Logical schema to allow access to a relational database without using knowledge of the database structure
First Claim
1. A method for providing access to data stored in a plurality of relational database tables, each of said relational database tables having at least one field, comprising the steps of:
- specifying at least one logical relationship by;
selecting a pair of tables having a common field from among said plurality of relational database tables;
selecting the common field of said pair of tables as a join field; and
selecting a join operator for said join field to define a join between said pair of tables,the logical relationship being one of One-to-One, One-to-Zero-or-One, One-to-Zero-or-More, and One-to-One-or-More; and
creating a logical schema defining a multilevel hierarchy of the tables in the specified logical relationships, wherein a first table and a second table of a pair of tables in a logical relationship are at an equal hierarchy level if the logical relationship is one of One-to-One and One-to-Zero-or-One and the first table is at a higher hierarchy level than the second table if the logical relationship is one of One-to-Zero-or-More One-to-One-or-More.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Logical schemas are used to allow an end user the ability to access and manipulate relational database data without knowledge of the structure of the relational database. A logical schema is first created specifying which tables are available to an end user, and the relationships between columns of those tables. The logical schema defines a structure for the data fields having a master level and a plurality of detail levels. An end user may manipulate the logical schema using a graphical interface to build customized forms, reports, and queries. An end user is not required to be familiar with a database query language, such as SQL, or the structure of the relational database.
222 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for providing access to data stored in a plurality of relational database tables, each of said relational database tables having at least one field, comprising the steps of:
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specifying at least one logical relationship by; selecting a pair of tables having a common field from among said plurality of relational database tables; selecting the common field of said pair of tables as a join field; and selecting a join operator for said join field to define a join between said pair of tables, the logical relationship being one of One-to-One, One-to-Zero-or-One, One-to-Zero-or-More, and One-to-One-or-More; and creating a logical schema defining a multilevel hierarchy of the tables in the specified logical relationships, wherein a first table and a second table of a pair of tables in a logical relationship are at an equal hierarchy level if the logical relationship is one of One-to-One and One-to-Zero-or-One and the first table is at a higher hierarchy level than the second table if the logical relationship is one of One-to-Zero-or-More One-to-One-or-More. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A computer system comprising:
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a memory for storing a logical schema for providing an interface for a user to access data stored in a plurality of relational database tables, each of said relational database tables having at least one field, wherein the logical schema comprises a plurality of logical schema tables, each corresponding to a relational database table and participating in at least one logical relationship, each logical relationship comprising a pair of logical schema tables, a loin field common to both of the logical schema tables in the pair, and a loin operator for joining the pair of logical schema tables based on the join operator, the logical relationship being one of One-to-One, One-to-Zero-or-One, One-to-Zero-or-More, and One-to-One-or-More, the logical schema defining a multilevel hierarchy of the logical schema tables wherein a first table and a second table of a pair of tables in a logical relationship are at an equal hierarchy level if the logical relationship is one of One-to-One and One-to-Zero-or-One and the first table is at a higher hierarchy level than the second table if the logical relationship is one of the One-to-Zero-or-More and One-to-One-or-More; and a display for displaying fields of the logical schema tables.
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6. A computer-implemented method for providing a hierarchical view of data stored in a plurality of relational database tables comprising the steps of:
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providing a logical schema for at least two logical schema tables, each logical schema table corresponding to a relational database table, wherein the logical schema is defined by pairwise logical relationships between the logical schema tables, each logical schema table participating in at least one logical relationship, wherein a logical relationship is defined by a join operator on a join field common to both logical tables in the pair, and a logical relationship is one of One-to-One, One-to-Zero-or-One, One-to-Zero-or-More, and One-to-One-or-More; and establishing a multilevel hierarchy among the logical schema tables, wherein a first table and a second table of the pair of tables in each logical relationship are at an equal hierarchy level if the logical relationship is one of One-to-One and One-to-Zero-or-One, and the first table is at a higher hierarchy level than the second table if the logical relationship is one of One-to-Zero-or-More and One-to-One-or-More. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification