Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-06
2001-03-20
Choules, Jack (Department: 2171)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205440
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to databases, and more specifically to a method of providing information from a database at an increased speed.
2. Description of Related Art
There are now many centralized databases that can be accessed through a network, including read-only databases that are publicly accessible over the Internet. For example, there are numerous sites on the Internet that make available large informational databases containing information such as yellow pages listings and public document collections. A user typically accesses such a database over the Internet by using a dedicated program such as a Java applet running in a web browser. The Java applet and web browser operate to retrieve information from the database tables through a remote database server, and then display the information to the user. For example, if the requested information is to be displayed in a list box, the Java applet issues a query to the database, fetches the resulting information from the database, formats the information into a list box, and then displays the list box to the user.
While such Java applets can access information by directly querying remote database servers, the speed of obtaining the information can be horrendous for database queries that return numerous results (e.g., hundreds or thousands). Furthermore, the running of the database application across the Internet introduces further delays. When the process of retrieving information from a database server is slow, the user notices a performance degradation in the user interface (i.e., Java applet) that can be significant or even unacceptable. Thus, there is a recognized need to increase the speed of database information retrieval over networks, especially for database information that is read-only.
It has been proposed to improve database information retrieval in an Internet environment by having a Java applet running on a user's system use a web service such as a Java “servlet” to obtain database information. In such a case, the database queries are performed on the web server as opposed to having the Java applet query the database directly in the manner described above. Because the queries are performed on the web server, the database can be queried and the resulting information stored in memory in the servlet in advance (i.e., before any user requests for the information are received). However, this requires memory on the web server to be used for requests that may never actually be made. If more memory or storage capacity (e.g., hard disk space) is required, the cost of the web server is increased.
Additionally, any time the database information is reloaded, the information stored in memory becomes stale so the web server must be brought down and restarted to reload the memory with the proper results for the queries. This causes a disruption in service and may not even be an option for high availability applications. Furthermore, the servlet must manage and provide access to the stored results information so even more resources on the web server are consumed. As more and more of its resources are consumed, the web server becomes able to handle fewer and fewer user requests.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of these drawbacks, it is an object of the present invention to remove the above-mentioned drawbacks and to provide a method of providing information from a database at an increased speed without requiring the consumption of significant web server resources. Database result sets are segmented and stored in source code files. The source code files are compiled, and the compiled files are loaded into the execution environment of the user as needed. Thus, a user accesses the compiled database result files instead of the database information itself. In a network environment, this decreases the total throughput time for a user to receive database results and distributes the workload from the database and server to the user's system. This is especially advantageous for retrieving large read-only database result sets in an Internet environment.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of providing information from a database that can be used in high availability applications. A user retrieves information from a database through compiled database result files, and any newly loaded database information is reflected in the compiled database result files. Thus, the server does not need to be brought down to allow the user to receive newly loaded information. This allows the database information to be changed or updated without causing a disruption in service.
One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of providing information from a database to a user's system. According to the method, database query results are stored in a source code files and the source code files are compiled to provide compiled files. When information from the database is requested, at least one of the compiled files is downloaded to the user's system. In one preferred method, the source code files are in the form of Java source code files and the compiled files are in the form of Java class files.18.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for retrieving information from a database on a remote system for use on a user's system. A request for database information is transmitted over a network from the user's system to the remote system, and in response at least one compiled database result file is downloaded from the remote system. Each of the compiled database result files is used to store database query results in executable or bytecode form. In one preferred method, the network includes the Internet and each of the compiled database result files is in the form of Java class file.
Other objects features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, arc given by way of illustration only and various modifications may naturally be performed without deviating from the present invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5787431 (1998-07-01), Shaughnessy
patent: 5944781 (1999-08-01), Murray
patent: 5999941 (1999-12-01), Anderson
patent: 6014702 (2000-01-01), King et al.
Bongini Stephen C.
Choules Jack
Fleit Kain Gibbons Gutman & Bongini P.L.
International Business Machines - Corporation
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