Java-to-Database Connectivity Server

• US 5,899,990 A
• Filed: 03/31/1997
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Maritzen, Lynn M., Dimaandal, Roland D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALAM, SHAHID AL
• Application Number:
  US08/831,453
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 707/9, 707/10, 707/4, 707/103, 707/201, 395/200.68
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A Java™-to-Database Connectivity Server monitors client communications, accesses a database such as a Sybase relational database, upon client command establishes a connection to the database, accesses requested data from the database, manipulates the data, and relays the data to the client. The Java™-to-Database Connectivity Server is programmed in the Java™ programming language to facilitate communications with Java™ clients using Java™ sockets. The Java™-to-Database Connectivity Server includes an Applications Programmer Interface (API) on the server side of a client/server interface and implementation of System Query Language (SQL) queries on the client side. The Java™-to-Database Connectivity Server supplies an interface between Java™ applications and database servers using an easy-to-use Java™ server Applications Programmer Interface (API) forming a uniform framework for building or integrating database connectivity across organizations and companies globally. A single API supplies connectivity with a database, for example, with Oracle or Sybase database servers. In some embodiments, the Java™-to-Database Connectivity Server is platform-independent and usable on any platform in any usage model (nomadic, remote access, Internet, and Intranet, for example), and encoded entirely in the Java™ programming language using sockets and multi-threading.

Claims

1. A server for connecting an application to a database comprising:

program code defining a generic database server type including;

a database server instantiator including executable program code for instantiating instances of the database server type;

an instance of the database server type including a connection type constructor and a server interprocess communication creator; and

a connection type instantiator including a server interprocess communication acceptor; and

program code defining a generic connection type including;

an instance of the connection type including a database connection constructor and a interprocess communication stream creator.

2. A server according to claim 1, wherein the generic connection type further includes:

a creator of input and output interprocess communication streams;

a creator of a database connection;

a database connection including executable program code for database processing and data formatting of database information; and

input and output interprocess communication streams including executable program code for transmitting the database information.

3. A server according to claim 1, further comprising:

a interprocess communication level communication input connection coupled to the database server instantiator, the interprocess communication level communication input connection for carrying a database query, the database server instantiator being activated by a database query.

4. A server according to claim 3, wherein:

the database query is a System Query Language (SQL) query.

5. A server according to claim 1, wherein:

the application is a Java™

application; and

the interprocess communication level communication input connection is coupled to a Java™

Graphical Users Interface (GUI).

6. A server according to claim 5, wherein:

the Java™

GUI is coupled to the interprocess communication level communication input connection via a network.

7. A server according to claim 1, further comprising:

an Applications Programmer Interface (API) coupled to the input and output interprocess communication streams and coupled to a database.

8. A server according to claim 1, further comprising:

an Applications Programmer Interface (API) coupled to the input and output interprocess communication streams and coupled to a database, wherein;

the input and output interprocess communication streams communicate a database query to the API;

the API further includes;

executable program code for executing the database query;

executable program code for storing entries in a first dimension into variables for entries in a second dimension of data that are received from the database;

executable program code for formatting retrieved entries in the first dimension and storing the retrieved entries in the first dimension as a string; and

executable program code for writing the formatted string to the interprocess communication output stream.

9. A server according to claim 8, wherein:

the database query is a System Query Language (SQL) query.

10. A server according to claim 1, further comprising:

an Applications Programmer Interface (API) coupled to the input and output interprocess communication streams and coupled to a database, the API being selected from a group of APIs including;

a Sybase database connection API; and

an Oracle database connection API.

11. A server according to claim 1, wherein:

the server is executable program code that is programmed in a Java™

programming language using a Java™

development system.

12. A server according to claim 1, wherein:

the server is executable program code that is installed for execution on a network Server.

13. A server according to claim 1, wherein:

the server is executable program code that is installed for execution on a Web Server.

14. A server according to claim 1, wherein:

the server interprocess communication creator is a server socket creator using socket-level communications; and

the server interprocess communication acceptor is a server socket creator.

15. A database communication system for connecting to a database server comprising:

a computer system including executable program code implementing an application or applet;

a communication stream coupled to the computer system;

a database server coupled to the computer system via the communication stream including executable program code implementing a server for communicating data between the computer system and the database server using interprocess communication level communication; and

an Applications Programmer Interface (API) coupled to the database server.

16. A server according to claim 15, wherein:

the database server is a Web Server.

17. A database communication system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a network coupled into the communication stream between the computer system and the database server.

18. A database communication system according to claim 15, wherein the executable program code implementing a server further comprises:

a generic database server type including;

a database server instantiator including executable program code for instantiating instances of the database server;

an instance of the database server type including a connection type constructor and a server interprocess communication creator; and

a connection type instantiator including a server interprocess communication acceptor;

a generic connection type including;

an instance of the connection type including a database connection constructor and a interprocess communication stream creator.

19. A database communication system according to claim 18, wherein the generic connection type further includes:

a creator of input and output interprocess communication streams;

a creator of a database connection;

the database connection created by the creator and including executable program code for processing the database and formatting database information; and

input and output interprocess communication streams including executable program code for transmitting the database information.

20. A database communication system according to claim 19 further comprising:

a interprocess communication level communication input connection coupled to the communication stream and coupled to the database server instantiator, the interprocess communication level communication input connection for carrying a database query, the database server instantiator being activated by the database query.

21. A database communication system according to claim 20, wherein:

the database query is a System Query Language (SQL) query.

22. A database communication system according to claim 20, wherein:

the server is a Java™

server; and

the interprocess communication level communication input connection is coupled to computer system including executable program code implementing a Java™

Graphical Users Interface (GUI).

