Fully integrated architecture for user-defined search

• US 6,278,994 B1
• Filed: 07/09/1998
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Yun, Tran, Brian Thinh-Vinh, Fuh, Gene Y. C., Mattos, Nelson Mendonca
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly, Anh
• Application Number:
  US09/112,302
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104, 707/4, 707/3, 707/5, 707/103, 707/2, 707/102, 717/1, 713/201
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2291 User-Defined Types; Storage management thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24547 Optimisations to support specific applications; Extensibility of optimisers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for a computer-implemented integrated architecture for user-defined search. A statement is executed in a database stored on a data storage device connected to a computer, and the database contains data. Under control of the database, a statement is received that requests manipulation of the data. The statement includes a user-defined function. An index of a user-defined index type is used to access the data. The user-defined function is processed with the accessed data.

Claims

1. A method of executing a statement in a database stored on a data storage device connected to a computer, the database containing data, the method comprising the steps of:

under control of the database,

receiving the statement requesting manipulation of the data, wherein the statement includes a user-defined function;

using an index of a user-defined function index type to access the data, wherein the index of the user-defined function index type is in the database; and

after using the index, processing the user-defined function with the accessed data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the statement is a SQL query.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is of a user-defined data type.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of using the index further comprises index exploitation.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of, under control of the database, maintaining the index.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the statement includes a user-defined predicate.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of, under control of the database, processing the user-defined predicate with the accessed data.

8. An apparatus for executing a statement, comprising:

a computer having a data storage device connected thereto, wherein the data storage device stores a database containing data; and

one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for under control of the database, receiving the statement requesting manipulation of the data, wherein the statement includes a user-defined function, for using an index of a user-defined function index type to access the data, wherein the index of the user-defined function index type is in the database, and, after using the index, processing the user-defined function with the accessed data.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the statement is a SQL query.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data is of a user-defined data type.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for using the index further comprises means for index exploitation.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising the means for, under control of the database, maintaining the index.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the statement includes a user-defined predicate.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising the means for, under control of the database, processing the user-defined predicate with the accessed data.

15. An article of manufacture comprising a computer program carrier readable by a computer and embodying one or more instruction executable by the computer to perform method steps for executing a statement in a database stored on a data storage device connected to a computer, wherein the database contains data, the method comprising the steps of:

under control of the database,

receiving the statement requesting manipulation of the data, wherein the statement includes a user-defined function;

using an index of a user-defined function index type to access the data, wherein the index of the user-defined function index type is in the database; and

after using the index, processing the user-defined function with the accessed data.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the statement is a SQL query.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the data is of a user-defined data type.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the step of using the index further comprises index exploitation.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising the step of, under control of the database, maintaining the index.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the statement includes a user-defined predicate.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 20, further comprising the step of, under control of the database, processing the user-defined predicate with the accessed data.

22. A data storage device for storing a database containing data for access by a computer program being executed by a computer system, comprising:

a data structure in the data storage device, the data structure including information resident in a database used by the computer program and including;

user-defined data types for defining data types;

user-defined functions for manipulating data;

user-defined index types for creating user-defined indexes to be used to access data that is processed with one or more user-defined functions, wherein the user-defined indexes are in the database; and

at least one table containing at least one column for data of a user-defined data type.