DEALING WITH COMPOSITE DATA THROUGH DATA MODEL ENTITIES

• US 20090182708A1
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey W. Tenner, Jennifer L. Larocca, Richard D. Dettinger, Richard J. Stevens
• Inventors: DETTINGER, RICHARD D., Tenner, Jeffrey W., Stevens, Richard J., LaRocca, Jennifer L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,122,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/962 Entity-attribute-value
• 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 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to a system, method and article of manufacture for accessing data represented abstractly through an abstraction model. In one embodiment, a data repository abstraction layer provides a logical view of an underlying data repository that is independent of the particular manner of data representation. A query abstraction layer is also provided and is based on the data repository abstraction layer. A runtime component performs conversion of an abstract query (i.e., a request for results or a request to modify data) into a form that can be used against a particular physical data representation. Abstract and/or physical queries are transformed according to model entities which define a relationship between logical fields of the data repository abstraction layer.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for modifying physical data comprising a plurality of physical entities and having a particular physical data representation in a database, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of an abstract modification operation;

receiving a selection of a model entity definition on which to perform the abstract modification operation, the model entity definition comprising two or more logical fields each corresponding to a separate physical entity;

based on at least the received selections, generating at least two physical modification statements, each modifying one of the two separate physical entities of the physical data;

ordering the at least two physical modification statements; and

executing, by operation of one or more computer processors, modification operations according to the physical modification statements, whereby the data is modified.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ordering is done according to a physical entity relationships specification defining hierarchical relationships between physical entities of the data to ensure integrity of the data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein building the at least two physical modification operations is done according to mapping rules which map the two or more logical fields to their corresponding physical entity.

4. A computer-readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed by a processor, performs operations for modifying physical data comprising a plurality of physical entities and having a particular physical data representation in a database, the operation comprising:

identifying two or more logical fields defined for a specified model entity definition on which to perform an abstract modification operation, the two or more logical fields each corresponding to a separate physical entity of the physical data;

generating a single abstract modification specification abstractly defining modification operations to modify the data, wherein the abstract modification specification comprises at least the two or more logical fields;

transforming the abstract modification specification into at least two physical modification statements consistent with the particular physical data representation according to mapping rules which map the logical fields of the abstract modification specification to their corresponding physical entities, wherein each of the at least two physical modification statements modifies a different physical entity of the data;

ordering the at least two physical modification statements; and

executing the modification operations according to the physical modification statements, whereby the data is modified.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the ordering is performed according to a physical entity relationships specification defining hierarchical relationships between the physical entities of the data.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the abstract modification specification comprises selection criteria for locating the at least the two physical entities.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein each mapping rule comprises an access method for each logical field of the abstract modification specification, the access method describing a physical location of a physical entity.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the modification operations are insert operations and wherein generating the abstract modification specification, comprises:

determining required logical fields for performing the insert operation based on the two or more logical fields defined for the specified model entity definition; and

receiving values for each of the required logical fields.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein determining required logical fields based on the logical seed fields is done with reference to an abstract data model comprising a plurality of logical field specifications for each of the logical fields, wherein each logical field specification relates a logical field name to a physical entity of the database and specifies a mapping rule for accessing the physical entity.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein transforming the abstract modification specification comprises determining a corresponding physical location of data for each of the required logical fields and the two or more logical fields defined for the specified model entity definition.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein determining the corresponding physical location of data for each of the required logical fields and the two or more logical fields is done with reference to an abstract data model comprising a plurality of logical field specifications for each of the logical fields, wherein each logical field specification relates a logical field to a corresponding physical entity of the database and specifies a mapping rule for accessing the corresponding physical entity.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the modification operation is a delete operation and wherein generating the abstract modification specification, comprises:

creating an abstract delete expression based on the two or more logical fields defined for the specified model entity definition;

specifying a selection condition for selecting data to delete; and

adding the selection condition to the abstract delete expression.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein transforming the abstract modification specification comprises determining a corresponding physical location of data for the two or more logical fields.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein determining the corresponding physical location of data for the specified logical fields is done with reference to an abstract data model comprising a logical field specification for the two or more logical fields, wherein the logical field specification relates the two or more logical fields to a corresponding physical entity of the database and specifies a mapping rule for accessing the corresponding physical entity.

15. A system, comprising:

one or more memory devices containing components for modifying physical data comprising a plurality of physical entities and having a particular physical data representation in a database, the components comprising;

a user interface configured to;

receive a selection of an abstract modification operation;

receive a selection of a model entity definition on which to perform the abstract modification operation, the model entity definition comprising two or more logical fields each corresponding to a separate physical entity;

a runtime component configured to;

based on at least the received selections, generate at least two physical modification statements, each modifying one of the two separate physical entities of the physical data;

order the at least two physical modification statements; and

execute modification operations according to the physical modification statements, whereby the data is modified; and

one or more processors configured to execute the components in the one or more memory devices.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the ordering is done according to a physical entity relationships specification defining hierarchical relationships between physical entities of the data to ensure integrity of the data.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein building the at least two physical modification operations is done according to mapping rules which map the two or more logical fields to their corresponding physical entity.