Associative search method for heterogeneous databases with an integration mechanism configured to combine schema-free data models such as a hyperbase

• US 5,740,421 A
• Filed: 04/03/1995
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Adobe Systems Israel Ltd. (Adobe Inc.)
• Original Assignee: DTL Data Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Palmon, Eran
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta L.
• Application Number:
  US08/415,601
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/611, 395/612, 395/613, 395/604, 395/603
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method of performing an associative search on a set of heterogeneous databases is described, the method implemented on a general purpose computer. The method comprises converting each database of the set of databases into a schema-free structure called a hyperbase. The hyperbases corresponding to each database of the set of databases are combined into a single combined hyperbase, and that single hyperbase is normalized into a single normalized hyperbase. An associative search on the single hyperbase includes providing a set of input words. The method of the present invention determines an answer, which is that sub-hyperbase of the hyperbase to be searched which has minimum "cost" according to a criterion. Once an answer is determined, the answer is displayed to the user.

Claims

1. A method of searching a set of heterogeneous databases, each database in said set having a corresponding hyperbase, said method implemented on a computer and comprising:

(a) determining said corresponding hyperbase for at least one of said set of heterogeneous databases dependent on whether or not the corresponding hyperbase for said at least one of the set of heterogeneous databases is already determined;

(b) integrating the hyperbases corresponding to each database of said set of databases into a combined hyperbase dependent on whether or not all the corresponding hyperbases already have been integrated into the combined hyperbase;

(c) inputting a query into said computer, said query including a set of labels; and

(d) determining an answer to said query from said combined hyperbase.

85. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

(f) normalizing said combined hyperbase into a normalized hyperbase,

wherein said step d of determining determines the answer from the normalized hyperbase.

86. The method of claim 1 wherein said answer is a subhyperbase.

87. The method of claim 1 wherein said answer includes said set of labels.

88. The method of claim 86 wherein said subhyperbase is a minimum sub-hyperbase determined by a distance criterion, wherein said distance criterion is determined using a simple edge function, a simple node function, a full edge function, a full node function, a partial edge function, or a partial node function.

2. A method for accessing information from a heterogeneous plurality of databases with each of said databases having a plurality of data and each of said databases having a corresponding schema free data model, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) creating a combined schema-free data model from said plurality of data from some of said databases, said creating including;

(i) determining at least part of the corresponding schema-free data model for at least one of said some of said databases dependent on whether or not the at least part of the corresponding hyperbase for said at least one of some of said databases is already determined, and

(ii) integrating said at least part of the corresponding schema-free data model to into the combined schema-free model depending on whether or not said at least part already has been integrated in the combined schema-free data model; and

(b) returning an answer as a result of an associative search on said combined schema-free data model for at least one of a plurality of items of information.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said plurality of items of information is a plurality of words.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said combined schema-free data model is a combined hyperbase comprising a plurality of elements, said plurality of elements comprising nodes, labels, and edges.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein step (a)(i) further comprises:

(a1) creating a plurality of nodes based on said plurality of data;

(a2) attaching a label containing some of said plurality of data to at least one of said plurality of nodes; and

(a3) connecting said plurality of nodes by a plurality of edges.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said step (a)(i) further comprises:

(a1) creating a table name node;

(a2) creating a table node;

(a3) creating a column name node;

(a4) creating a column node;

(a5) creating a row node; and

(a6) creating a plurality of edges, at least one of said plurality of edges being between said table node and said table name node, at least one of said edges being between said column name node and said column node, at least one of said edges being between said table node and said row node, and at least one of said edges being between said row node and said column node.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein step (a5) further comprises:

(a7) creating a row name node; and

(a8) creating a row name edge between said row name node and said row node.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein said step (a)(i) further comprises:

(a1) creating a note node;

(a2) creating a line node;

(a3) creating a word node with a label containing a word; and

(a4) creating a plurality of edges, one of said plurality of edges being between said note node and said line node, and one of said plurality of edges being between said line node and said word node.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein said step (a)(i) further comprises:

(a1) creating a thesaurus node;

(a2) creating a plurality of word nodes each respectively associated with a corresponding label; and

(a3) creating a plurality of edges from said thesaurus node to said plurality of word nodes.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein step (a) further comprises a step of normalizing said combined schema-free data model.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of normalizing further comprises:

(a1) locating a non-leaf node with a label;

(a2) creating a new node;

(a3) unassociating said label from said non-leaf node;

(a4) associating said label with said new node; and

(a5) creating an equivalence edge from said new node to said non-leaf node.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of normalizing further comprises;

(a1) locating a plurality of nodes each with a label having identical information, said plurality of nodes having a set of parents and a set of children;

