System and method for accessing distributed data on a plurality of databases

• US 5,740,423 A
• Filed: 12/28/1995
• Issued: 04/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CSG Systems Incorporated (CSG Systems International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CSG Systems Incorporated (CSG Systems International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Deshazer, Kurt, Logan, James Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Kulik, Paul V.
• Application Number:
  US08/579,788
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 395/601, 395/604, 395/610, 395/614, 395/615, 395/603
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/256 in federated or virtual databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A system for accessing data distributed on databases in an integrated computer system includes a distributed data port, which initiates a XRef server query, generates a virtual table having a first result set including at least one data row responsive to the XRef server query, initiates Populate queries each having one of the data rows as an argument, and updates the virtual table with data responsive to the Populate queries. The system also includes a XRef server, which receives the XRef server query from the distributed data port and identifies at least one of the databases having a data row responsive to the XRef server query. A temporary virtual table relays each Populate query to a data directory server, and the data directory server is linked to each of the databases. It locates at least one of the databases having data responsive to the XRef server query and the Populate query, retrieves that data, and transmits data responsive to said XRef query to the distributed data port and data responsive to the Populate query to a temporary virtual table. The temporary virtual table populates each data row of the result set with data responsive to the Populate query and transmits the populated data row to the distributed data port to update the virtual table.

Claims

1. A method for accessing data distributed on a plurality of databases, comprising the steps of:

initiating a cross-reference server query that retrieves at least one cross-reference data row;

generating a virtual table having a first result set including said at least one cross-reference data row;

initiating at least one populate query having each of said at least one cross-reference data rows as an argument;

generating a temporary virtual table that populates each cross-reference data row of said result set with data responsive to said populate query; and

updating said virtual table with said populated data row.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said populate query defines a single distributed data set.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for displaying said virtual table.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of ordering said cross-reference data rows.

5. A system for accessing data distributed on a plurality of databases in an integrated computer system, comprising:

a plurality of databases;

a distributed data port, which (1) initiates a cross-reference server query, (2) generates a virtual table having a first result set including at least one cross-reference data row responsive to said cross-reference server query, (3) initiates at least one populate query each having one of said at least one data rows as an argument, and (4) updates said virtual table with data responsive to said at least one populate query;

a cross-reference server, which receives said cross-reference server query from said distributed data port, identifies at least one of said plurality of databases having at least one of said data rows, and transmits said cross-reference server query to a data directory server; and

a temporary virtual table, which relays each of said at least one populate queries to said data directory server;

wherein said data directory server is linked to each of said plurality of databases, locates at least one of said plurality of databases having data responsive to said cross-reference server query and said populate query, retrieves said data, and transmits data responsive to said cross-reference server query to said distributed data port and data responsive to said populate query to a temporary virtual table; and

wherein said temporary virtual table populates each of said at least one cross-reference data rows of said result set with data responsive to said populate query and transmits said populated data row to said distributed data port to update said virtual table.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said populate query defines a single distributed data set.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said distributed data port includes a orders said at least one data rows according to a comparison code using a generic library sorting method.

8. The system of claim 5, further comprising means for displaying said virtual table.