Efficiently storing indented threads in a threaded discussion application

• US 20040210576A1
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BEA Systems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Frieden, Kurt, Srikhanta, Prasanna
• Granted Patent: US 7,174,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/81 Indexing, e.g. XML tags; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• 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 707/99937 Sorting
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer-readable media for retrieving records in a hierarchical set of the records having a plurality of hierarchical levels and a plurality of hierarchical depths, each of the records having a tag that is unique within the hierarchical set of the records, comprises identifying one of the records in the hierarchical set of the records; modifying the tag, thereby producing a key; indexing the hierarchical set of the records only once, thereby selecting one or more of the records within the hierarchical set of the records, wherein indexing the hierarchical set of the records only once comprises applying the key to the hierarchical set of the records; and retrieving the selected records.

Claims

1-8. -8. (Canceled)

9. A method for adding a new record to a hierarchical set of records having a plurality of hierarchical levels and a plurality of hierarchical depths, each of the records in the hierarchical set of records having a tag that is unique within the hierarchical set of records, the method comprising:

identifying one of the records in the hierarchical set of records as the parent of the new record;

modifying the tag, thereby producing a key;

adding the key to the new record; and

indexing the hierarchical set of records only once, thereby adding the new record to the hierarchical set of records, wherein indexing the hierarchical set of records only once comprises applying the key to the hierarchical set of records.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying one of the records comprises:

receiving a selection of the one of the records from a user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

each tag is a number having a plurality of digits;

the position of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical depths;

the value of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical levels;

the identified record represents a message;

identifying one of the records further comprises receiving a command from the user that requests replying to the message; and

modifying the tag comprises;

selecting the digit corresponding to the hierarchical depth immediately below the hierarchical depth of the identified record; and

incrementing the value of the selected digit.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein applying comprises:

selecting those of the records in the hierarchical set of the records having a tag that matches the key.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

each tag includes a plurality of digits;

the position of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical depths; and

the value of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical levels.

14-24. -24. (Canceled)

25. At least one computer programmed to execute a process for adding a new record to a hierarchical set of records having a plurality of hierarchical levels and a plurality of hierarchical depths, each of the records in the hierarchical set of records having a tag that is unique within the hierarchical set of records, the process comprising:

identifying one of the records in the hierarchical set of records as the parent of the new record;

modifying the tag, thereby producing a key;

adding the key to the new record; and

indexing the hierarchical set of records only once, thereby adding the new record to the hierarchical set of records, wherein indexing the hierarchical set of records only once comprises applying the key to the hierarchical set of records.

26. The computer of claim 25, wherein identifying one of the records comprises:

receiving a selection of the one of the records from a user.

27. The computer of claim 26, wherein:

each tag is a number having a plurality of digits;

the position of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical depths;

the value of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical levels;

the identified record represents a message;

identifying one of the records further comprises receiving a command from the user that requests replying to the message; and

modifying the tag comprises;

selecting the digit corresponding to the hierarchical depth immediately below the hierarchical depth of the identified record; and

incrementing the value of the selected digit.

28. The computer of claim 25, wherein applying comprises:

selecting those of the records in the hierarchical set of the records having a tag that matches the key.

29. The computer of claim 25, wherein:

each tag includes a plurality of digits;

the position of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical depths; and

the value of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical levels.

30-40. -40. (Canceled)

41. An apparatus for adding a new record to a hierarchical set of records having a plurality of hierarchical levels and a plurality of hierarchical depths, each of the records in the hierarchical set of records having a tag that is unique within the hierarchical set of records, the apparatus comprising:

means for identifying one of the records in the hierarchical set of records as the parent of the new record;

means for modifying the tag, thereby producing a key;

means for adding the key to the new record; and

means for indexing the hierarchical set of records only once, thereby adding the new record to the hierarchical set of records, wherein means for indexing the hierarchical set of records only once comprises means for applying the key to the hierarchical set of records.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein means for identifying one of the records comprises:

means for receiving a selection of the one of the records from a user.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein:

each tag is a number having a plurality of digits;

the position of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical depths;

the value of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical levels;

the identified record represents a message;

means for identifying one of the records further comprises means for receiving a command from the user that requests replying to the message; and

means for modifying the tag comprises;

means for selecting the digit corresponding to the hierarchical depth immediately below the hierarchical depth of the identified record; and

means for incrementing the value of the selected digit.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein means for applying comprises:

means for selecting those of the records in the hierarchical set of the records having a tag that matches the key.

45. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein:

each tag includes a plurality of digits;

the position of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical depths; and

the value of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical levels.

46-56. -56. (Canceled)

57. Computer-readable media embodying instructions executable by a computer to perform a method for adding a new record to a hierarchical set of records having a plurality of hierarchical levels and a plurality of hierarchical depths, each of the records in the hierarchical set of records having a tag that is unique within the hierarchical set of records, the method comprising:

identifying one of the records in the hierarchical set of records as the parent of the new record;

modifying the tag, thereby producing a key;

adding the key to the new record; and

indexing the hierarchical set of records only once, thereby adding the new record to the hierarchical set of records, wherein indexing the hierarchical set of records only once comprises applying the key to the hierarchical set of records.

58. The media of claim 57, wherein identifying one of the records comprises:

receiving a selection of the one of the records from a user.

59. The media of claim 58, wherein:

each tag is a number having a plurality of digits;

the position of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical depths;

the value of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical levels;

the identified record represents a message;

identifying one of the records further comprises receiving a command from the user that requests replying to the message; and

modifying the tag comprises;

selecting the digit corresponding to the hierarchical depth immediately below the hierarchical depth of the identified record; and

incrementing the value of the selected digit.

60. The media of claim 57, wherein applying comprises:

selecting those of the records in the hierarchical set of the records having a tag that matches the key.

61. The media of claim 57, wherein:

each tag includes a plurality of digits;

the position of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical depths; and

the value of each of the digits represents one of the hierarchical levels.

62-82. -82. (Canceled)