, current information databases are typically configured in a prescribed hierarchy of topics that generally resemble an inverted tree, having a root portion or main directory positioned at the top portion of the inverted tree, with branch portions that include specific document portions extending therefrom. Current methods for accessing desired information in such databases usually require that a user manually navigate downwardly from a main directory along pre-existing paths in the tree structure in order to locate an item of interest. If the user needs to move among branch portions, the user must generally navigate back to the main directory and then select a new path to access the desired information. Although hyperlinks may assist a user in moving directly between items in the document tree, the hyperlinks are not formulated by the user and thus may not provide the flexibility that a user desires.  
         [0004]     One example of an information database that is arranged as a document tree is the Portable Maintenance Aid (PMA) that is offered by The Boeing Company of Chicago, IL. The PMA includes aircraft maintenance information in a readily accessible format so that maintenance personnel may conveniently obtain desired maintenance information and view the information on a viewing device.  FIG. 1  is a graphical view of a portion of the PMA  10  that includes a main directory  12  that lists a plurality of electronic documents that are available for a particular aircraft model, including, for example, an electronic version of an aircraft illustrated parts catalog (AIPC), an electronic version of an aircraft maintenance manual (AMM), as well as other documents that are typically required to properly maintain the aircraft. To access a desired portion of a document, a user first selects a document in the main directory  12 , and then navigates along predetermined paths that proceed from the most general topic, as listed in the main directory  12  to a more specific entry. For example, and with reference to the main directory  12 , the user may select a document  13  (e.g., the AMM) and then navigate downwardly in the AMM document tree to locate a desired portion  14  of the selected document  13  (e.g., a recirculation fan installation procedure in chapter 21-25-07). From the portion  14 , an illustration  15  (e.g., illustration 21-25-07/401) may be accessed and viewed.  
         [0005]     Although the PMA  10  affords significant advantages and constitutes an advance in the state of the art, a user is still constrained to move, or “drill down” within the PMA  10  along predetermined paths in the document tree. Accordingly, if the user needs to view other related information that is present in the document tree, the user must generally navigate back to the main directory  12  and then proceed along another selected route to access the desired information. Moreover, if the user requires information not included in the document tree, the user must typically exit the selected document tree and then access another desired document tree. Once accessed, the user navigates through the second tree in the manner described above. For example, and still referring to  FIG. 1 , if a user required access to information contained in the AIPC while the user was accessing the AMM, the user would typically return to the main directory  12  and then access the AIPC.  
         [0006]     Therefore, a need exists for systems and methods that permit a user to access document links and to move within a document tree in a more efficient manner than may be realized using the prior art systems and methods.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention comprises systems and methods for accessing information in database trees. In one aspect, a system for acquiring a referential document link includes a database having a plurality of referential links obtained from at least a first source document and a second source document, and a processor in communication with the database that is operable to search the database for referential links according to predetermined criteria and to extract the links from the database, the links defining referential paths between the first source document and the second source document.  
         [0008]     In another aspect, a method of forming at least one referential link between a first selected portion of a document and a second selected portion of a document includes specifying a first descriptor associated with the first selected portion and a second descriptor associated with the second selected portion, accessing a database that includes a plurality of referential links, identifying the at least one referential link that defines a corresponding referential path between the first selected portion and the second selected portion, extracting the at least one referential link from the database, and using the referential path to provide a user-manipulable functional link to refer a user from the first selected portion to the second selected portion.  
         [0009]     In still another aspect, a method of creating at least one referential link between a selected portion of a first document tree and a selected portion of a second document tree includes identifying a first descriptor associated with the selected portion of the first document tree and a second descriptor associated with the selected portion of the second document tree searching a database having a plurality of referential links obtained from the first document tree and the second document tree selecting at least one referential link from the database to form a corresponding referential path between the selected portion of the first document tree and the selected portion of the second document tree, and navigating from the selected first portion of the first document tree to the selected portion of the second document tree along the referential path.  
         [0010]     Another aspect of the invention includes a displayable document generated from a database comprised of a plurality of referential links obtained from a first source document and a second source document, wherein the displayable document includes at least one referential link that forms a corresponding referential path from a selected portion of the first source document to a selected portion of the second source document.  