23. A database communication system according to claim 18, wherein:

the database server includes executable program code for communicating a database query to the API; and

the API further includes;

executable program code for executing the database query;

executable program code for storing entries in a first dimension into variables for entries of a second dimension of data that are received from the database;

executable program code for formatting retrieved entries in the first dimension and storing the retrieved entries in the first dimension as a string; and

executable program code for writing the formatted string to the interprocess communication output stream.

24. A database communication system according to claim 23, wherein:

the database query is a System Query Language (SQL) query.

25. A database communication system according to claim 18 wherein the server is a Java™

server and the API is selected from a group of APIs including;

a Sybase database connection API; and

an Oracle database connection API.

26. A database communication system according to claim 15, wherein:

the server is a Java™

server; and

the Java™

server is executable program code that is programmed in a Java™

programming language using a Java™

development system.

27. A server according to claim 15, wherein:

the server interprocess communication creator is a server socket creator using socket-level communications; and

the server interprocess communication acceptor is a server socket creator.

28. A method of connecting an application or applet to a database comprising:

instantiating an instance of a database server type to form a database server;

constructing a connection type by the operation of the database server;

creating a server interprocess communication handler by the operation of the database server;

instantiating the connection type to form an interprocess communication acceptor;

accepting the server interprocess communication by the operation of the interprocess communication acceptor;

instantiating the connection type to form a generic connection instance;

constructing a database connection by the operation of the generic connection instance; and

creating a interprocess communication stream by the operation of the generic connection instance.

29. A method according to claim 28 further comprising:

creating an input interprocess communication stream and an output interprocess communication stream; and

creating a database connection for connection to the input interprocess communication stream and the output interprocess communication stream.

30. A method according to claim 29 wherein the step of creating a database connection further includes:

processing the database through the operation of the database connection;

formatting database information through the operation of the database connection; and

transmitting the database information via the input interprocess communication stream and the output interprocess communication stream.

31. A method according to claim 28, further comprising:

receiving a database query; and

instantiating a new instance of a database server upon receipt of the database query.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein:

the database query is a System Query Language (SQL) query.

33. A method according to claim 28, further comprising:

generating a System Query Language (SQL) query using a Java™

Graphical Users Interface (GUI);

receiving the System Query Language (SQL) query; and

instantiating a new instance of a database server upon receipt of a SQL query.

34. A method according to claim 33 further comprising:

communicating the SQL query from the Java™

GUI via a network.

35. A method according to claim 28, wherein the database connection is connected via an Applications Programmer Interface (API).

36. A method according to claim 28, wherein the database connection is connected via an Applications Programmer Interface (API), the API performing the steps of:

receiving a SQL query;

executing the SQL query in response to receipt of the SQL query;

storing entries of the SQL query in a first dimension into variables for entries of a second dimension of data that are received from the database;

formatting retrieved entries in the first dimension and storing the retrieved entries in the first dimension as a string; and

writing the formatted string to the interprocess communication output stream.

37. A method according to claim 28, wherein the database connection is connected via an Applications Programmer Interface (API), the API being selected from a group of APIs including:

a Sybase database connection API; and

an Oracle database connection API.

38. A method according to claim 28, wherein:

the method steps are implemented as a server in executable program code that is programmned in a Java™

programming language using a Java™

development system.

39. A method according to claim 28, wherein:

the method steps are implemented as a server in executable program code that is installed for execution on a database Server.

40. A method according to claim 28, wherein:

the method steps are implemented as a server in executable program code that is installed for execution on a Web Server.

41. A method of providing server for connecting an application or applet to a database comprising:

providing a generic database server type including;

a database server instantiator including executable program code for instantiating instances of the database server;

an instance of the database server type including a connection type constructor and a server interprocess communication creator; and

a connection type instantiator including a server interprocess communication acceptor; and

providing a generic connection type including;

an instance of the connection type including a database connection constructor and a interprocess communication stream creator;

a creator of input and output interprocess communication streams;

a creator of a database connection;

a database connection including executable program code for database processing and data formatting of database information; and

input and output interprocess communication streams including executable program code for transmitting the database information.

42. A method of providing a database communication system for connecting with a database server comprising:

providing a computer system including executable program code implementing an application or applet;

providing a communication stream coupled to the computer system;

providing a Web server coupled to the computer system via the communication stream including executable program code implementing a server for communicating data between the computer system and the database server using interprocess communication level communication; and

providing an Applications Programmer Interface (API) coupled to the Web server.

43. A method according to claim 42 further comprising:

providing executable program code implementing a server including;

providing a generic database server type including;

a database server instantiator including executable program code for instantiating instances of the database server;

an instance of the database server type including a connection type constructor and a server interprocess communication creator; and

a connection type instantiator including a server interprocess communication acceptor; and

providing a generic connection type including;

an instance of the connection type including a database connection constructor and a interprocess communication stream creator;

a creator of input and output interprocess communication streams;

a creator of a database connection;

a database connection including executable program code for database processing and data formatting of database information; and

input and output interprocess communication streams including executable program code for transmitting the database information.

44. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computable readable code embodied therein including a server for connecting an application or applet to a database including;

a generic database server type including;

a database server instantiator including executable program code for instantiating instances of the database server;

an instance of the database server type including a connection type constructor and a server interprocess communication creator; and

a connection type instantiator including a server interprocess communication acceptor; and

a generic connection type including;

an instance of the connection type including a database connection constructor and a interprocess communication stream creator;

a creator of input and output interprocess communication streams;

a creator of a database connection;

a database connection including executable program code for database processing and data formatting of database information; and

input and output interprocess communication streams including executable program code for transmitting the database information.

45. A computer program product according to claim 44 wherein the computable readable code is encoded in a machine-readable form.

46. A computer program product according to claim 44 wherein the computable readable code is encoded in a human-intelligible form that is convertible into a machine-readable form.