Embedded storage mechanism for structured data types

• US 6,389,425 B1
• Filed: 07/09/1998
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tran, Brian Thinh-Vinh, DeMichiel, Linda Gail, Mattos, Nelson Mendonca, Wang, Yun, Lindsay, Bruce Gilbert, Fuh, Gene Y. C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Application Number:
  US09/112,464
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 707/102, 707/103, 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/5, 707/100, 709/315, 709/316, 395/705, 717/5
• US Class Current: 707/812
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• 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 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for a computer-implemented embedded storage mechanism for structured data types. A statement is stored in a database stored on a data storage device connected to a computer. At compile-time, specific methods for a structured data type are mapped to generic methods using parse trees. At run-time, an in-memory representation of the structured data type is generated using information conveyed in the parse trees. Then, linearization of the generated in-memory representation is performed.

Claims

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

at compile-time, mapping specific methods for a structured data type to generic methods using parse trees; and

at run-time,

generating an in-memory representation of the structured data type using information conveyed in the parse trees; and

converting said in-memory representation to a linear structure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, during compile-time, generating generic methods for each specific structured data type.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating an in-memory representation, further comprises the step of creating an empty structured data type structure.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

receiving data for one of the attributes of the structured data type; and

creating a mutation buffer for storing the received data.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of creating a reference from the structured data type structure to the data stored in the mutation buffer.

6. The method claim of claim 1, wherein converting the generated in-memory representation to a linear structure further comprises transforming the generated in-memory representation into a linear structure that can be stored in a record buffer.

7. An apparatus for executing a statement, comprising:

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

one or more computer programs, preformed by the computer, for, at compile-time, mapping specific methods for a structured data type to generic methods using parse trees and at run-time, generating an in-memory representation of the structured data type using information conveyed in the parse trees and converting the generated in-memory representation to a linear structure.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising, during compile-time, means for generating generic methods for each specific structured data type.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the means for generating an in-memory representation, further comprises the means for creating an empty structured data type structure.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

means for receiving data for one of the attributes of the structured data type; and

means for creating a mutation buffer for storing the received data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising the means for creating a reference from the structured data type structure to the data stored in the mutation buffer.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the means for converting the generated in-memory representation to a linear structure further comprises the means for transforming the generated in-memory representation into a linear structure that can be stored in a record buffer.

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

at compile-time, mapping specific methods for a structured data type to generic methods using parse trees; and

at run-time,

generating an in-memory representation of the structured data type using information conveyed in the parse trees; and

converting the generated in-memory representation to a linear structure.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13, further comprising, during compile-time, generating generic methods for each specific structured data type.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein the step of generating an in-memory representation, further comprises the step of creating an empty structured data type structure.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

receiving data for one of the attributes of the structured data type; and

creating a mutation buffer for storing the received data.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, further comprising the step of creating a reference from the structured data type structure to the data stored in the mutation buffer.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein converting the generated in-memory representation to a linear structure further comprises transforming the generated in-memory representation into a linear structure that can be stored in a record buffer.