Method and apparatus for searching multi-dimensional database and storage medium stored search program of multi-dimensional database

• US 6,721,760 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2000
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsuo, Naoki, Ono, Akinori
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, GRETA LEE
• Application Number:
  US09/645,449
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/4, 707/100, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A multi dimensional database information table, a member management table, and a dimension information management table that hold the information for correlating the data of a plurality of multi dimensional databases are produced when the multi dimensional database is produced. When a user requests the relational data of a certain data while the user is searching a certain multi dimensional database on an application, the dimension information table and the multi dimensional database information table receive an access, and the multi dimensional database name in which the relational data exists, the measure dimension name, and the measure member are obtained and sent to the application as the relational data item of the data corresponding to the relational data request requested by the user.

Claims

1. A method of accessing multi dimensional databases, a member management table holding a data for correlating between members of said multi dimensional databases provided for each dimension, a dimension information management table for correlating between dimensions of said multi dimensional databases and said member management table and for linking between one dimension and another dimension of said respective multi dimensional databases, and a multi dimensional database information table that holds the data items that are held in said multi dimensional databases,

said method comprising the steps of:

accessing to said dimension information management table and multi dimensional database management table when an application is searching a certain multi dimensional database in response to a request that occurs for obtaining a data that is relational to certain data;

obtaining the multi dimensional database name, a measure dimension name, and a measure member where the relational data exists and for sending them to the application;

obtaining a member name corresponding to a member name of the multi dimensional database that is being searched from said member management table in response to the request of the user for obtaining the corresponding data; and

accessing to the multi dimensional database in which said relational data exists to obtain the data from said corresponding member.

2. A multi dimensional database searching method according to claim 1,

wherein said dimension information management table has the multi dimensional database name column, the dimension name column, and the member management table name column to obtain another multi dimensional database name having the same member management table name as that of the multi dimensional database that is being searched, and

wherein said multi dimensional database information table has the multi dimensional database name column, the measure dimension name column, and the measure member name column to obtain the measure dimension name and the measure member name having said another multi dimensional database name obtained by searching said multi dimensional database information table.

3. A multi dimensional database searching method according to claim 1,

wherein said member management table has a primary key and a plurality of member name columns on which member names of different multi dimensional databases are to be written,

and wherein said dimension information management table has the column that shows the member management table column name to obtain the member name corresponding to the member name of the multi dimensional database that is being searched.

13. A system according to claim 2, wherein the system further comprises means for displaying said measure dimension name and said measure member name in response to said correlated multi dimensional database when displayed member is selected.

4. A method of accessing multi dimensional databases, a member management table holding a data for correlating between members of said multi dimensional databases provided for each dimension, a dimension information management table having said member management table name for correlating between dimensions of the multi dimensional databases and said member management table and for linking between one dimension and another dimension of the respective multi dimensional databases, and a multi dimensional database information table that holds data items that are held in said multi dimensional databases, and

when a certain multi dimensional database is being searched, in response to a request that occurs for obtaining data that relates to a certain data,

said multi dimensional database searching method comprising the steps of:

a first step for searching said dimension information management table and for searching the member management table name that is common to the dimension name of the multi dimensional database that is being searched to obtain the multi dimensional database name having the same dimension name; and

a second step for searching said multi dimensional database information table to obtain the measure dimension name and the measure member name of said obtained multi dimensional database.

5. A multi dimensional database searching method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

a third step for displaying the obtained multi dimensional database name, the measure dimension name, and the measure member name; and

a fourth step for obtaining the data in response to the indication for searching and obtaining the displayed result data.

6. A multi dimensional database searching method according to claim 5, wherein said fourth step further comprises:

a fifth step for obtaining the member name of each dimension of the search source;

a sixth step for obtaining the corresponding dimension name having the same member management table name from said dimension information management table;

a seventh step for accessing the member management table to obtain the corresponding member name; and

an eighth step for accessing said obtained search source multi dimensional database to obtain the data having said corresponding member name.

