Run-time support for user-defined index ranges and index filters

• US 6,285,996 B1
• Filed: 07/09/1998
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Daniel Tsunfang, Wang, Yun, Li, Ping, Tran, Brian Thinh-Vinh, Pan, Hsin, Jou, Michelle Mei-Chiou
• Primary Examiner(s): Choules, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US09/113,802
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 707/103, 707/104, 707/2, 707/1, 707/3, 707/4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24553 of query operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24557 Efficient disk access during query execution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for run-time support for user-defined index ranges and index filters. A statement is executed in a database stored on a data storage device, which is connected to a computer. The database contains data. A search range is generated based on a user-defined range function associated with a user-defined index.

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:

at run-time, generating a search range based on a user-defined range function associated with a user-defined index and

identifying index data within the generated search range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating a search range further comprises the step of generating multiple search ranges.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating a search range is transparent in an access plan.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of filtering the user-defined index entries for the database based on a user-defined filter function.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user-defined filter function is associated with the user-defined index.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of filtering the user-defined index entries is transparent in an access plan.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the search range is generated by evaluating a search argument.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein index data is identified using a B-tree.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined range function comprises a scalar function.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-defined range function comprises a table function.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising the means for filtering the user-defined index entries for the database based on a user-defined filter function.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the user-defined filter function is associated with the user-defined index.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for filtering the user-defined index entries is transparent in an access plan.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the search range is generated by evaluating a search argument.

18. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein index data is identified using a B-tree.

19. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user-defined range function comprises a scalar function.

20. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the user-defined range function comprises a table function.

11. 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, at run-time, generating a search range based on a user-defined range function associated with a user-defined index; and

for identifying index data within the generated search range.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for generating a search range further comprises the means for generating multiple search ranges.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the means for generating a search range is transparent in an access plan.

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

at run-time, generating a search range based on a user-defined range function associated with a user-defined index; and

identifying index data within the generated search range.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the step of generating a search range further comprises the step of generating multiple search ranges.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the step of generating a search range is transparent in an access plan.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 21, further comprising the step of filtering the user-defined index entries for the database based on a user-defined filter function.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 24, wherein the user-defined filter function is associated with the user-defined index.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 24, wherein the step of filtering the user-defined index entries is transparent in an access plan.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the search range is generated by evaluating a search argument.

28. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein index data is identified using a B-tree.

29. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the user-defined range function comprises a scalar function.

30. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the user-defined range function comprises a table function.

31. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the index data comprises a record identifier for data stored in a table.