Database View Systems

• US 20130339881A1
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Kemmler, Andreas, Kamenz, Torsten
• Granted Patent: US 8,881,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/00 Data switching networks interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/6418 Hybrid transport

Abstract

Embodiments of methods and systems for database viewing, create a copy of a vendor view in a customer view layer that is present between an interface layer and the database layer. In certain embodiments this copy of the vendor view may contain no customer specific logic, simply serving as a 1:1 projection in the customer view allowing the vendor to track customer access to particular vendor views. According to some embodiments, the copy of the vendor view may be changed to create a modification view. Changes are applied to the modification view only, leaving the original vendor view unchanged with a link to the stored modification copy. This link can be used to adjust the modification copy whenever a hot fix or a new version of the ‘modified’ database content is installed to the customer system. Embodiments may support consumer extensions to the vendor views and/or to the database itself.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing a database layer comprising a database table and a vendor view thereto;

causing a view engine to create a copy of the vendor view in a customer view layer between the database layer and a user interface layer; and

storing a link between the copy and the vendor view.

2. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

causing the view engine to implement a change in the copy to create a modification view; and

causing the view engine to maintain the link between the modification view and the vendor view.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein the view engine is caused to implement the change by a database vendor during an upgrade process.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the vendor view comprises a customer extension, and the copy includes the customer extension.

5. A method as in claim 1 further comprising storing tracking information regarding customer access to the link.

6. A method as in claim 5 further comprising communicating the tracking information to other than a customer.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein the information is communicated to a database content vendor.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying a computer program for performing a method, said method comprising:

providing a database layer comprising a database table and a vendor view thereto;

causing a view engine to create a copy of the vendor view in a customer view layer between the database layer and a user interface layer; and

storing a link between the copy and the vendor view.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as in claim 8 wherein the method further comprises:

causing the view engine to implement a change in the copy to create a modification view; and

causing the view engine to maintain the link between the modification view and the vendor view.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as in claim 9 wherein the view engine is caused to implement the change by a database vendor during an upgrade process.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as in claim 8 wherein the vendor view comprises a customer extension, and the copy includes the customer extension.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as in claim 8 wherein the method further comprises storing tracking information regarding customer access to the link.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as in claim 12 wherein the method further comprises communicating the tracking information to other than a customer.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as in claim 13 wherein the information is communicated to a database content vendor.

15. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors;

a software program, executable on said computer system, the software program configured to;

access a database layer comprising a database table and a vendor view thereto;

cause a view engine to create a copy of the vendor view in a customer view layer between the database layer and a user interface layer; and

store a link between the copy and the vendor view.

16. A computer system as in claim 15 wherein the software program is further configured to:

cause the view engine to implement a change in the copy to create a modification view; and

cause the view engine to maintain the link between the modification view and the vendor view.

17. A computer system as in claim 15 wherein the vendor view comprises a customer extension and the copy includes the customer extension.

18. A computer system as in claim 15 wherein the computer program is further configured to store tracking information regarding customer access to the link.

19. A computer system as in claim 18 wherein the computer program is further configured to communicate the tracking information to other than a customer.

20. A computer system as in claim 19 wherein the information is communicated to a database content vendor.