         [0011]     Still another aspect of the invention includes a computer readable medium generated from a database comprised of a plurality of referential links obtained from a first source document and a second source document, wherein the computer readable medium includes at least one referential link encoded thereon that forms a corresponding referential path from a selected portion of the first source document to a selected portion of the second source document.  
         [0012]     Yet another aspect of the invention includes a method of navigating between a first selected portion of a document and a second selected portion of a document, wherein the method includes searching a database that includes a plurality of referential links generated from the document, identifying at least one referential link that links the first selected portion and the second selected portion, extracting the link from the database, and forming a referential path between the first selected portion and the second selected portion based upon the identified link.  
         [0013]     A further aspect of the invention includes a method of navigating between a selected portion of a first document and a selected portion of a second document, wherein the method includes searching a database that includes a plurality of referential links generated from the first document and the second document, identifying at least one referential link that links the selected portion of the first document and the selected portion of the second document, extracting the link from the database, and forming a referential path between the selected portion of the first document and the selected portion of the second document based upon the identified link. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]     The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a graphical view of a portion of an hierarchical document tree in accordance with the prior art;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a block view of a system for acquiring a referential document link to form a referential path between selected document portions according to an embodiment of the invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method for identifying one or more referential links according to still another embodiment of the invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a graphical representation of a plurality of hierarchical document trees used to describe a method for navigating within and/or between document trees according to yet another embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a graphical representation of a hierarchical document tree that will be used to describe a method for generating a document tree according to another embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     The present invention relates to systems and methods for accessing information from related document trees. Many specific details of certain embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following description and in  FIGS. 2 through 5  to provide a thorough understanding of such embodiments. One skilled in the art, however, will understand that the present invention may have additional embodiments, or that the present invention may be practiced without several of the details described in the following description.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is a block view of a system  20  for acquiring a referential document link to form a referential path between selected document portions according to an embodiment of the invention. The system  20  includes a processor  22 , which generally includes any programmable electronic device configured to receive programming instructions and input data, and to process the data according to the programming instructions. The processor  22  is coupled to a plurality of external devices  24 , including a pointing device  26  operable to provide input commands to the processor  22 , a keyboard  28  for the entry of text information and commands to the processor  22 , a viewing screen  30  for viewing information generated by the processor  22 . Other external devices  24  include a printer  32  operable to generate a printed copy of information generated by the processor  22 , and a communications port  34  that may be coupled to other processors and/or input and output devices through a communications network. A storage device  36  configured to receive a removable data storage medium, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a tape device or other similar input/output devices is also coupled to the processor  22  so that information generated by the processor may be transferred to the removable storage medium.  
         [0022]     The system  20  further includes a referential database  38  that includes a plurality of referential links, as disclosed in our co-pending U.S. patent application (Boeing Disc1. No. 03-1144) Ser. No. XX/XXX,XXX, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING AND STORING REFERENTIAL LINKS IN A DATABASE”, filed May XX, 2004 under attorney docket number BOEI-1-XXXX, which application is incorporated by reference herein. Briefly, and in general terms, the referential database  38  includes referential links extracted from data structures that are correlated according to selected association or “business rules” and stored in a database in discrete data fields. The data structure disclosed in the foregoing application may include, for example, an extended markup language (XML) document having semantic tags that describe particular data elements therein. The data structure is, in turn, generated from a written document. For example, the data structure may be generated from an electronic document formatted in the well-known portable document format (PDF), or it may include a paper document that is scanned into an electronic document using optical character recognition (OCR) methods, as disclosed in our co-pending U.S. Patent Application (Boeing Disc1. No. 03-1143) No. YY/YYY,YYY, entitled “DOCUMENT INFORMATION MINING TOOL,” filed Apr. 30, 2004 under attorney docket number BOEI-1-1257, which application is also incorporated by reference herein.  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a flowchart of a method  40  for identifying one or more referential links according to still another embodiment of the invention. The method  40  commences at a block  42 , where a user indicates that a referential link that forms a path between selected portions of one or more document trees is desired. In general, the user indicates that a link is sought between the selected portions by entering descriptive information from each of the selected portions. Accordingly, the block  42 , the user provides the descriptive information for the first document portion, and also enters descriptive information for the one or more other document portions from either the same, or other document trees. The descriptive information may be provided, for example, by page numbers, document section numbers, file names, or even by pre-selected descriptors that are positioned on the respective document portions. Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the user may provide the descriptive information to the system  20  through the pointing device  26 , the keyboard  28 , or through the communications port  34 . At a block  44 , the processor  22  accesses the database  38  and extracts the relevant referential links based upon the descriptive information provided at step  42 . The processor  22  then formats the extracted referential links so that the links are presented to the user in a useable form. For example, the links may be formatted and presented to the user as hyperlinks so that the referential path between the document trees may be readily invoked. At a block  48 , the processor  22  prepares a document that includes the referential links identified at the block  44 . The document thus generated may be presented to the user on the display screen  30 , or a printed document may be generated on the printer  32 . In either case, the document may also be stored on a removable memory medium within the storage device  36 . Alternately, the document may be transferred to other processors and/or devices through the communication port  34 .  
