Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1997-05-21
2001-05-22
Vu, Kim (Department: 2771)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06236986
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method and a device for extracting information from a database, which comprises a plurality of data records, each data record comprising at least two data elements, each data element being defined by a data element type and a data element value.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A well-known method for interacting with a database is to use the Structured Query Language (SQL). To extract information from the database, questions in the form of SELECT statements are asked to the database. Basically, the answer to a SELECT statement is a number of data records forming a table.
One disadvantage of SQL is that it presupposes knowledge about the tabular structure of the database. More particularly, the user has to state in the SELECT statement which tables the information is to be retrieved from. For instance, assume that the database comprises information about clothes and that the information is stored in two tables, the first table of which comprises the types of clothes and the sizes thereof, and the second table of which comprises the types of clothes and the prices. To extract all types of clothes having a predetermined size and a predetermined price, a complicated SELECT statement specifying the names of the two tables and of the fields of the tables including the types of clothes, the prices and the sizes, as well as the value of the predetermined price and the predetermined size, has to be used.
Furthermore, when the information to be retrieved is present in a column of which the data element values are not indexed, the column has to be searched linearly, which results in long response times when the column includes many data element values. This is a serious drawback, especially when the database is a commercial one and the user pays for the time during which he is connected to the database.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide a new method for extracting information form a database, which method enables the user to rapidly obtain information from the database without having any previous knowledge about the tabular structure of the database.
This object is achieved by a method and a device having the features recited in claim
1
and claim
13
, respectively. Preferred embodiments of the invention are recited in the subclaims.
According to the present invention, the data records of the database are read into the primary memory of a computer so that the data may be processed off-line. The database may be stored on a secondary memory or be a remotely-stored database to which the computer is connected by a modem. It is to be understood that the database thus read into the primary memory may be a selected part of a larger database or a combination of two or more databases.
Furthermore, each different data element value of each data element type is assigned a binary code and the data records are stored in binary-coded form. On account of the binary coding, very rapid searches can be conducted in the tables. Moreover, redundant information can be removed, resulting in a reduced amount of data.
When it is detected that at least one data element in the database has been selected, e.g. when a user has “clicked” on that data element, the binary-coded data records are examined in order to find all data element values implied by the selection, and these data element values are kept track of in a status set. Thus, the method according to the invention does not keep track of which data records are implied by the selection of one or more data element values, but which data element values are implied by the selection, whereby the result of a selection may be presented to the user in a very clear and compact way.
The data element values obtained as a result of the method may either be presented directly to the user, or be further processed before presentation, or be used internally, e.g. as an input to another program.
The presentation of the result may have the form of a list of all data element values implied by the selection or a list of all data element values where the values implied by the selection are indicated in a first way and the values excluded by the selection are marked in a second way or in any other suitable form.
This method for extracting data from a database is very fast. The response times are linearly dependent on the amount of data in the database. Since all data element values of the data records implied by the selection of a data element are indicated, the user gets a good survey of all possible further selections, whereby the continued search for information from the database is facilitated.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3971916 (1976-07-01), Moreno
patent: 4068298 (1978-01-01), Dechant et al.
patent: 4979039 (1990-12-01), Kisor et al.
patent: 5159610 (1992-10-01), Eyuboglu et al.
patent: 5261039 (1993-11-01), Miyazaki
patent: 5261093 (1993-11-01), Asmuth
patent: 5293616 (1994-03-01), Flint
patent: 5465353 (1995-11-01), Hull et al.
patent: 5572195 (1996-11-01), Heller et al.
patent: 5596752 (1993-01-01), Knudsen et al.
patent: 5649196 (1995-07-01), Woodhill et al.
patent: 5799312 (1998-08-01), Rigoustsos
patent: 5802525 (1998-09-01), Rigoutsos
patent: 0380240 A2 (1990-08-01), None
patent: 0420424 A2 (1991-04-01), None
patent: 62-121532 (1987-06-01), None
patent: WO 96/09589 (1996-03-01), None
Patent Abstracts of Japan, vol. II, No. 340, P-634, abstract of JP A 62-121532 (Hitachi) Jun. 2, 1987.
U.S. Ser. No. 08/809,403, filed Dec. 1, 1997, entitled “Method and Device for Extracting Information from a Database”.
Pankova, L.A. et al., Reducing The Query-Processing Time In Relational Data Base Management Systems, 1985.
PCT International Search Report.
Berg Björn
Fransson Hakan
Gestrelius Staffan
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Fleurantin Jean Bolte
Qliktech International AB
Vu Kim
LandOfFree
Method and device for extracting information from a database does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and device for extracting information from a database, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and device for extracting information from a database will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2437159