Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-17
2001-11-13
Breene, John (Department: 2177)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C705S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06317737
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Datamarts are types of software programs that allow users to aggregate, sort, sift, and manipulate data from a number of sources. These sources of data can be, for example, databases or internet web servers. Users describe the types of data they wish the datamarts to access, from which source, and how that data should be manipulated. The users use data descriptions to access the data from these sources.
In some systems, the data descriptions include the actual instructions that access the specific source. For example, the data descriptions might includes an SQL language instruction to access a specific database. The problem with these types of data descriptions are that they are very data source specific. For example, if a data description works for one type of SQL database, this same description will not work to access the same data in a different type of database. The data description will have to be translated into an instruction for the other type of database.
Therefore, what is needed is an improved data description mechanism that can be used to access data independently from the source. Also, what is needed is a system that supports such data descriptions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the invention includes data descriptions of data in a database. The data descriptions include baseviews and metaviews. The baseviews reference specific portions of the actual database schema while the metaviews provide descriptions of baseviews. Each baseview includes specific references to specific columns in tables stored in the database.
Importantly, in one embodiment, the baseviews do not include database access commands to access the specific columns of the database. Without the database access commands in the baseviews, baseviews and metaviews are much more independent of the underlying database interface. In this embodiment, an application requests a server to prepare database access commands using the metaviews references' to baseviews, and the baseviews' references to specific columns of tables in the database.
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Engelhardt Nicholas F.
Gorelik Vladimir
Powers Craig R.
Zicker John E.
Blakely , Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman LLP
Breene John
Lewis Cheryl
Sagent Technologies, Inc.
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