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Method and apparatus for implementing a hierarchical database management system (HDBMS) using a relational database management system (RDBMS) as the implementing apparatus

  • US 5,974,407 A
  • Filed: 09/29/1997
  • Issued: 10/26/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of using a relational database management system (RDBMS) for managing rows of data in a hierarchical database, including the steps of:

  • A. creating a set of one or more hierarchical database data storage tables in the RDBMS, consisting of hierarchical key fields and user data fields for storing rows of data of the hierarchical database wherein each row of the hierarchical database is a row in one of the hierarchical database data storage tables;

    B. specifying root conditions determining which of said hierarchical database data storage tables may be used to create a new row in said hierarchical database called a root row;

    C. specifying child conditions, wherein for each row of the hierarchical database, called a parent row, the child conditions determine which of the hierarchical database data storage tables may be used to create a new child row of the parent row;

    D. defining descendents of the root row and hierarchical families of the hierarchical database wherein;

    the descendents of the root row consists of all children of the root row and all children of a previous descendent of the root row, and each hierarchical family consists of the root row and its descendents;

    E. specifying data to be inserted in the hierarchical keys of the new root row, and the new child row of a selected parent row, that;

    distinguishes each of the hierarchical families,distinguishes each of the root rows, andidentifies the parent row of each child row;

    F. creating a new hierarchical family in the hierarchical database by inserting the new root row into the hierarchical database;

    G. creating the new child row into the hierarchical database of the selected parent row by inserting the new child row into the hierarchical database;

    H. updating a selected hierarchical database row;

    I. deleting the selected or a subsequent selected hierarchical database row and its descendants;

    J. creating one or more SQL select queries, hereafter called hierarchical views, wherein;

    applying each hierarchical view to the hierarchical database creates hierarchical view rows,each of the hierarchical view rows contains information from a row of the hierarchical database,each row in the hierarchical database has a corresponding row in the hierarchical view rows,the hierarchical view rows of each hierarchical family are displayed contiguously,each child row of the hierarchical view rows follows its parent row, andeach child row is visually identified with its parent.K. retrieving requested hierarchical data.

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