Distributed object computer system with hierarchical name space versioning
First Claim
1. A method for providing a hierarchical networked database which supports multiple versions of the same underlying data, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing one or more name/attribute pairs, the name/attribute pairs defining an initial version;
storing the name/attribute pairs of the initial version in the root node of a tree-like data structure;
creating one or more revisions to the initial version, each revision including one or more changed name/attribute pairs;
storing the changed name/attribute pairs of each revision in a separate node; and
storing each node in the tree-like data structure as a descendent of the root node.
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Abstract
The present invention is a method and apparatus for providing a hierarchical networked database which supports multiple versions of the same underlying data. Structurally, the present invention is based on hierarchical tree-like structure known which includes one or more nodes connected by labeled branches. Any node in the tree may be reached by specifying a sequence of names which correspond to the branch labels between the root node and the desired node. The root node contains one or more name/attribute pairs which define an initial revision. Each descendent node inherits the revision defined by its ancestors and forms a new revision by including the changed name/attribute pairs which differ from the inherited revision. In this way, a particular revision is defined to be the changed name/attribute pairs contained in a node and the most recent instance of each unchanged name/attribute pair contained in the node'"'"'s ancestors.
186 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for providing a hierarchical networked database which supports multiple versions of the same underlying data, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing one or more name/attribute pairs, the name/attribute pairs defining an initial version; storing the name/attribute pairs of the initial version in the root node of a tree-like data structure; creating one or more revisions to the initial version, each revision including one or more changed name/attribute pairs; storing the changed name/attribute pairs of each revision in a separate node; and storing each node in the tree-like data structure as a descendent of the root node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for manipulating a hierarchical networked database which supports multiple versions of the same underlying data, the apparatus comprising:
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a first computer executable means for creating the root node of a tree-like data structure, the root node containing one or more name/attribute pairs defining an initial revision; a second computer executable means for creating one or more descended nodes, each descendent node inheriting the revision associated with the parent of the descendent node, each descendent node containing one or more changed name/attribute pairs, the changed name/attribute pairs contained in each node in combination with the revision inherited by the descendent node defining a new revision associated with the descendent node. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification