METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM FOR DISTRIBUTING A QUERY

• US 20100281053A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Gareth E., Braines, Dave
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24564 Applying rules; Deductive queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries

Abstract

A method for distributing a query, wherein the query comprises one or more sub-clauses, wherein each sub-clause comprises a triple pattern having three components for use with a distributed system, the method comprising the steps of: identifying each sub-clause; analysing three components of each sub-clause in accordance with one or more analysis rules in order to determine the proportion of values to variables; in response to the determination, testing the sub-clause against one or more execution rules, wherein the execution rules are associated with an order of processing of a sub-clause based on the proportion of values to variables; in response to the testing, generating a sub-query associated with a first sub-clause having the largest proportion of values to variables.

Claims

1. A method for distributing a query, wherein the query comprises one or more sub-clauses, wherein each sub-clause comprises a triple pattern having three components for use with a distributed system, the method comprising:

identifying each sub-clause;

analysing three components of each sub-clause in accordance with one or more analysis rules in order to determine the proportion of values to variables;

in response to the determination, testing the sub-clause against one or more execution rules, wherein the execution rules are associated with an order of processing of a sub-clause based on the proportion of values to variables; and

in response to the testing, generating a sub-query associated with a first sub-clause having the largest proportion of values to variables.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sub-query is associated with determining a value associated with a variable in the first sub-clause.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

analysing each of three components associated with the first sub-clause in order to determine whether at least one of the components is associated with a first non-literal value; and

in response to determining that at least one of the components is associated with a first non-literal value, using the first non-literal value in the sub-query.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first non-literal value comprises a first location and the method further comprises:

transmitting the sub-query to the first location.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

in response to transmitting the sub-query, receiving a result comprising at least one value.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the result comprises a second value associated with a second variable in the first sub-clause.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second value is a second non-literal value.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second non-literal value is associated with a second location.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

repeating each of the analysing each sub-clause and testing steps for at least one another clause of the one or more remaining sub-clauses.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating a sub-query associated with a second sub-clause having the largest proportion of values to variables of said remaining sub-clauses.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

using the second non-literal value in the sub-query associated with the second sub-clause.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the result further comprises a third value associated with a second variable in the first sub-clause.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the third value is a third non-literal value.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

using the third non-literal value in the sub-query associated with the second sub-clause.

15. An apparatus for distributing a query, wherein the query comprises one or more sub-clauses, wherein each sub-clause comprises a triple pattern having three components for use with a distributed system, the apparatus comprising:

means for identifying each sub-clause;

means for analysing three components of each sub-clause in accordance with one or more analysis rules in order to determine the proportion of values to variables;

means, responsive to the determination, for testing the sub-clause against one or more execution rules, wherein the execution rules are associated with an order of processing of a sub-clause based on the proportion of values to variables; and

means, responsive to the means for testing, for generating a sub-query associated with a first sub-clause having the largest proportion of values to variables.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sub-query is operable to determine a value associated with a variable in the first sub-clause.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

means for analysing each of three components associated with the first sub-clause in order to determine whether at least one of the components is associated with a first non-literal value; and

means, responsive to a determination that at least one of the components is associated with a first non-literal value, for using the first non-literal value in the sub-query.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first non-literal value comprises a first location and the apparatus further comprises:

means for transmitting the sub-query to the first location.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

means, responsive to transmission of the sub-query, for receiving a result comprising at least one value.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the result comprises a second value associated with a second variable in the first sub-clause.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the second value is a second non-literal value.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second non-literal value is associated with a second location.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising:

means for repeating each of the analysing each sub-clause means and testing means for at least one another clause of the one or more remaining sub-clauses.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

means for generating a sub-query associated with a second sub-clause having the largest proportion of values to variables of said remaining sub-clauses.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further comprising:

means for using the second non-literal value in the sub-query associated with the second sub-clause.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the result further comprises a third value associated with a second variable in the first sub-clause.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the third value is a third non-literal value.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:

means for using the third non-literal value in the sub-query associated with the second sub-clause.

29. A computer program product comprising program code means adapted, when executed by a computer to cause said computer to perform a method for distributing a query, wherein the query comprises one or more sub-clauses, wherein each sub-clause comprises a triple pattern having three components for use with a distributed system, the method comprising:

identifying each sub-clause;

analysing three components of each sub-clause in accordance with one or more analysis rules in order to determine the proportion of values to variables;

in response to the determination, testing the sub-clause against one or more execution rules, wherein the execution rules are associated with an order of processing of a sub-clause based on the proportion of values to variables; and

in response to the testing, generating a sub-query associated with a first sub-clause having the largest proportion of values to variables.