(a2) creating a new node with one of said labels;

(a3) associating said set of parents with said new node; and

(a4) associating said set of children with said new mode.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

(a5) unassociating said set of children from said plurality of nodes; and

(a6) unassociating said set of parents from said plurality of nodes.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of normalizing further comprises:

(a1) locating a plurality of nodes referenced by a single reference node, said plurally of nodes having a set of parents and a set of children;

(a2) creating a new node;

(a3) associating said set of parents with said new node;

(a4) associating said set of children with said new node; and

(a5) creating an equivalence edge from said single reference node to said new node.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

(a6) unassociating said set of parents from said plurality of nodes;

(a7) unassociating said plurality of nodes from said single reference node; and

(a8) unassociating said set of children from said plurality of nodes.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of normalizing further comprises:

(a1) locating a plurality of non referred node with a set of parents, each of said plurality of non referred nodes having an identical set of children and each of said plurality of non referred nodes not having a label;

(a2) creating a new node;

(a3) associating said set of parents with said new node; and

(a4) associating said identical set of children with said new node.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

(a5) unassociating said set of parents from said plurality of nodes; and

(a6) unassociating said set of children from said plurality of nodes.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of normalizing further comprises:

(a1) locating a plurality of identical labels associated with a set of nodes, said plurality of identical labels having a first label and a second plurality of labels;

(a2) associating said set of nodes with a first label of said plurality of identical labels; and

(a3) unassociating said second plurality of labels.

19. The method of claim 2 wherein each of said corresponding schema-free data models is a corresponding hyperbase and the combined schema-free data model is a combined hyperbase.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step (a)(ii) of integrating said at least part further comprises taking a union of said part with at least a subset of the combined hyperbase.

21. The method of claim 2 wherein step (b) further comprises:

(b2) searching said combined schema-free data model for some of said plurality of items of information.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein step (b) further comprises:

(b1) adding one of said plurality of items of information to said combined schema-free data model.

23. The method of claim 4 wherein step (b) further comprises:

(b1) designating at least one of said nodes as a source node dependent on an input label;

(b2) adding an operation to said source node;

(b3) expanding said operation; and

(b4) identifying a sub-hyperbase as said answer wherein said sub-hyperbase is connected, contains a fact node and contains said input label.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said sub-hyperbase is a minimum sub-hyperbase determined by a distance criterion, wherein said distance criterion is determined using a simple edge function, a simple node function, a full edge function, a full node function, a partial edge function, or a partial node function.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein step (b4) further comprises accumulating at least one merge.

26. The method of claim 2 wherein step (b) further comprises displaying said answer.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said schema-free, data model includes a plurality of display nodes and said answer comprises a minimal list of said plurality of display nodes covering said schema-free data model.

28. An apparatus for accessing information from a heterogeneous plurality of databases with each of said databases having a plurality of data, and each of said databases having a corresponding schema free data model, said apparatus having a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and a file system containing said heterogeneous plurality of databases, said apparatus comprising:

a model creation mechanism, using said CPU and said memory, configured to create at least part of the corresponding schema-free data model for at least one of said databases dependent on whether or not the at least part of the corresponding hyperbase for said at least one of said databases has already been created, said creating including accessing said plurality of data in said at least one of said databases in said file system;

an integration mechanism, using said CPU and said memory, configured to integrate said at least part of the corresponding hyperbase to a combined schema-free model depending on whether or not said at least part already has been integrated in the combined schema-free data model; and

an associative search mechanism, using said CPU and said memory, configured to perform an associative search on said combined schema-free data model created by the model creation mechanism and the integration mechanism for at least one of a plurality of items of information, said associative search mechanism configured to return an answer.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said plurality of items of information is a plurality of words.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said combined schema-free data model is a combined hyperbase comprising a plurality of elements, said plurality of elements comprising nodes, labels, and edges connecting said nodes and said labels.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the model creation mechanism further comprises:

a node creation mechanism configured to create a plurality of nodes based on said plurality of data;

a label attachment mechanism configured to attach a label containing some of said plurality of data to at least one of said plurality of nodes; and

a node connection mechanism configured to connect said plurality of nodes by a plurality of edges.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the model creation mechanism further comprises:

a table name creation mechanism configured to create a table name node;

a table creation mechanism configure to create a table node;

a column name creation mechanism configured to create a column name node;

a column creation mechanism configured to create a column node;

a row creation mechanism configured to create a row node; and

an edge creation mechanism configured to create a plurality of edges, at least one of said plurality of edges being between said table node and said table name node, at least one of said edges being between said column name node and said column node, at least one of said edges being between said table node and said row node, and at least one of said edges being between said row node and said column node.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the row creation mechanism further comprises:

a row name creation mechanism configured to create a row name node; and

a row connection mechanism configured to connect said row name node and said row node by a row name edge between said row name node and said row node.

34. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the model creation mechanism further comprises:

a note node creation mechanism configured to create a note node;

a line creation mechanism configured to create a line node;

a label creation mechanism configured to create a word node with a label containing a word; and

an edge creation mechanism configured to create a plurality of edges, one of said plurality of edges being between said note node and said line node, and one of said plurality of edges being between said line node and said word node.

35. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the model creation mechanism further comprises:

a thesaurus node creation mechanism configured to create a thesaurus node;

a word node creation mechanism configured to create a plurality of word nodes each respectively associated with a corresponding label; and

an edge creation mechanism configured to create a plurality of edges from said thesaurus node to said plurality of word nodes.

36. The apparatus of claim 28 further comprising a normalization mechanism configured to normalize said combined schema-free data model.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said normalization mechanism further comprises:

a node location mechanism configured to locate a non-leaf node with a label;

a node creation mechanism configured to create a new node;

a label unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said label from said non-leaf node;

a label association mechanism configured to associate said label with said new node; and

an equivalent edge creation mechanism configured to create an equivalence edge from said new node to said non-leaf node.

38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said normalization mechanism further comprises:

a label location mechanism configured to locate a plurality of nodes each with a label having identical information, said plurality of nodes with a set of parents and a set of children;

a label creation mechanism configured to create a new node with one of said labels;

a parent node association mechanism configured to associate said set of parents with said new node;

a child association mechanism configured to associate said set of children with said second new node; and

an edge creation mechanism configured to create an equivalence edge from said first new node to said second new node.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising:

a parent unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said set of parents from said plurality of nodes; and

a child unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said set of children from said plurality of nodes.

40. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said normalization mechanism further comprises:

a single reference node location mechanism configured to locate a plurality of nodes referenced by a single reference node, said plurality of nodes with a set of parents and a set of children;

a node creation mechanism configured to create a new node;

a parent association mechanism configured to associate said set of parents with said new node;

a child association mechanism configured to associate said set of children with said new node; and

an equivalence mechanism configured to create an equivalence edge from said single reference node to said new node.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising:

a parent unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said set of parents from said plurality of nodes;

a second unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said plurality of nodes from said single reference node; and

a child unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said set of children from said plurality of nodes.

42. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said normalization mechanism further comprises:

a single reference node location mechanism configured to locate a plurality of non referred nodes with a set of parents, each of said plurality of non referred nodes with an identical set of children and each of said plurality of non referred nodes without a label;

a node creation mechanism configured to create a new node;

a parent association mechanism configured to associate said set of parents with said new node; and

child association mechanism configured to associate said identical set of children with said new node.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, further comprising:

parent unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said set of parents from said plurality of nodes; and

a child unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said set of children from said plurality of nodes.

44. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the normalization mechanism further comprises:

a label location mechanism configured to locate a plurality of identical labels associated with a set of nodes, said plurality of identical labels with a first label and a second plurality of labels;

an association mechanism configured to associate said set of nodes with a first label of said plurality of identical labels; and

an unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said second plurality of labels.

45. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein each of said corresponding schema-free data models is a corresponding hyperbase and the combined schema-free data model is a combined hyperbase.

46. The apparatus of claim 45 wherein the integration mechanism further comprises a union mechanism configured to take a union of said part with at least a subset of the combined hyperbase.

47. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the associative search mechanism further comprises:

a search mechanism configured to search said combined schema-free data model for each of said plurality of items of information.

48. The apparatus of claim 47 wherein the associative search mechanism further comprises:

an information addition mechanism configured to add one of said plurality of items of information to said combined schema-free data model.

49. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the associative search mechanism further comprises:

a designation mechanism configured to designate at least one of said nodes as a source node dependent on an input label;

an initialization mechanism configured to add an operation to said source node;

an expansion mechanism configured to expand said operation; and

an identification mechanism configured to identify a sub-hyperbase as said answer, wherein said sub-hyperbase is connected, contains a fact node and contains said input label.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein said sub-hyperbase is a minimum sub-hyperbase determined by a distance criterion, wherein said distance criterion is determined using a simple edge function, a simple node function, a full edge function, a full node function, a partial edge function, or a partial node function.

51. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein said identification mechanism further comprises a merge accumulation mechanism configured to accumulate at least one merge.

52. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the search mechanism further comprises a display mechanism configured to display said answer.

53. The apparatus of claim 52 wherein said schema-free data model includes a plurality of display nodes and said answer comprises a minimal list of said plurality of display nodes covering said schema-free data model.

54. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the associative search mechanism further comprises:

means for designating at least one of said nodes as a source node dependent on an input label;

means for adding an operation to said source node;

means for expanding said operation; and

means for identifying a sub-hyperbase as said answer.

55. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable storage medium with computer readable code embodied therein for causing a computer to access information from a heterogeneous plurality of databases with each of said databases having a plurality of data and each of said databases having a corresponding schema free data model, and wherein said computer readable code comprises;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a model creation mechanism configured to create at least part of the corresponding schema-free data model for at least one of said databases dependent on whether or not the at least part of the corresponding hyperbase for said at least one of said databases has already been created, said creating including accessing said plurality of data in said at least one of said databases;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an integration mechanism configured to integrate said at least part of the corresponding hyperbase to a combined schema-free model depending on whether or not said at least part already has been integrated in the combined schema-free data model; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an associative search mechanism configured to perform an associative search on said combined schema-free data model for at least one of a plurality of items of information, said associative search mechanism configured to return an answer.

56. The computer program product of claim 55 wherein said plurality of items of information is a plurality of words.

57. The computer program product of claim 55 wherein said schema-free data model is a combined hyperbase in said memory comprising a plurality of elements, said plurality of elements comprising nodes, labels, and edges connecting said nodes and said labels.

58. The computer program product of claim 55 wherein the model creation mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a node creation mechanism configured to create a plurality of nodes based on said plurality of data;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a label attachment mechanism configured to attach a label containing some of said plurality of data to at least one of said plurality of nodes; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a node connection mechanism configured to connect said plurality of nodes by a plurality of edges.

59. The computer program product of claim 58 wherein the model creation mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a table name creation mechanism configured to create a table name node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a table creation mechanism configured to create a table node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a column name creation mechanism configured to create a column name node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a column creation mechanism configured to create a column node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a row creation mechanism configured to create a row node; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an edge creation mechanism configured to create a plurality of edges, at least one of said plurality of edges being between said table node and said table name node, at least one of said edges being between said column name node and said column node, at least one of said edges being between said table node and said row node, and at least one of said edges being between said row node and said column node.

60. The computer program product of claim 59 wherein the row creation mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a row name creation mechanism configured to create a row name node; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a row connection mechanism configured to connect said row name node and said row node by a row name edge between said row name node and said row node.

61. The computer program product of claim 55 wherein the model creation mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a note node creation mechanism configured to create a note node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a line creation mechanism configured to create a line node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a label creation mechanism configured to create a word node with a label containing a word; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an edge creation mechanism configured to create a plurality of edges, one of said plurality of edges being between said note node and said line node, and one of said plurality of edges being between said line node and said word node.

62. The computer program product of claim 55 wherein the model creation mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a thesaurus node creation mechanism configured to create a thesaurus node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a word node creation mechanism configured to create a plurality of word nodes each respectively associated with a corresponding label; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an edge creation mechanism configured to create a plurality of edges from said thesaurus node to said plurality of word nodes.

63. The computer program product of claim 55 further comprising computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a normalization mechanism configured to normalize said combined schema-free data model.

64. The computer program product of claim 63 wherein said normalization mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a node location mechanism configured to locate a non-leaf node with a label;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a node creation mechanism configured to create a new node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a label unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said label from said non-leaf node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a label association mechanism configured to associate said label with said new node; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an equivalent edge creation mechanism configured to create an equivalence edge from said new node to said non-leaf node.

65. The computer program product of claim 63 wherein said normalization mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a label location mechanism configured to locate a plurality of nodes each with a label having identical information, said plurality of nodes with a set of parents and a set of children;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a label creation mechanism configured to create a new node with one of said labels;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a parent node association mechanism configured to associate said set of parents with said new node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a child association mechanism configured to associate said set of children with said second new node; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an edge creation mechanism configured to create an equivalence edge from said first new node to said second new node.

66. The computer program product of claim 65, further comprising:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a parent unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said set of parents from said plurality of nodes; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a child unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said set of children from said plurality of nodes.

67. The computer program product of claim 63 wherein said normalization mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a single reference node location mechanism configured to locate a plurality of nodes referenced by a single reference node, said plurality of nodes with a set of parents and a set of children;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a node creation mechanism configured to create a new node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a parent association mechanism configured to associate said set of parents with said new node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a child association mechanism configured to associate said set of children with said new node; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an equivalence mechanism configured to create an equivalence edge from said single reference node to said new node.

68. The computer program product of claim 67, further comprising:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a parent unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said set of parents from said plurality of nodes;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a second unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said plurality of nodes from said single reference node; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a child unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said set of children from said plurality of nodes.

