Methods and apparatus for constructing and implementing a universal extension module for processing objects in a database

• US 6,697,818 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2001
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Padmanabhan, Sriram K., Smith, John R., Bergman, Lawrence D., Hsiao, Hui-I, Choy, David Mun-Hien, Jhingran, Anant D., Lin, Jy-Jine James, Williams, Robin, Fuh, Gene Y. C., Chang, Yuan-Chi, Li, Chung-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Mizrahi, Diane D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Yicun
• Application Number:
  US09/881,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20020198891A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/6, 707/7, 707/8, 707/9, 707/10, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103.R, 707/104, 707/513, 717/143, 717/115
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• 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

Methods and apparatus for providing a multi-tier object-relational database architecture are disclosed. In one illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a multi-tier database architecture comprises an object-relational database engine as a top tier, one or more domain-specific extension modules as a bottom tier, and one or more universal extension modules as a middle tier. The individual extension modules of the bottom tier operationally connect with the one or more universal extension modules which, themselves, operationally connect with the database engine. The domain-specific extension modules preferably provide such functions as search, index, and retrieval services of images, video, audio, time series, web pages, text, XML, spatial data, etc. The domain-specific extension modules may include one or more IBM DB2 extenders, Oracle data cartridges and/or Informix datablades, although other domain-specific extension modules may be used.

Claims

1. A method of extending a functionality of an object-relational database engine, wherein one or more domain-specific extension modules are provided for use in association with the object-relational database engine, the one or more domain-specific extension modules providing one or more mechanisms for enabling the object-relational database engine to handle domain-specific data types, the method comprising the step of:

operationally interposing at least one universal extension module between the object-relational database engine and at least one of the one or more domain-specific extension modules, the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating one or more operations associated with the object-relational database engine and the at least one domain-specific extension module, the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating a subsequent addition of at least another domain-specific extension module, and the at least one universal extension module being operable to perform one or more query processing functions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more domain-specific extension modules provides for handling of semi-structured data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the semi-structured data comprises at least one of extensible markup language data and hypertext markup language data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one universal extension module comprises a plug-and-play interface for one or more domain-specific extension modules.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one universal extension module implemented in accordance with meta-data comprising at least one of a schema and semantics of the database.

6. A method of extending a functionality of an object-relational database engine, wherein one or more domain-specific extension modules are provided for use in association with the object-relational database engine, the one or more domain-specific extension modules providing one or more mechanisms for enabling the object-relational database engine to handle domain-specific data types, the method comprising the step of:

operationally interposing at least one universal extension module between the object-relational database engine and at least one of the one or more domain-specific extension modules, the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating one or more operations associated with the object-relational database engine and the at least one domain-specific extension module, and the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating a subsequent addition of at least another domain-specific extension module; and

wherein the at least one universal extension module comprises a plug-and-play interface for one or more domain-specific extension modules.

7. A method of extending a functionality of an object-relational database engine, wherein one or more domain-specific extension modules are provided for use in association with the object-relational database engine, the one or more domain-specific extension modules providing one or more mechanisms for enabling the object-relational database engine to handle domain-specific data types, the method comprising the step of:

operationally interposing at least one universal extension module between the object-relational database engine and at least one of the one or more domain-specific extension modules, the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating one or more operations associated with the object-relational database engine and the at least one domain-specific extension module, and the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating a subsequent addition of at least another domain-specific extension module; and

wherein the at least one universal extension module is implemented in accordance with meta-data comprising at least one of a schema and semantics of the database.

8. An object-relational database system having a multi-tier structure, the system comprising:

an object-relational database engine serving as one tier of the structure;

one or more domain-specific extension modules, serving as another tier of the structure, for use in association with the object-relational database engine, the one or more domain-specific extension modules providing one or more mechanisms for enabling the object-relational database engine to handle domain-specific data types; and

at least one universal extension module, serving as yet another tier of the structure, operationally interposed between the object-relational database engine and at least one of the one or more domain-specific extension modules, the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating one or more operations associated with the object-relational database engine and the at least one domain-specific extension module, and the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating a subsequent addition of at least another domain-specific extension module, and the at least one universal extension module being operable to perform one or more query processing functions.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the system provides an extensible structure for one or more software modules that provides an object-oriented extension of a relational database.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the system provides for automatic synthesis of one or more extender wrappers from one or more existing software modules.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the system provides for constructing one or more extension modules which provide one or more advanced non-relational query processing capabilities.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the one or more domain-specific extension modules provides for handling of semi-structured data.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the semi-structured data comprises at least one of extensible markup language data and hypertext markup language data.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one universal extension module comprises a plug-and-play interface for one or more domain-specific extension modules.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one universal extension module is implemented in accordance with meta-data comprising at least one of a schema and semantics of the database.

16. An article of manufacture for use in accordance with a database system, wherein the database system includes an object-relational database engine and one or more domain-specific extension modules for use in association with the object-relational database engine, the one or more domain-specific extension modules providing one or more mechanisms for enabling the database engine to handle domain-specific data types, the article comprising a machine readable medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the step of:

operationally interposing at least one universal extension module between the object-relational database engine and at least one of the one or more domain-specific extension modules, the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating one or more operations associated with the object-relational database engine and the at least one domain-specific extension module, the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating a subsequent addition of at least another domain-specific extension module, and the at least one universal extension module being operable to perform one or more query Processing functions.

17. In a client/server-based object-relational database system, wherein a client computer submits a query to at least one server computer with which the object-relational database system is associated, the at least one server computer processing the query in accordance with a multi-tier structure comprising:

an object-relational database engine;

one or more domain-specific extension modules for use in association with the object-relational database engine, the one or more domain-specific extension modules providing one or more mechanisms for enabling the object-relational database engine to handle domain-specific data types; and

at least one universal extension module operationally interposed between the object-relational database engine and at least one of the one or more domain-specific extension modules, the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating one or more operations associated with the object-relational database engine and the at least one domain-specific extension module, the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating a subsequent addition of at least another domain-specific extension module, and the at least one universal extension module being operable to perform one or more query Processing functions.

18. An object-relational database system having a multi-tier structure, the system comprising:

an object-relational database engine serving as one tier of the structure;

one or more domain-specific extension modules, serving as another tier of the structure, for use in association with the object-relational database engine, the one or more domain-specific extension modules providing one or more mechanisms for enabling the object-relational database engine to handle domain-specific data types; and

at least one universal extension module, serving as yet another tier of the structure, operationally interposed between the object-relational database engine and at least one of the one or more domain-specific extension modules, the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating one or more operations associated with the object-relational database engine and the at least one domain-specific extension module, and the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating a subsequent addition of at least another domain-specific extension module;

wherein the at least one universal extension module comprises a plug-and-play interface for one or more domain-specific extension modules.

19. An object-relational database system having a multi-tier structure, the system comprising:

an object-relational database engine serving as one tier of the structure;

one or more domain-specific extension modules, serving as another tier of the structure, for use in association with the object-relational database engine, the one or more domain-specific extension modules providing one or more mechanisms for enabling the object-relational database engine to handle domain-specific data types; and

at least one universal extension module, serving as yet another tier of the structure, operationally interposed between the object-relational database engine and at least one of the one or more domain-specific extension modules, the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating one or more operations associated with the object-relational database engine and the at least one domain-specific extension module, and the at least one universal extension module substantially facilitating a subsequent addition of at least another domain-specific extension module;

wherein the at least one universal extension module is implemented in accordance with meta-data comprising at least one of a schema and semantics of the database.