         [0024]     Still referring to  FIG. 3 , the method  40  then requests if other referential links are required, as shown at a block  49 . If no further link information is desired, the method  40  terminates. If further referential link information is desired, however, the method  40  returns to step  42  so that the user may enter additional descriptive information regarding the link sought.  
         [0025]      FIG. 4  is a graphical representation of a plurality of hierarchical document trees that will be used to describe a method  50  for navigating within and/or between document trees according to yet another embodiment of the invention. The method  50  includes a first document tree  52  having a root  54 , branches  56   a  through  56   n  that depend from the root  54 , and various sub-branches that depend from the branches  56   a  through  56   n . For clarity of illustration, only sub-branches  58   a  through  58   n,  which depend from branch  56   n , are shown. One skilled in the art will readily understand that other sub-branches may be present, which may have still other branches depending therefrom. The root  54 , branches  56   a  through  56   n  and the sub-branches  58   a  through  58   n  are connected by pre-existing paths  51  that stem from the authorship of the document. For example, where the root  54  is a table of contents for the document, the branches  56   a  through  56   n  may represent chapters listed in the table of contents, so that the links  51  comprise paths between the table of contents and the subject matter comprising each chapter.  
         [0026]     With continued reference to  FIG. 4 , a second document tree  72  similarly includes a root  64 , branches  66   a  through  66   n  that depend from the root  64 , and various sub-branches that depend from the branches  66   a  through  66   n . Again, for clarity of illustration, only sub-branches  68   a  through  68   n,  which depend from branch  66   n , are shown. The root  64 , branches  66   a  through  66   n  and the various sub-branches are connected by pre-existing paths  61  that stem from the structure of a document. With reference again to  FIG. 3 , the links identified in the block  44  may be used to form referential paths between the first document tree  52  and the second document tree  62 . For example, a referential path  70  is advantageously formed between the sub-branch  58   n  of the first tree  52  and the sub-branch  68   a  of the second tree  62 , thus avoiding the need to navigate upwardly from the sub-branch  58   n  to the root  54 , and then from the root  64  in the second tree  62  downwardly to the sub-branch  68   a.    
         [0027]     The method  50  may also permit navigation within a document tree. For example, a referential path  72  may be established between the branch  56   a  of the first tree  52  and the sub-branch  58   n,  also of the first tree  52 . As a result, when navigation between the sub-branch  58   n  and the branch  56   a  is desired, the referential path  72  advantageously provides a direct path, thus avoiding the need to navigate upwardly from the sub-branch  58   n  to the branch  56   n  and upwardly further to the root  54 , then downwardly from the root  54  to the branch  56   a.    
         [0028]      FIG. 5  is a graphical representation of a hierarchical document tree that will be used to describe a method  80  for generating a document tree according to another embodiment of the invention. The referential paths  70  and  72 , as shown in  FIG. 4  may be used to define a third document tree  73  that includes document portions from the first document tree  52  and the second document tree  62 . Accordingly, the third document tree  73  includes the root  54 , the branch  56   a  and the sub-branch  58   n  from the first tree  52 , and the sub-branch  68   a  from the second document tree  62 . In the exemplary third document tree  73 , pre-existing links  51  and the referential paths  70  and  72  form a primary path between the root  54  and underlying portions of the document tree  73 . The third document tree  73  may be combined with other document trees in order to form still more document trees having different root, branch and sub-branch portions and having different referential paths.  
         [0029]     While preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of these preferred and alternate embodiments. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.