Method and apparatus for mapping objects to a data source
First Claim
1. A method of mapping objects transparently to a data source stored in a storage medium in a computer system comprising the steps of:
- independently defining a plurality of object classes;
independently defining a schema for said data source, said schema defining being independent of said object class defining;
defining a model providing a mapping between properties of said plurality of object classes and data of said data source schema, such that the mapping between said data source schema and said object classes is transparent to said object classes and said data source schema.
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Abstract
The present invention creates a model that maps object classes in an object-oriented environment to a data source. The model maps the relationship between properties of each object class and data of the data source. The present invention can be used with a data source such as a relational database, user interface, file system, or object-oriented database. An application'"'"'s object classes and data source schema are designed independent of the other since the model can be used to map one to the other. The model is comprised of entities and attributes. An entity maps to an object class and to at least one table of the DBMS. An entity contains attributes either simple or derived. A simple attribute maps to a DBMS column. A derived attribute is a combination of other attributes and does not directly map to a DBMS column. A relationship creates a link between entities of the model. A relationship can be used to flatten an attribute or flatten a relationship. A flattened attribute is an attribute of one entity that is added to another entity. A flattened relationship is created by the elimination of intermediate relationships between two entities. Relationships can be either unidirectional or bi-directional. A unidirectional relationship has a single traversal path that has a source entity and a destination. A bi-directional relationship has two traversal paths. A reflexive relationship can be created using a single entity. The model is used to synchronize object properties and the data of the data source.
276 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of mapping objects transparently to a data source stored in a storage medium in a computer system comprising the steps of:
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independently defining a plurality of object classes; independently defining a schema for said data source, said schema defining being independent of said object class defining; defining a model providing a mapping between properties of said plurality of object classes and data of said data source schema, such that the mapping between said data source schema and said object classes is transparent to said object classes and said data source schema. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of mapping an object transparently to multiple of a database stored in a storage medium in a computer system comprising the steps of:
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independently defining a plurality of properties for an object class; independently defining a first table having one or more attributes, said first table defining being independent of said property defining; independently defining a second table having one or more attributes, said second table defining being independent of said property defining; defining a model having a first entity that corresponds with said first table and a second entity that corresponds with said second table; defining in said first entity a flattened attribute, said flattened attribute being an attribute of said second entity; and associating said object with said first entity thereby associating said object to said first table and said second table. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. An article of manufacture comprising:
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a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for mapping objects transparently to a data source comprising; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to independently define a plurality of object classes; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to independently define a schema for said data source, said schema defining being independent of said object class defining; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to create a mapping between said plurality of object classes and said data source schema using a mapping model, said mapping between said source schema and said plurality of object classes being transparent to said plurality of object classes and said data source schema. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification