Translating data access requests

• US 20050080791A1
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Ghatare, Sanjay P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2452 Query translation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24522 Translation of natural language queries to structured queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24534 Query rewriting; Transformation

Abstract

A system is disclosed for translating access requests between a format suitable for a relational database and a different format used by an application. When the system receives a data access request from the application, the system accesses a mapping catalog and translates the request based on the mapping catalog. The translated request is then provided to the relational database.

Claims

1. A method of translating between data formats, comprising:

receiving a request to access data for one or more attributes, said request identifies said attributes in a first data format;

accessing a mapping catalog customizable for a relational database schema, said mapping catalog identifies one or more portions of one or more tables in a relational database that stores said data for said one or more attributes, said relational database corresponds to said relational database schema;

translating at least a portion of said request from said first data format to a form suitable for said relational database, said step of translating is based on said mapping catalog; and

providing said translated request to said relational database.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first data format includes a logical object class format.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first data format is hierarchical.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said first data format uses LDAP format.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said one or more attributes are multi-valued.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said mapping catalog is customizable for any normalized relational database schema.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes a mapped column in a table in said relational database.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes, for a first attribute, an indication of a column in a master table in said relational database for linking to first data in another table, said first data is for said first attribute.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes, for a first attribute, an indication of a first column in a first table in said relational database for linking to a first column in a second table and an indication of a second column in said second table for linking to a first column in a third table, said first column in said third table is used to identify data for said first attribute.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of translating includes mapping said one or more attributes to said relational database, translating sub filters of said request into SELECT statements, and combining said SELECT statements; and

said step of providing includes accessing a set of primary key values for a master table in said relational database based on said combined SELECT statements and, for each primary key value of said set, accessing requested attributes from said request.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of translating includes creating INSERT statements based on said mapping catalog.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

said step of translating includes creating one or more DELETE statements, one or more INSERT statements and one or more UPDATE statements based on said mapping catalog.

13. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request to access data for one or more attributes, said request identifies said attributes in a first data format;

accessing a mapping catalog customizable for a relational database schema, said mapping catalog identifies one or more portions of one or more tables in a relational database that stores said data for said one or more attributes, said relational database corresponds to said relational database schema; and

translating at least a portion of said request from said first data format to a form suitable for said relational database, said step of translating is based on said mapping catalog.

14. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 13, wherein:

said first data format includes a logical object class format.

15. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 13, wherein:

said first data format is hierarchical.

16. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 13, wherein:

said first data format uses LDAP format.

17. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 13, wherein:

said mapping catalog is customizable for any normalized relational database schema.

18. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 13, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes a mapped column in a table in said relational database.

19. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 13, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes, for a first attribute, an indication of a column in a master table in said relational database for linking to first data in another table, said first data is for said first attribute.

20. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 13, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes, for a first attribute, an indication of a first column in a first table in said relational database for linking to a first column in a second table and an indication of a second column in said second table for linking to a first column in a third table, said first column in said third table is used to identify data for said first attribute.

21. An apparatus capable of translating between data formats, comprising:

means for receiving a request to access data for one or more attributes, said request identifies said attributes in a first data format;

means for accessing a mapping catalog customizable for a relational database, said mapping catalog identifies one or more portions of one or more tables in said relational database that stores said data for said one or more attributes; and

means for translating at least a portion of said request to access data from said first data format to a form suitable for said relational database, said step of translating is based on said mapping catalog.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein:

said first data format includes a hierarchical logical object class format that uses LDAP format; and

said mapping catalog is customizable for any normalized relational database schema.

23. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein:

said mapping catalog includes, for a first attribute, an indication of a first column in a first table in said relational database for linking to a first column in a second table and an indication of a second column in said second table for linking to a first column in a third table, said first column in said third table is used to identify data for said first attribute.

24. A system for translating between data formats, comprising:

a data source interface in communication with business logic;

a mapping catalog; and

a translation module receiving access request information from said data source interface and mapping information from said mapping catalog, said access request information pertains to data for one or more attributes, said translation module translates said request information from a first form to a second form suitable for a relational database based on said mapping information from said mapping catalog.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein:

said mapping catalog is customizable for any normalized relational database schema.

26. A system according to claim 24, wherein:

said mapping catalog identifies one or more portions of one or more tables in said relational database that stores said data for said one or more attributes.

27. A system according to claim 24, wherein:

said translation module provides said translated request information for execution on said relational database.

28. A system according to claim 27, wherein:

said translation module receives a result from said relational database, said result is based on said translated request information, said translation module translates said result to said first form.

29. A system according to claim 24, wherein:

said first form includes a logical object class format.

30. A system according to claim 24, wherein:

said first form uses LDAP format.

31. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors, said processor readable code comprising:

code implementing a data source interface in communication with business logic;

code implementing a mapping catalog; and

code implementing a translation module receiving access request information from said data source interface and mapping information from said mapping catalog, said access request information pertains to data for one or more attributes, said translation module translates said request information from a first form to a second form suitable for a relational database based on said mapping information from said mapping catalog.

32. A system according to claim 31, wherein:

said mapping catalog is customizable for any normalized relational database schema.

33. A system according to claim 31, wherein:

said mapping catalog identifies one or more portions of one or more tables in said relational database that stores said data for said one or more attributes.

34. A system according to claim 31, wherein:

said translation module provides said translated request information for execution on said relational database.

35. A system according to claim 34, wherein:

said translation module receives a result from said relational database, said result is based on said translated request information, said translation module translates said result to said first form.

36. A system according to claim 31, wherein:

said first form includes a logical object class format.

37. A system according to claim 31, wherein:

said first form uses LDAP format.