Relational database access system using semantically dynamic objects
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for accessing values in a relational database, wherein the relational database operates in a computer system and provides returned values responsive to queries specified in a predefined query language, wherein the relational database supports the use of functions and operators to perform operations on values within the database, wherein the relational database includes a plurality of tables, wherein each table is associated with one or more attributes, wherein each attribute has a set of values, wherein the method includes a user interface executing on a computer system operated by a human user, wherein the computer system executing the user interface includes a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the processor is further coupled to the user interface and the relational database, the method comprising the following steps:
- associating a first familiar name with a first returned value, wherein the familiar name is also associated with the following;
a SELECT clause describing the values returned using a combination of the functions and operators supported by the predefined query language;
a WHERE clause describing a condition which can be used to restrict the scope of the returned value; and
a plurality of tables containing the attributes on which the SELECT and WHERE clauses operate;
accepting signals from the user interface to specify a query, wherein the query includes the familiar name;
generating a query in the predefined query language, wherein the query includes the condition; and
using the query to access one or more attributes in the relational database.
3 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A relational database access system and method provides a new data representation and a query technique which allows information system end users to access (query) relational databases without knowing the relational structure or the structure query language (SQL). The present invention utilizes semantically dynamic objects.
309 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for accessing values in a relational database, wherein the relational database operates in a computer system and provides returned values responsive to queries specified in a predefined query language, wherein the relational database supports the use of functions and operators to perform operations on values within the database, wherein the relational database includes a plurality of tables, wherein each table is associated with one or more attributes, wherein each attribute has a set of values, wherein the method includes a user interface executing on a computer system operated by a human user, wherein the computer system executing the user interface includes a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the processor is further coupled to the user interface and the relational database, the method comprising the following steps:
-
associating a first familiar name with a first returned value, wherein the familiar name is also associated with the following;
a SELECT clause describing the values returned using a combination of the functions and operators supported by the predefined query language;
a WHERE clause describing a condition which can be used to restrict the scope of the returned value; and
a plurality of tables containing the attributes on which the SELECT and WHERE clauses operate;accepting signals from the user interface to specify a query, wherein the query includes the familiar name; generating a query in the predefined query language, wherein the query includes the condition; and using the query to access one or more attributes in the relational database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A relational database access system comprising:
-
a computer system including a processor coupled to a memory; a relational database including attributes, wherein the relational database is responsive to a query in a predefined query language for accessing the attributes in the relational database; a user interface for allowing a human user to specify one or more familiar names in the form of a user query; selection means coupled to the user interface for allowing the human user to select familiar names and to associate two or more familiar names together; and query engine means for generating queries in the predetermined query language based on a given combination of two or more selected and associated familiar names, wherein the query engine means generates first and second queries based on first and second combinations, wherein the first and second combinations both include a same first familiar name but different additional familiar names, wherein the first query based on the first combination results in the retrieval of a first set of returned values based on the first familiar name, wherein the second query based on the second combination results in the retrieval of a second set of returned values based on the same first familiar name from the same database. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification