Universal storage for dynamic databases

• US 6,766,326 B1
• Filed: 07/24/2000
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Resty M. Cena
• Original Assignee: Resty M. Cena
• Inventors: Cena, Resty M
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woo, Isaac
• Application Number:
  US09/624,016
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103, 707/104.1, 707/200, 707/201, 707/202, 707/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 705/7, 705/8, 705/37, 705/51
• US Class Current: 707/808
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/83 Querying
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

This invention pertains in general to data management, and in particular to a system and method of storing in one relational database consisting of at most five physical tables, data from an arbitrary number of arbitrarily designed relational schemas. The addition and deletion of schemas and the modifications of existing schemas do not affect the structure of the database itself. The present invention is an ideal storage system for data aggregations with a quickly evolving data model (for example, moveable and customizable components within moveable and customizable components), data aggregations with practically unbounded sets of entities and attributes (for example, intelligence data about customers, contacts, and competitors), and data aggregations that do not assume prior knowledge of the data schema (for example, self-describing data aggregations like XML documents).

Claims

1. A system and method for creating and organizing a database used for storing the metadata of an arbitrary number of arbitrarily designs logical data models and for storing the data values of the databases corresponding to said data models, said system and method comprising the steps of:

creating an Elements table for storing a catalog of metadata of simple and complex element types, said table furthermore storing attributes that specify properties of said elements and whose values enrich the information about the elements and control or enrich the behavior of the elements, said attributes including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table;

creating an Entities table directly related to the aforementioned Elements table for storing metadata associated with instances of complex element types, said table furthermore containing attributes that specify properties of the complex element types therein identified, said attributes containing values that enrich the information about the elements and control or enrich the behavior of the elements, said attributes including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table, and said Entities table being optional for databases where the complex element types each has only a single definition or instance;

creating a Composition table directly related to the aforementioned Elements and Entities tables for storing metadata associated with the composition of complex element types, said composition consisting of a plurality of elements as defined in the Elements table, said elements being either simple or complex, said elements containing attributes that specify properties of the complex elements and whose values enrich the information about the elements and control or enrich the behavior of the elements, said attributes including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table, said complex element types each having its own entry in the Entities table and element composition definition in the Composition table;

creating an Occurrences table directly related to the aforementioned Entities table for storing data that differentiate specific occurrences of specific instances of complex elements, and storing furthermore metadata associated with specific occurrences of specific instances of complex elements, said table furthermore containing attributes that specify properties of the complex element type therein identified, said attributes containing values that enrich the information about the elements and control or enrich the behavior of the elements, said attributes including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table; and

creating a Data Values table directly related to the aforementioned Occurrences and Composition tables for storing the data values of simple elements associated with occurrences of instances of complex elements, and furthermore storing metadata whose values enrich the information about said simple elements and control or enrich the behavior of said simple elements, including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table.

2. A computer program product, comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic stored therein for enabling a computer to store and retrieve data associated with the implementation of an arbitrary number of arbitrarily designed relational data models ink one relational database consisting of five physical tables, wherein said computer program logic includes a relational database organization comprising:

an Elements table for storing metadata comprising the in implementations of an arbitrary number of arbitrarily designed relational data models, said metadata belonging to either simple or complex element types, said table furthermore storing attributes that specify properties of said elements and whose values enrich the information about the elements and control or enrich the behavior of the elements, said attributes including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table;

an Entities table directly related to the aforementioned Elements table for storing metadata comprising the implementations of an arbitrary number of arbitrarily designed relational data models, said metadata associated with instances of complex element types, said table furthermore containing attributes that specify properties of the complex element types therein identified, said attributes containing values that enrich the information about the elements and control or enrich the behavior of the elements, said attributes including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table, and said Entities table being optional for databases where the complex element types each has only a single definition or instance;

a Composition table directly related to the aforementioned Elements and Entities tables for storing metadata comprising the implementations of an arbitrary number of arbitrarily designed relational data models, for storing metadata associated with the composition of instances of complex elements identified in the aforementioned Entities table, said composition consisting of a plurality of elements as defined in the Elements table, said elements being either simple or complex, said elements containing attributes that specify properties of the complex elements and whose values enrich the information about the elements and control or enrich the behavior of the elements, said attributes including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table, said complex element types each having its own entry in the Entities table and element composition definition in the Composition table;

an Occurrences table directly related to the aforementioned Entities table for storing data that differentiate specific occurrences of specific instances of complex elements, and storing furthermore metadata associated with specific occurrences of specific instances of complex elements, said table furthermore containing attributes that specify properties of the complex element type therein identified, said attributes containing values that enrich the information about the elements and control or enrich the behavior of the elements, said attributes including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table; and

a Data Values table directly related to the aforementioned Composition and Occurrences tables comprising the implementations of an arbitrary number of arbitrarily designed relational data models, for storing data values associated with occurrences of instances of complex elements, and furthermore storing metadata whose values enrich the information about said simple elements and control or enrich the behavior of said simple elements, including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table.

3. A method for using a database, for storing and accessing metadata associated with the implementations of an arbitrary number of arbitrarily designed logical data models and for storing and accessing data values associated with the occurrences of instances of complex elements associated with said implementations, said database being constructed by a method comprising the steps of:

creating an Elements table for storing a catalog of metadata of simple and complex element types, said table furthermore storing attributes that specify properties of said elements and whose values enrich the information about the elements and control or enrich the behavior of the elements, said attributes including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table;

creating an Entities table directly related to the aforementioned Elements table for storing metadata associated with instances of complex element types, said table furthermore containing attributes that specify properties of the complex element types therein identified, said attributes containing values that enrich the information about the elements and control or enrich the behavior of the elements, said attributes including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table, and said Entities table being optional for databases where the complex element types each has only a single definition or instance;

creating a Composition table directly related to the aforementioned Elements and Entities tables for storing metadata associated with the composition of complex element types, said composition consisting of a plurality of elements as defined in the Elements table, said elements being either simple or complex, said elements containing attributes that specify properties of the complex elements and whose values enrich the information about the elements and control or enrich the behavior of the elements, said attributes including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table, said complex element types each having its own entry in the Entities table and element composition definition in the Composition table;

creating an Occurrences table directly related to the aforementioned Entities table for storing data that differentiate specific occurrences of specific instances of complex elements, and storing furthermore metadata associated with specific occurrences of specific instances of complex elements, said table furthermore containing attributes that specify properties of de complex element type therein identified, said attributes containing values that enrich the information about the elements and control or enrich the behavior of the elements, said attributes including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table; and

creating a Data Values table directly related to the aforementioned Occurrences and Composition tables for storing the data values of simple elements associated with occurrences of instances of complex elements, and furthermore storing metadata whose values enrich the information about said simple elements and control or enrich the behavior of said simple elements, including, but not limited to, attributes that support security and data integrity policies, said attributes being invoked during data manipulation activities to control or enrich the behavior of the applications using said table.