Time-span representation and time chain of events in a relational database

• US 20070050400A1
• Filed: 08/21/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PrimePay LLC (PrimePay, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Stronghold Investments, LLC
• Inventors: Durbin, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 7,603,396 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/221 Column-oriented storage; Management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2358 Change logging, detection, and notification replication G06F16/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

A method to produce a history of at least a portion of a database comprising: providing a data store that includes a record indicating a first event associated with first data that describes a subject matter, and indicating a first time interval during which the first data is effective with respect to the subject matter and indicating a second time interval during which the first data is current with respect to the database; and adjusting the data store upon an occurrence of a new event to, update a first record indicating the first event associated with first data and indicating an end time of the first time interval, and add a second new record indicating a second event associated with second data that describes the subject matter, and indicating a start of a new first time interval that is substantially continuous with an end time of the first time interval and during which the second data is effective with respect to the subject matter and indicating a start of a new second time interval during which the second data is current with respect to the database.

Claims

1. A method to produce a history of at least a portion of a database comprising:

providing a data store that includes a record indicating a first event associated with first data that describes a subject matter, and indicating a first time interval during which the first data is effective with respect to the subject matter and indicating a second time interval during which the first data is current with respect to the database; and

adjusting the data store upon an occurrence of a new event to,

update a first record indicating the first event associated with first data and indicating an end time of the first time interval, and

add a second new record indicating a second event associated with second data that describes the subject matter, and indicating a start of a new first time interval that is substantially continuous with an end time of the first time interval and during which the second data is effective with respect to the subject matter and indicating a start of a new second time interval during which the second data is current with respect to the database.

2. An article of manufacture encoded with computer code to cause a computer system to perform a process to update a data store that includes a record indicating a first event associated with first data that describes a subject matter, and indicating a first time interval during which the first data is effective with respect to the subject matter and indicating a second time interval during which the first data is current with respect to a database, the process comprising:

adjusting the data store upon an occurrence of a new event to,

update a first record indicating the first event associated with first data and indicating an end time of the first time interval, and

add a second new record indicating a second event associated with second data that describes the subject matter, and indicating a start of a new first time interval that is substantially continuous with an end time of the first time interval and during which the second data is effective with respect to the subject matter and indicating a start of a new second time interval during which the second data is current with respect to the database.

3. A method to produce a history of at least a portion of a database comprising:

providing a data store that includes a record indicating a first event associated with first data that describes a subject matter, and indicating a first time interval during which the first data is effective with respect to the subject matter and indicating a second time interval during which the first data is current with respect to the database; and

adjusting the data store upon an occurrence of a new event to,

update a first record indicating the first event associated with first data and indicating an end time of the first time interval,

add a second new record indicating the first event associated with first data and indicating an end time of the second time interval,

add a third new record indicating a second event associated with second data that describes the subject matter, and indicating a start of a new second time interval that is substantially continuous with an end time of the second time interval and during which the second data is current with respect to the database.

4. A method to update a data store that includes a record indicating a first event associated with first data that describes a subject matter, and indicating a first time interval during which the first data is effective with respect to the subject matter and indicating a second time interval during which the first data is current with respect to a database, the method comprising:

adjusting the data store upon an occurrence of a new event to,

update a first record indicating the first event associated with first data and indicating an end time of the first time interval,

add a second new record indicating the first event associated with first data and indicating an end time of the second time interval,

add a third new record indicating a second event associated with second data that describes the subject matter, and indicating a start of a new second time interval that is substantially continuous with an end time of the second time interval and during which the second data is current with respect to the database.

5. A method to update a data store that includes a record indicating a first event associated with first data that describes a subject matter, and indicating a first time interval during which the first data is effective with respect to the subject matter and indicating a second time interval during which the first data is current with respect to a database, the method comprising:

adjusting the data store upon an occurrence of a new event to,

update a first record indicating the first event associated with first data and indicating an end time of the first time interval,

add a second new record indicating the first event associated with first data and indicating an end time of the second time interval,

add a third new record indicating a second event associated with second data that describes the subject matter, and indicating a start of a new second time interval that is substantially continuous with an end time of the second time interval and during which the second data is current with respect to the database.