Apparatus and method providing flexible hierarchies in database applications
First Claim
1. A computer-based server with a variable hierarchical architecture database, comprising:
- a processor;
a network interface comprising input/output connections connected to a network to communicate data from the server to remote clients via the input/output connections over the network;
a plurality of modules comprising stored instructions executable on the processor;
multiple digital data storage devices each comprising a memory and each communicatively coupled to the processor, the storage devices storing the hierarchical architecture database;
wherein the database comprises;
multiple data records represented by multiple nodes, each node comprising node data of a node type and representing records of a corresponding record type stored in a table in the memory;
multiple client-originated direct links comprising data stored in the table, each one of the direct links directly connecting a different pair of the nodes;
a prescribed rules framework stored in the memory and comprising a plurality of rules; and
multiple system-originated calculated links comprising data stored in the table, each calculated link based on a rule of the plurality of rules in the prescribed rules framework that directly connects pairs of the nodes that would otherwise only be indirectly connected through one or more intermediate nodes, wherein the plurality of rules comprise a rule configured to prohibit a system-originated calculated link from linking a pair of nodes of the same node type, and a rule configured to prohibit a system-originated calculated link that duplicates a client-originated direct link.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-driven system manages databases of flexible storage hierarchy. Computer servers include machine-readable storage containing at least one database, the database comprising multiple data records represented by multiple nodes. Each node has a node type and represents records of a corresponding record type. The nodes are embodied by machine-readable data stored in one or more tables. Multiple client-originated direct links are embodied by data stored in the one or more tables, where each one of the direct links directly connecting a different pair of the nodes. Multiple system-originated calculated links are embodied by data stored in the one or more tables. Each calculated link acts in observance with a rules framework to connect pairs of the nodes that would otherwise be connected only indirectly through one or more intermediate nodes and direct links between said intermediate nodes.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A computer-based server with a variable hierarchical architecture database, comprising:
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a processor; a network interface comprising input/output connections connected to a network to communicate data from the server to remote clients via the input/output connections over the network; a plurality of modules comprising stored instructions executable on the processor; multiple digital data storage devices each comprising a memory and each communicatively coupled to the processor, the storage devices storing the hierarchical architecture database; wherein the database comprises; multiple data records represented by multiple nodes, each node comprising node data of a node type and representing records of a corresponding record type stored in a table in the memory; multiple client-originated direct links comprising data stored in the table, each one of the direct links directly connecting a different pair of the nodes; a prescribed rules framework stored in the memory and comprising a plurality of rules; and multiple system-originated calculated links comprising data stored in the table, each calculated link based on a rule of the plurality of rules in the prescribed rules framework that directly connects pairs of the nodes that would otherwise only be indirectly connected through one or more intermediate nodes, wherein the plurality of rules comprise a rule configured to prohibit a system-originated calculated link from linking a pair of nodes of the same node type, and a rule configured to prohibit a system-originated calculated link that duplicates a client-originated direct link. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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9. A computer implemented method for managing a variable hierarchical architecture database in a server, the method comprising utilizing a processor of the server for:
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creating the database in a memory associated with the processor; storing multiple data records represented by multiple nodes, each node having a node type and representing records of a corresponding record type, the nodes embodied by machine-readable data stored in a table; storing multiple client-originated direct links embodied by data stored in the table, each one of the direct links directly connecting a different pair of the nodes; and calculating multiple system-originated calculated links comprising data stored in the table, each calculated link based on a rule of a plurality of rules in a prescribed rules framework to connect pairs of the nodes that would otherwise only be indirectly connected through one or more intermediate nodes, wherein the plurality of rules comprise a rule configured to prohibit a system-originated calculated link from linking a pair of nodes of the same node type, and a rule configured to prohibit a system-originated calculated link that duplicates a client-originated direct link. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
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creating the database in a memory associated with the processor; storing multiple data records represented by multiple nodes, each node having a node type and representing records of a corresponding record type, the nodes embodied by machine-readable data stored in a table; storing multiple client-originated direct links embodied by data stored in the table, each one of the direct links directly connecting a different pair of the nodes; and calculating multiple system-originated calculated links comprising data stored in the table, each calculated link based on a rule of a plurality of rules in a rules framework to connect pairs of the nodes that would otherwise only be indirectly connected through a-directly connected one or more intermediate node nodes, wherein the plurality of rules comprise a rule configured to prohibit a system-originated calculated link from linking a pair of nodes of the same node type, and a rule configured to prohibit a system-originated calculated link that duplicates a client-originated direct link.
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Specification