7. A method of accessing multi dimensional databases,

said multi dimensional database searching method comprising the steps of:

producing a member management table having a plurality of multi dimensional databases from a selected table of a relational database that holds data for correlating between members of the multi dimensional database having a plurality of multi dimensional databases provided for each dimension, a dimension information management table for correlating between dimensions of the multi dimensional databases and said member management table and for linking between one dimension and another dimension of the respective multi dimensional databases, and a multi dimensional database information table that holds the data items that are held in said multi dimensional databases;

accessing to said dimension information management table and multi dimensional database management table when an application is searching a certain multi dimensional database in response to a request that occurs for obtaining data that is relational to certain data;

obtaining the multi dimensional database name, the measure dimension name, and the measure dimension where the relational data exists to send them to the application;

obtaining the member name corresponding to the member name of the multi dimensional database that is being searched from said member management table in response to the request of the user for obtaining the corresponding data; and

accessing to the multi dimensional database in which said relational data exists to obtain the data from said corresponding member.

8. A system of accessing multi dimensional databases and a database searching apparatus, comprising:

a means for producing a member management table having a plurality of multi dimensional databases from a selected table of a relational database that holds data for correlating between members of the multi dimensional database having a plurality of multi dimensional databases provided for each dimension, a dimension information management table for correlating between the dimensions of the multi dimensional databases and said member management table and for linking between one dimension and another dimension of the respective multi dimensional databases, and a multi dimensional database information table that holds data items that are held in the multi dimensional databases;

a means for accessing to said dimension information management table and multi dimensional database management table when an application is searching a certain multi dimensional database in response to a request that occurs for obtaining the data that is relational to the certain data, for obtaining the multi dimensional database name, the measure dimension name, and the measure dimension where the relational data exists, and for sending them to the application; and

a means for obtaining the member name corresponding to the member name of the multi dimensional database that is being searched from said member management table in response to the request of the user for obtaining the corresponding data, for accessing to the multi dimensional database in which said relational data exists, and for obtaining the data from said corresponding member.

9. A computer-readable recording medium storing a recorded program to be executed by a computer, comprising the steps of:

producing a member management table that holds the data for correlating between members of the multi dimensional database having a plurality of multi dimensional databases provided for each dimension, a dimension information management table for correlating between dimensions of the plural multi dimensional databases and said member management table and for linking between one dimension and another dimension of the respective multi dimensional databases, and a multi dimensional database information table that holds the data items that are held in said multi dimensional databases;

accessing to said dimension information management table and multi dimensional database information table when an application is searching a certain multi dimensional database in response to a request that occurs for obtaining data that is relational to certain data, for obtaining the multi dimensional database name, the measure dimension name, and the measure member where the relational data exists, and for sending them to the application; and

obtaining the member name corresponding to the member name of the multi dimensional database that is being searched from said member management table in response to request of the user for obtaining the corresponding data, for accessing to the multi dimensional database in which said relational data exists, and for obtaining the data from said corresponding member.

10. A method of accessing a multi dimensional database that has a plurality of dimensions having a plurality of members, measure members which are values specified by said members of said dimensions, and measure dimension names,

said method comprising the steps of:

searching a name of a common member management table corresponding to the dimensional name of the multi dimensional database under a search in order to obtain a name of a multi dimensional database having the same dimensional name;

storing a correlation of essentially the same members for members of said multi dimensional databases;

displaying a member of each dimension of a multi dimensional database searched in response to a search request and measure member specified by said member; and

displaying a member of each dimension of said correlated multi dimensional database and a measure member specified by the member when displayed member is selected.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

displaying said measure dimension name and said measure member name in response to said correlated multi dimensional database when displayed member is selected.

12. A system of accessing multi dimensional databases comprising:

means for searching a name of a common member management table corresponding to the dimensional name of the multi dimensional databases under a search in order to obtain a name of a multi dimensional database having the same dimensional name;

the multi dimensional databases having a plurality of dimensions having a plurality of members, measure members which are values specified by said members of said dimensions, and measure dimension names,

means for storing a correlation of essentially the same members for members of said multi dimensional databases;

means for displaying a member of each dimension of a multi dimensional database searched in response to a search request and measure member specified by said member; and

means for displaying a member of each dimension of said correlated multi dimensional database and a measure member specified by the member when the displayed member is selected.