Patent ID: 8606845

Claim:
A method of providing a set of data from a database in the form of a really simple syndication (RSS) feed containing an object, the method comprising: dynamically updating the set of data; dynamically receiving from a client, via an application programming interface, a definition of a query requesting an object, the object having: a defined scope, wherein the defined scope comprises: at least one of a number of data fields included in the object from the set of data, an identification of the data source providing a data field, or the name of a data field, and defined attributes, wherein the defined attributes comprise at least one of information identifying which fields are sortable, or an update time for the field values; converting the definition of the query to an RSS feed definition; querying the database using the RSS feed definition; converting results from the query to an RSS feed including the requested object; publishing the RSS feed to the client; providing a user interface enabling a user to further define the scope and attributes related to the requested object provided by the RSS feed for creating a customized version of the RSS feed; receiving a request from a first user via the user interface for the customized version of the RSS feed, the request including a first further defined scope and attributes related to the object provided by the RSS feed; generating a first customized feed definition using the first further defined scope and the attributes of the object; applying the first customized feed definition to the RSS feed to create a first customized RSS feed; providing the first user access to the first customized RSS feed; performing one or more functions on the first customized RSS feed to modify data included in the first customized RSS feed and making the modified data available to other users; receiving a second request from a second user for another customized version of the RSS feed, the second request including a second further defined scope and other attributes related to the object provided by the RSS feed; generating a second customized feed definition using the second further defined scope and the attributes of the object; applying the second customized feed definition to the RSS feed to create a second customized RSS feed; providing the second user an access to the second customized RSS feed; and performing one or more functions on the second customized RSS feed to modify data included in the second customized RSS feed and making the modified data available to other users.