System and method for segmenting a database based upon data attributes

• US 5,870,746 A
• Filed: 10/31/1996
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Copas, Kevin W., Anand, Tejwansh S., Coulter, Scott D., Knutson, James F., Taheri, Sheila
• Primary Examiner(s): Von Buhr, Maria N.
• Application Number:
  US08/742,007
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-5, 707/10, 1/100-102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A system and method for allowing a user to segment and partition a database based upon attributes associated with the data in the database. Also, a system and method for generating a report for a user which allows the user to make decisions, without requiring the user to understand or interpret data itself. A database computer includes a database containing the data. The data includes a collection of information about an enterprise of the user. A server computer is coupled to the database computer and executes a database management program. A client computer is coupled to the server and executes an application program. The application program allows a user to define predetermined data types, to define relationships between the data types, to define parameters for the report, to define a method of analysis for the report, and to create the report. The report summarizes the data in terms of the data types, the data relationships, and the method of analysis.

Claims

1. A system for managing a database hierarchy, comprising:

(a) a database computer, including a data warehouse comprising data entities having associated attributes, wherein the data entities are arranged in a first hierarchy, each level of the first hierarchy being associated with at least one attribute;

(b) a server computer coupled to the database computer, wherein the server computer includes a data abstraction intelligence subsystem and a data and schema manipulation subsystem having;

(1) means for receiving an attribute restriction value for restricting a selected attribute; and

(2) means for partitioning and segmenting the database, wherein a second hierarchy is created, the second hierarchy being associated with the attribute restriction value; and

(c) a client computer coupled to the server computer, wherein the client computer includes;

(1) means for inputting from a user of the client computer the attribute restriction value; and

(2) means for transmitting the attribute restriction value to the receiving means of the data abstraction intelligence subsystem and the data and schema manipulation subsystem.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data abstraction intelligence subsystem and the data and schema manipulation subsystem further include means for transmitting the second hierarchy to the client computer, and the client computer further includes means for receiving the second hierarchy from the data abstraction intelligence subsystem and the data and schema manipulation subsystem and displaying the second hierarchy to the user of the client computer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data abstraction intelligence subsystem and the data and schema manipulation subsystem further include means for querying the data entities within the database having the first hierarchy.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data abstraction intelligence subsystem and the data and schema manipulation subsystem further include means for querying the data entities within the database having the second hierarchy.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the data abstraction intelligence subsystem and the data and schema manipulation subsystem further include means for querying the database.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the querying means comprises a SQL server.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the client computer further includes means for transmitting a query request to the querying means.

8. In a computer system comprising a client computer, a server computer coupled to the client computer, and a database coupled to the server computer, wherein the database contains data entities, and wherein the server computer includes a data abstraction intelligence subsystem and a data and schema manipulation subsystem, a process for managing a hierarchy associated with the database, comprising the steps of:

(a) associating attributes with the data entities;

(b) arranging the data entities in a first hierarchy, wherein each level of the first hierarchy is associated with at least one attribute;

(c) inputting from a user of the client computer an attribute restriction value;

(d) transmitting the attribute restriction value from the client computer to the data abstraction intelligence subsystem and the data and schema manipulation subsystem, the attribute restriction value restricting a selected attribute; and

(e) segmenting the database, wherein a second hierarchy is created, the second hierarchy being associated with the attribute restriction value.

9. A system for managing a database, comprising:

(a) a hierarchical database comprising data arranged in tables having columns;

(b) a server computer coupled to the database, the server computer including a data abstraction intelligence subsystem and a data and schema manipulation subsystem;

(c) a client computer coupled to the server computer, the client computer including means for receiving input from a user of the client computer,

wherein the system creates metadata concerning a particular business for use in partitioning and segmenting the database, the metadata being created by the following method;

(1) receiving as an input from the user a specified business concept;

(2) receiving as an input from the user one or more attributes for the specified business concept;

(3) providing to the user a list of columns of tables in the database;

(4) receiving as an input from the user a mapping of each attribute to a column in a table in the database.

10. A system according to the claim 9, wherein the method for creating metadata includes the following additional steps:

(5) receiving as an input from the user one or more business indicators;

(6) providing to the user a list of columns of table in the database;

(7) receiving as an input from the user a mapping of each business indicator to a column in a table in the database;

(8) receiving as an input from the user an aggregate method for the mapped business indicators;

(9) receiving as an input from the user a selected unit of measurement for the mapped business indicators;

(10) ensuring that tables having mapped business indicator columns can be joined with tables having mapped business attribute columns.