Database processing method and system

• US 20040167917A1
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawamura, Nobuo, Hara, Norihiro, Torii, Shunichi, Kamegi, Yoshito
• Granted Patent: US 7,324,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2291 User-Defined Types; Storage management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A method and a system for executing a general database processing independent of a specific user-defined function are provided. In an implementation method, index definition information for setting a specific user-defined function in correspondence to a specific index which is used to carry out an index access to data in a database region is created, and module definition information for setting the specific index which is used to carry out the index access to the data in the database region in correspondence to an implementation module for subjecting the data in the database region to a specific processing is created. When it is determined in response to a processing request for the database issued from an end user, that the user-defined function contained therein is set in correspondence to the specific index on the basis of the index definition information, a specific implementation module for carrying out an access using the specific index is selected from the module definition information, and a database processing is performed using the implementation module thus selected.

Claims

1. A database processing method of executing a function which is previously defined and registered in a database, in accordance with a processing request issued from an end user to perform a database processing, said method comprising the steps of:

creating index definition information such that a specific user-defined function is set in correspondence to a specific index which is used when carrying out an index access to data of a database region;

creating module definition information such that a specific index, which is used when carrying out an index access to the data of the database region, is set in correspondence to an implementation module for subjecting the data of the database region to a specific processing;

recognizing that for a processing request for the database issued from an end user, a user-defined function under request is set in correspondence to the specific index by the index definition information, and selecting from the module definition information, a specific implementation module for carrying out an access using the specific index on the basis of the recognition by said recognizing step; and

executing the database processing using the selected implementation module.

2. A database processing method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of different user-defined functions are set in correspondence to a specific index by the index definition information, so that the plurality of different user-defined functions hold in common an implementation module for accessing to a user-defined index.

3. A database processing method according to claim 1, wherein the contents of the database processing for a specific user-defined function are modified by modifying the index in the index definition information, the index of interest in the module definition information, and the implementation module set in correspondence to the index of interest.

4. A database processing method according to claim 1, wherein when the processing request for the database is a update request, an index key is created by the implementation module for creating an index key which is set in correspondence to the specific user-defined function by the module definition information, and the index is updated by the created index key.

5. A database processing method according to claim 1, wherein when the processing request for the database is a update request, a data for update is specified as a key for index update to update the index.

6. A relational database processing method of executing a function which is previously defined and registered in a database, in accordance with a processing request issued from an end user to execute a database processing, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a table of index definition information such that a specific user-defined function is set in correspondence to a specific index which is used when carrying out an index access to data of a database region, and

a table of module definition information such that a specific index, which is used when carrying out an index access to the data of the database region, is set in correspondence to an implementation module for subjecting the data of the database region to a specific processing;

detecting, for a processing request for the database issued from an end user, the correspondence between a user-defined function under request and the specific index on the basis of said index definition information table;

selecting from said module definition information table, a specific implementation module for carrying out an access using the specific index corresponding to the detection result by said detecting step; and

executing the database processing using the selected implementation module.

7. A relational database processing method according to claim 6, wherein the table of the index definition information contains therein, as data items, information of an index identifier, data for index key creation, and a user-defined function for an index access, and the table of the module definition information contains therein information relating to the specified module for implementing an access to a user-defined index, and information relating to the specified module for implementing the behaviour of a user-defined data type.

8. A relational database processing method according to claim 6, wherein a plurality of different user-defined functions are set in correspondence to a specific index by the index definition information, so that the plurality of different user-defined functions hold in common an implementation module for accessing to a user-defined index.

9. A relational database processing method according to claim 6, wherein the contents of the database processing for a specific user-defined function are modified by modifying the index in the index definition information, the index of interest in the module definition information, and the implementation module set in correspondence to the index of interest.

10. A relational database processing method according to claim 6, wherein when the processing request for the database is a update request, an index key is created by the implementation module for creating an index key which is set in correspondence to the specific user-defined function by the module definition information, and the index is updated by the created index key.

11. A relational database processing method according to claim 6, wherein when the processing request for the database is a update request, a data for update is specified as a key for index update to update the index.

12. A relational database processing system for executing a function which is previously defined and registered in a database, in accordance with a processing request to perform a database processing, said system comprising:

a table for registering therein index definition information such that a specific user-defined function is set in correspondence to a specific index which is used when carrying out an index access to data of a database region;

a table for registering therein module definition information such that a specific index which is used when carrying out an index access to the data of the database region, is set in correspondence to an implementation module for subjecting the data of the database region to a specific processing;

detection means responsive a processing request for the database issued from an end user, for detecting the correspondence between a user-defined function under request and the specific index on the basis of said index definition information table;

selection means responsive to the specific index corresponding to the detection result provided by said detection means for selecting from said module definition information registeration table, a specific implementation module for carrying out a database access; and

execution means for executing the database processing using the implementation module selected by said selection means.

13. A computer readable recording medium for storing therein a program of implementing, using a computer, a relational database processing of executing a function which is previously defined and registered in a database, in accordance with a processing request to perform a database processing, said program comprising:

program means for creating index definition information such that a specific user-defined function is set in correspondence to a specific index which is used when carrying out an index access to data of a database region;

program means for creating module definition information such that a specific index which is used when carrying out an index access to the data of the database region, is set in correspondence to an implementation module for subjecting the data of the database region to a specific processing;

program means responsive to a processing request for the database issued from an end user, for detecting on the basis of the index definition information, whether the correspondence between a user-defined function in request and the specific index is present or absent;

selection program means for selecting from the module definition information, a specific implementation module for carrying out an access using the specific index corresponding to the detection result provided by said detection program means; and

program means for performing the database processing using the implementation module selected by said selection program means.

