Software and method for utilizing a generic database query

• US 20080162457A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Dehn, Rene, Kaiser, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,606,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/256 in federated or virtual databases

Abstract

This disclosure provides various embodiments of software for identifying and utilizing a generic database query. In one aspect, the software identifies a generic query such that the generic query is independent of a particular database layout, and accesses a database table having a first layout using the generic query. In some implementations, the software may comprise a business application associated with a database, where the generic query is embedded in the business application without knowledge of the associated database'"'"'s table layout. In other implementations, the generic query may be embedded in the software before the database table is created.

Claims

1. Software comprising instructions stored on a computer readable medium, the software operable when executed to:

identify a generic query such that the generic query is independent of a particular database layout; and

access a database table having a first layout using the generic query.

2. The software of claim 1, wherein the software comprises a business application, the generic query is embedded in the business application associated with the database, and the application is decoupled from the layout of the database table.

3. The software of claim 1, wherein the generic query is embedded in the software before the database table is created.

4. The software of claim 1, wherein the accessing of the database table is performed by appending at least one data field into the database table.

5. The software of claim 1, wherein the accessing of the database table is performed by deleting at least one data field from the database table.

6. The software of claim 1, wherein the accessing of the database table is performed by joining a table to the database table.

7. The software of claim 1, wherein the accessing of the database table is performed by changing the data type of at least one data field in the database table.

8. Software comprising instructions stored on a computer readable medium, the software operable when executed to:

access a database table having a first layout using a first instance of a generic query that is independent of a particular database layout;

modify the database table such that the database table has a second layout; and

access the database table having a second layout using a second instance of the generic query.

9. The software of claim 8, wherein the modifying of the database table is performed by appending at least one data field into the database table.

10. The software of claim 8, wherein the modifying of the database table is performed by deleting at least one data field from the database table.

11. The software of claim 8, wherein the modifying of the database table is performed by joining a table to the database table.

12. The software of claim 8, wherein the modifying of the database table is performed by changing the data type of at least one data field in the database table.

13. The software of claim 8, wherein the generic query is comprised of at least one placeholder.

14. The software of claim 13, wherein the placeholder is represented by a name distinct from the field names of the database table.

15. The software of claim 8, wherein the generic query contains a separator.

16. A computerized method for generically querying database tables, comprising:

accessing a database table having a first layout using a first instance of a generic query that is independent of a particular database layout;

modifying the database table such that the database table has a second layout; and

accessing the database table having a second layout using a second instance of the generic query.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the modifying of the database table is performed by appending at least one data field into the database table.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the modifying of the database table is performed by deleting at least one data field from the database table.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the modifying of the database table is performed by joining a table to the database table.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the modifying of the database table is performed by changing the data type of at least one data field in the database table.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the generic query is comprised of at least one placeholder.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the placeholder is represented by a name distinct from the field names of the database table.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the generic query contains a separator.

24. A system for utilizing a generic query to access database tables, comprising:

means for accessing a database table having a first layout using a first instance of a generic query that is independent of a particular database layout;

means for modifying the database table such that the database table has a second layout; and

means for accessing the database table having a second layout using a second instance of the generic query.