Patent ID: 7882080

Claim:
A method for operating an automation system, the automation system in communication with a database comprising a plurality of data accessible via a single database interface, comprising: storing a plurality of data in a database wherein each datum of the plurality of data comprises a unique reference to uniquely identify the datum during access and wherein one or more dependencies exist between one or more of the datum; assigning for each datum a separate respective buffer via the unique reference, each separate respective buffer for storing back-up statuses of the datum; in conjunction with accessing the data via a single database interface using the unique reference: (a) storing a backup of a status of the datum to which the access relates in the separate respective buffer for that datum; (b) for each further datum for which a dependency exists with the datum to which the access relates and that will be affected by such access, storing a backup of a status of the further datum in the separate respective buffer for that further datum; and (c) providing a link between each of the stored backups of statuses when dependency exists, wherein the backup of the status of the datum to which the access relates comprises a starting point of the link and the backup of the status of each further datum comprises a target of the link; in conjunction with undoing the access to the datum, restoring the status of the datum from the backup of the status stored in the separate respective buffer for that datum.