Patents by Inventor Les Thomas

Les Thomas has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9075854
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems implementing browser-based database manipulation are described. A browser on a client device can receive a form definition that is generated based on a schema of a relational database and a layout. The schema in the form definition can specify properties of data fields. The browser can display the data fields and other components of the layout in a list. The browser can receive a drag-and-drop input, the drag-and-drop input selecting a data field or a layout component from the list and dropping the selected data field or layout component in a drop zone in a form area in the browser. The browser can determine the drop location, and use the drop location as a parameter to modify the form definition. The layout and the schema can be modified based on the modified form definition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Les Thomas, Eric Jacobson, Wesley Powell, Edward L. Ford, Gang Zhang, Adam Ward
  • Patent number: 9009201
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems implementing integrated repository of structured and unstructured data are disclosed. An integrated environment is provided for accessing structured data (e.g., data of a relational database) and unstructured data (e.g., data stored in a text or binary file), including creating, managing, modifying, and searching the structured data and unstructured data. The integrated environment can include an integrated user interface, a set of commands and application programming interface (API), and storage for a relational database and a document repository. The integrated environment can include a database abstraction layer that allows database operations on both the structured data and the unstructured data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Jacobson, Les Thomas, Gang Zhang
  • Patent number: 8914414
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems implementing integrated repository of structured and unstructured data are disclosed. An integrated environment is provided for accessing, structured data (e.g., data of a relational database) and unstructured data (e.g., data stored in a text or binary file), including creating, managing, modifying, and searching the structured data and unstructured data. The integrated environment can include an integrated user interface, a set of commands and application programming interface (API), and storage for a relational database and a document repository. The integrated environment can include a database abstraction layer that allows database operations on both the structured data and the unstructured data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Jacobson, Les Thomas, Gang Zhang
  • Patent number: 8626795
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems implementing dynamic data association are described. Relations between a first data item and a second data item can be created in an ad hoc manner. The first data item can include a row of data in a table in a relational database. The second data item can include a row of data in the same table, in another table in the relational database, or a document outside the relational database. Configurable metadata can be created to link the first data item and the second data item. The link can be directional. The configurable metadata can include data specified by a user. The configurable metadata can be stored in one or more system tables in the relational database. The configurable metadata can be specific to the user, or to a work group of the user. The configurable metadata can change when the first data item or the second data item is modified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Jacobson, Les Thomas, Peter Nelson
  • Publication number: 20130246437
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems implementing integrated repository of structured and unstructured data are disclosed. An integrated environment is provided for accessing structured data (e.g., data of a relational database) and unstructured data (e.g., data stored in a text or binary file), including creating, managing, modifying, and searching the structured data and unstructured data. The integrated environment can include an integrated user interface, a set of commands and application programming interface (API), and storage for a relational database and a document repository. The integrated environment can include a database abstraction layer that allows database operations on both the structured data and the unstructured data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Jacobson, Les Thomas, Gang Zhang
  • Patent number: 8442982
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems implementing integrated repository of structured and unstructured data are disclosed. An integrated environment is provided for accessing structured data (e.g., data of a relational database) and unstructured data (e.g., data stored in a text or binary file), including creating, managing, modifying, and searching the structured data and unstructured data. The integrated environment can include an integrated user interface, a set of commands and application programming interface (API), and storage for a relational database and a document repository. The integrated environment can include a database abstraction layer that allows database operations on both the structured data and the unstructured data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Jacobson, Les Thomas, Gang Zhang
  • Patent number: 8396894
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems implementing integrated repository of structured and unstructured data are disclosed. An integrated environment is provided for accessing, structured data (e.g., data of a relational database) and unstructured data (e.g., data stored in a text or binary file), including creating, managing, modifying, and searching the structured data and unstructured data. The integrated environment can include an integrated user interface, a set of commands and application programming interface (API), and storage for a relational database and a document repository. The integrated environment can include a database abstraction layer that allows database operations on both the structured data and the unstructured data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Jacobson, Les Thomas, Gang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20120117105
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems implementing collaborative database operations are disclosed. Collaborative database operations can be facilitated by data notification, where a server notifies a client when data being viewed at the client are updated. Notification can be achieved through registration and polling. A client of a database can request data from a server. The request can include a data request and a registration request. The data request can include a query into a database. The registration request can include a specification on conditions upon which the client is to be notified. The condition can include an event type. Upon registration, the client can poll the server periodically to determine whether a result of the query has changed, and if so, what data record in the result has changed. If a data record has changed, the client can request the changed data using an identifier of the data record.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Les Thomas, Eric Jacobson, Wesley Powell, Adam Ward, Edward L. Ford
  • Publication number: 20120117121
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems implementing browser-based database manipulation are described. A browser on a client device can receive a form definition that is generated based on a schema of a relational database and a layout. The schema in the form definition can specify properties of data fields. The browser can display the data fields and other components of the layout in a list. The browser can receive a drag-and-drop input, the drag-and-drop input selecting a data field or a layout component from the list and dropping the selected data field or layout component in a drop zone in a form area in the browser. The browser can determine the drop location, and use the drop location as a parameter to modify the form definition. The layout and the schema can be modified based on the modified form definition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Les Thomas, Eric Jacobson, Wesley Powell, Edward L. Ford, Gang Zhang, Adam Ward
  • Publication number: 20120117116
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems implementing integrated repository of structured and unstructured data are disclosed. An integrated environment is provided for accessing, structured data (e.g., data of a relational database) and unstructured data (e.g., data stored in a text or binary file), including creating, managing, modifying, and searching the structured data and unstructured data. The integrated environment can include an integrated user interface, a set of commands and application programming interface (API), and storage for a relational database and a document repository. The integrated environment can include a database abstraction layer that allows database operations on both the structured data and the unstructured data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Eric Jacobson, Les Thomas, Gang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20120117462
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems implementing dynamic data association are described. Relations between a first data item and a second data item can be created in an ad hoc manner. The first data item can include a row of data in a table in a relational database. The second data item can include a row of data in the same table, in another table in the relational database, or a document outside the relational database. Configurable metadata can be created to link the first data item and the second data item. The link can be directional. The configurable metadata can include data specified by a user. The configurable metadata can be stored in one or more system tables in the relational database. The configurable metadata can be specific to the user, or to a work group of the user. The configurable metadata can change when the first data item or the second data item is modified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Eric Jacobson, Les Thomas, Peter Nelson
  • Publication number: 20120117120
    Abstract: Methods, program products, and systems implementing integrated repository of structured and unstructured data are disclosed. An integrated environment is provided for accessing, structured data (e.g., data of a relational database) and unstructured data (e.g., data stored in a text or binary file), including creating, managing, modifying, and searching the structured data and unstructured data. The integrated environment can include an integrated user interface, a set of commands and application programming interface (API), and storage for a relational database and a document repository. The integrated environment can include a database abstraction layer that allows database operations on both the structured data and the unstructured data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Eric Jacobson, Les Thomas, Gang Zhang