Providing a consistent hierarchical abstraction of relational data
First Claim
1. A method for managing data in a database system, comprising the steps of:
- receiving data that identifies one or more relational tables that store resources that belong to an information hierarchy, wherein certain data within said one or more relational tables serves as an external hierarchy definition that establishes hierarchical relationships between said resources;
capturing the hierarchical relationships within said hierarchy by performing the steps of executing one or more queries against the one or more relational tables to retrieve said certain data; and
based on said certain data, storing information that captures said information hierarchy, as an internal hierarchy definition, in one or more hierarchy structures separate from said one or more relational tables.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hierarchy may be explicitly or implicitly reflected in existing data maintained external to hierarchy structures. Such hierarchies are referred to herein as a “pre-existing hierarchies”. Techniques are described herein for capturing a pre-existing hierarchy in hierarchy structures. After a pre-existing hierarchy has been captured, there exist two independent sets of data that reflect the hierarchy: the external hierarchy definition and the internal hierarchy definition. Changing either hierarchy definition changes the hierarchy. Therefore, to maintain a consistent reflection of the hierarchy, the internal hierarchy definition must be modified in response to changes made to the external hierarchy definition, and the external hierarchy definition must be modified in response to changes made to the internal hierarchy definition. Various techniques are described for maintaining consistency between the two hierarchy definitions.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for managing data in a database system, comprising the steps of:
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receiving data that identifies one or more relational tables that store resources that belong to an information hierarchy, wherein certain data within said one or more relational tables serves as an external hierarchy definition that establishes hierarchical relationships between said resources;
capturing the hierarchical relationships within said hierarchy by performing the steps of executing one or more queries against the one or more relational tables to retrieve said certain data; and
based on said certain data, storing information that captures said information hierarchy, as an internal hierarchy definition, in one or more hierarchy structures separate from said one or more relational tables. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer-readable medium carrying instructions for managing data in a database system, the instructions comprising instructions for performing the steps of:
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receiving data that identifies one or more relational tables that store resources that belong to an information hierarchy, wherein certain data within said one or more relational tables serves as an external hierarchy definition that establishes hierarchical relationships between said resources;
capturing the hierarchical relationships within said hierarchy by performing the steps of executing one or more queries against the one or more relational tables to retrieve said certain data; and
based on said certain data, storing information that captures said information hierarchy, as an internal hierarchy definition, in one or more hierarchy structures separate from said one or more relational tables. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification