Data storage and retrieval system

Abstract

A user based computer system for information storage and retrieval in which information data items are stored in a persistent memory for later searching, retrieval and/or browsing and related in the memory by a frame system wherein the stored information includes primary information from outside the system and additional information derived from primary information and inherited from stored information.

1 . In a user-based computer system for causing a persistent memory to function as an information storage and retrieval system that receives and stores information, the combination comprising;
 a computer-readable medium storing a server computer program that, when executed by a computer, manages the persistent memory to receive and store information in a frame system that can be browsed at a later time.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the information received and stored in the persistent memory includes primary information from outside the persistent memory. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said server computer program, when executed by a computer, derives additional information from primary information, and
 the information stored in the persistent memory that can be browsed at a later time includes primary information and additional information.   
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said server computer program, when executed by a computer, is capable of deriving further additional information from the primary information and information stored in the persistent memory before the primary information and wherein the information stored in the persistent memory that can be browsed at a later time includes further additional information. 
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 2  wherein said server computer program, when executed by a computer, is capable of deriving further additional information from the primary information and information stored in the persistent memory before the primary information and wherein the information stored in the persistent memory for browsing at a later time includes further additional information. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 2  wherein:
 said primary information includes a plurality of data items;   the frame system includes frames, slots and values;   the data items of said primary information stored in the persistent memory for browsing at a later time are related to each other by a particular frame-slot-value relationship.   
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 3  wherein:
 said primary information includes a plurality of data items;   the frame system includes frames, slots and values;   the data items of said primary information stored in the persistent memory for browsing at a later time are related to each other by a particular frame-slot-value relationship; and   the additional information is said data items of the primary information related to each other by different frame-slot-value relationships.   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 4  wherein:
 said primary information includes a plurality of data items;   the frame system includes frames, slots and values;   the data items of said primary information stored in the persistent memory for browsing at a later time are related to each other by a particular frame-slot-value relationship;   the additional information is said data items of the primary information related to each other by different frame-slot-value relationships; and   the further additional information is at least one data item of said primary information related by a frame-slot-value relationship to at least one data item stored in the persistent memory before the primary information.   
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said server computer program, when executed by a computer, searches and identifies information in the persistent memory independently of the frame system. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 3  wherein said server computer program, when executed by a computer, searches and identifies information in the persistent memory independently of the frame system. 
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 4  wherein said server computer program, when executed by a computer, searches and identifies information in the persistent memory independently of the frame system. 
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 9  wherein said server computer program, when executed by a computer, browses the information in the persistent memory using the frame system. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein said server computer program, when executed by a computer, browses the information in the persistent memory using the frame system. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11  wherein said server computer program, when executed by a computer, browses the information in the persistent memory using the frame system. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a computer-readable medium storing a client computer program that, when executed by a computer, provides a user interface for entering information from outside the persistent memory to the persistent memory where it is managed by said server program and for receiving information from the persistent memory and making it available to a user.   
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein:
 said server computer program, when executed by a computer, searches and retrieves information in the persistent memory independently of the frame system: and   said client computer program, when executed by a computer, provides a user interface from which commands can be directed to said server program to search in and retrieve information from the persistent memory.   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein;
 said server computer program, when executed by a computer, browses the information in the persistent memory using the frame system; and   said client computer program, when executed by a computer, provides a user interface from which commands can be directed to said server program to browse information using the frame system.   
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 16  wherein;
 said server computer program, when executed by a computer, browses the information in the persistent memory using the frame system; and   said client computer program, when executed by a computer, further provides a user interface from which the information in the persistent memory can be browsed using the frame system.   
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 1  wherein said server computer program, when executed by a computer, browses the information in the persistent memory using the frame system. 
   
   
       20 . In a method of storing information in and retrieving information from a computer's persistent memory, the step comprising:
 (a) storing primary information from outside the persistent memory in a frame system in the persistent memory for later browsing.   
   
   
       21 . In the method of  claim 20 , the further step comprising:
 (b) searching independently of the frame system for information in the persistent memory.   
   
   
       22 . In the method of  claim 21 , after step (b), the further step comprising:
 (c) browsing the information in the persistent memory using the frame system.   
   
   
       23 . In the method of  claim 22  wherein step (c) is initiated at a location within the frame system based on information located by step (b). 
   
   
       24 . In the method of  claim 20 , the further steps comprising:
 (b) generating additional information from the primary information; and   (c) storing the additional information in the frame system of the persistent memory for later browsing.   
   
   
       25 . In the method of  claim 24 , after step (c), the further step comprising:
 (d) searching independently of the frame system for information in the persistent memory.   
   
   
       26 . In the method of  claim 25 , after step (d), the further step comprising:
 (e) browsing the information in the persistent memory using the frame system.   
   
   
       27 . In the method of  claim 25  wherein step (e) is initiated at a location within the frame system based on information located by step (d). 
   
   
       28 . In the method of  claim 20 , the further steps comprising:
 (b) generating further additional information from the primary information and information previously stored in the persistent memory;   (c) storing the further additional information in the frame system of the persistent memory for later browsing.   
   
   
       29 . In the method of  claim 28 , after step (c), the further step comprising:
 (d) searching independently of the frame system for information in the persistent memory.   
   
   
       30 . In the method of  claim 28 , after step (d), the further step comprising:
 (e) browsing the information in the persistent memory using the frame system.   
   
   
       31 . In the method of  claim 30  wherein step (e) is initiated at a location within the frame system based on information located by step (d). 
   
   
       32 . In the method of  claim 20 , the further steps comprising:
 (b) generating additional information from the primary information;   (c) generating further additional information from the primary information and information previously stored in the persistent memory; and   (d) storing the additional information and the further additional information in the frame system of the persistent memory for later browsing.   
   
   
       33 . In the method of  claim 32 , after step (d), the further step comprising:
 (e) searching independently of the frame system for information in the persistent memory.   
   
   
       34 . In the method of  claim 33 , after step (e), the further step comprising:
 (f) browsing the information in the persistent memory using the frame system.   
   
   
       35 . In the method of  claim 35  wherein step (f) is initiated at a location within the frame system based on information located by step (e).