14. A database processing method of executing, in accordance with a query from an end user, a user-defined function, which a registering user has previously defined and registered for a database in accordance with a query from the end user, to perform a database processing, said method comprising the steps of:

registering, when the registering user defines unique indexes as an index type, information relating to data items which establish an index key constituting the index of interest in the form of a table in a database management system;

registering, when creating an index using the index type which the registering user has defined, information used to identify a specified index type, information relating to table data required for maintaining the index of interest, and information relating to the user definition function used to carry out retrieval using the index of interest in the form of a table in said database management system;

maintaining, in response to a data processing request for the table in which the index of interest is created, issued from the end user, the index of interest using table data which has been specified on the basis of the information relating to the tables;

determining, in response to a judgement indicating that the information relating to the user-defined function is contained in a query request issued from the end user, that the index of interest be maintained as an index for use in implementation of the query; and

executing, in order to carry out the query, the database processing using the index thus determined.

15. A database processing method according to claim 14, wherein index type definition information representing a type of the index which the registering user adds to said database management system is registered in the index type definition table, and the index type definition information is used as information used to execute an implementation module of the index type of interest.

16. A database processing method according to claim 15, wherein the index type definition information contains therein an index type name as an identifier for specifying, when creating the index, which type the index corresponds to, and an index key representing input data required for an index update processing.

17. A database processing method according to claim 14, wherein said step of maintaining the index of interest includes a step of creating the index key on the basis of the registered information relating to the data items which establish the index key constituting the index, and the step of maintaining the index of interest using the index key thus created.

18. A computer readable recording medium for storing therein a program for implementing, using a computer, a database processing by executing, in accordance with a query from an end user, a user-defined function, which a registering user has previously defined and registered for a database in accordance with a query from the end user, said program comprising:

program means for registering, when the registering user defines a unique index as an index type, information relating to data items becoming an index key constituting the index of interest in the form of a table in a database management system;

program means for registering, when creating an index using the index type which the registering user has defined, information used to identify a specified index type, information relating to table data required for maintaining the index of interest, and information relating to the user-defined function used to carry out retrieval using the index of interest in the form of a table in said database management system;

program means for creating, in response to a data processing request for the table, in which the index of interest is created, issued from the end user, the index key on the basis of the registered information relating to the data items which establish the index key constituting the index, and for maintaining the index of interest using the index key thus created;

program means for determining, in response to a judgement indicating that the information relating to the user-defined function is contained in a query request issued from the end user, the index of interest being maintained as an index for use in implementation of the query; and

program means for performing, in order to carry out the query, a database processing using the index thus determined.

19. A method of executing, using a computer, a retrieval database processing of executing a function previously registered in a database in accordance with a processing request to execute a database processing, said method comprising the steps of:

registering in a table index definition information which is used to set a specific user-defined function in correspondence to a specific index which is used when carrying out an index access to data in a database region;

registering in another table module definition information, which is used to set the specific index used when carrying out the index access to the data in the database region in correspondence to an implementation module for subjecting the data in the database region to a specific processing;

in response to a processing request for the database issued from an end user, enabling the correspondence between the user-defined function under the request and the specific index to be detected on the basis of said index definition information registration table; and

enabling, in order to execute the database processing, a specific implementation module for carrying out an access using a specific index corresponding to the detection result to be selected from the module definition information registration table.

20. A method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

registering, when a registering user defines a unique index as an index type, information relating to data items which establish an index key constituting the index of interest in the form of a table in a database management system;

registering, when creating an index using the index type which the user has defined, information used to distinguish a specified index type, information relating to table data required for maintaining the index of interest, and information relating to the user-defined function which is set in correspondence to the index of interest in order to carry out the retrieval using the index of interest; and

maintaining, in response to a data processing request for the table, in which the index of interest is created, issued from the end user, the index of interest using the table data which has been specified on the basis of the information relating to the table which has been registered,

thereby determining, in response to a judgement indicating that the information relating to the user-defined function is contained in a query request issued from the end user, that the index of interest be maintained as an index for use in the database processing of implementing the query.

21. A computer readable program product for recording therein a program for implementing, using a computer, a relational database processing software (architecture) for executing a function, which is previously defined and registered in a database, in accordance with a processing request to execute a database processing, said software comprising:

product means for registering in a table index definition information which is used to set a specific user-defined function in correspondence to a specific index which is used when carrying out an index access to data in a database region;

product means for registering in another table module definition information, which is used to set the specific index used when carrying out the index access to the data in the database region in correspondence to an implementation module for subjecting the data in the database region to a specific processing;

product means for enabling, for a processing request for the database issued from an end user, the correspondence between the user-defined function in the request and the specific index to be detected on the basis of the index definition information registration table; and

product means for enabling, in order to execute the database processing, a specific implementation module for carrying out an access using a specific index corresponding to the detection result to be selected from the module definition information registration table.

22. A computer readable program product according to claim 21, further comprising:

program means for registering, when a registering user defines a peculiar index as an index type, information relating to data items which establish an index key constituting the index of interest in the form of a table in a database management system;

program means for registering, when creating an index using the index type which the user has defined, information used to distinguish a specified index type, information relating to table data required for maintaining the index of interest, and information relating to the user-defined function used to carry out retrieval using the index of interest in the form of a table in said database management system; and

program means for maintaining, in response to a data processing request for the table, in which the index of interest is created, issued from the end user, the index of interest using the table data which has been specified on the basis of the information relating to the table which has been registered;

thereby determining, in response to a judgement indicating that the information relating to the user-defined function is contained in a query request issued from the end user, that the index of interest be maintained as an index for use in the database processing of implementing the query.