69. The computer program product of claim 63 wherein said normalization mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect single reference node location mechanism configured to locate a plurality of non referred nodes having a set of parents, each of said plurality of non referred nodes having an identical set of children and each of said plurality of non referred nodes without a label;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a node creation mechanism configured to create a new node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a parent association mechanism configured to associate said set of parents with said new node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect child association mechanism configured to associate said identical set of children with said new node.

70. The computer program product of claim 69, further comprising

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect parent unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said set of parents from said plurality of nodes;

and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a child unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said set of children from said plurality of nodes.

71. The computer program product of claim 63 wherein said normalization mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a label location mechanism configured to locate a plurality of identical labels associated with a set of nodes, said plurality of identical labels with a first label and a second plurality of labels;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an association mechanism configured to associate said set of nodes with a first label of said plurality of identical labels; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an unassociation mechanism configured to unassociate said second plurality of labels.

72. The computer program product of claim 55 wherein each of said corresponding schema-free data models is a corresponding hyperbase and the combined schema-free data model is a combined hyperbase.

73. The computer program product of claim 72 wherein the integration mechanism further comprises computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a union mechanism configured to take a union of said part with at least a subset of the combined hyperbase.

74. The computer program product of claim 55 wherein the associative search mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a search mechanism configured to search said combined schema-free data model for each of said plurality of items of information.

75. The computer program product of claim 74 wherein the associative search mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an information addition mechanism configured to add one of said plurality of items of information to said combined schema-free data model.

76. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein the associative search mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a designation mechanism configured to designate at least one of said nodes as a source node dependent on an input label;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an initialization mechanism configured to add an operation to said source node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an expansion mechanism configured to expand said operation; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an identification mechanism configured to identify a sub-hyperbase as said answer, wherein said sub-hyperbase is connected, contains a fact node and contains said input label as said answer.

77. The computer program product of claim 76 wherein said sub-hyperbase is a minimum sub-hyperbase determined by a distance criterion, wherein said distance criterion is determined using a simple edge function, a simple node function, a full edge function, a full node function, a partial edge function, or a partial node function.

78. The computer program product of claim 76 wherein said identification mechanism further comprises a merge accumulation mechanism configured to accumulate at least one merge.

79. The computer program product of claim 55 wherein the search mechanism further comprises a plurality of computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a display mechanism configured to display said answer.

80. The computer program product of claim 79 wherein said schema-free data model includes a plurality of display nodes and said answer comprises a minimal list of said plurality of display nodes covering said schema-free data model.

81. The computer program product of claim 57 wherein the associative search mechanism further comprises:

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a means for designating at least one of said nodes as a source node dependent on an input label;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a means for adding an operation to said source node;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a means for expanding said operation; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a means for identifying a sub-hyperbase as said answer.

82. An apparatus for searching a set of heterogeneous databases, each database in said set having a corresponding hyperbase, said apparatus having a central processing unit (CPU), a memory, and a file system, said memory and said file system accessible by said CPU, said apparatus comprising:

a determination mechanism configured to determine said corresponding hyperbase for one of said set of heterogeneous databases dependent on whether said corresponding hyperbase is already determined;

an integration mechanism configured to integrate said hyperbases corresponding to each database of said set of databases into a combined hyperbase;

a query mechanism configured to input a query into said CPU, said query including a set of labels; and

an answer determination mechanism configured to determine an answer to said query.

83. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable storage medium with computer readable code embodied therein for causing a computer to access information from a heterogeneous plurality of databases with each of said databases having a plurality of data and wherein said computer readable code comprises;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a determination mechanism configured to determine said corresponding hyperbase for one of said set of heterogeneous databases dependent on whether said corresponding hyperbase is already determined;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an integration mechanism configured to integrate said hyperbases corresponding to each database of said set of databases into a combined hyperbase;

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect a query mechanism configured to input a query into said computer, said query including a set of labels; and

computer readable program code devices configured to cause said computer to effect an answer determination mechanism configured to determine an answer to said query.

84. A memory for storing data for access by an application program being executed on a computer, comprising:

some of a combined schema-free data model in said memory;

the combined schema-free data model constructed from integrating at least some of a set of corresponding schema fee data models, each corresponding schema free data model corresponding to one of a heterogeneous plurality of databases, each of said plurality of databases comprising a plurality of items of information, said combined schema-free data model comprising;

a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of edges, said plurality of nodes comprising a display node and a fact node;

a label containing one of said plurality of items of information;

said plurality of edges comprising a directed edge and an equivalence edge; and

said plurality of edges connecting said label and said plurality of nodes.