System and methods for highly distributed wide-area data management of a network of data sources through a database interface

• US 6,778,987 B1
• Filed: 11/28/2000
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Syncordant LLC
• Original Assignee: Centerboard Incorporated
• Inventors: Maier, Karl-Heinz, Wynblatt, Michael, Navas, Julio C.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOULES, JACK M
• Application Number:
  US09/726,702
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/02 Topology update or discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/04 Interdomain routing, e.g. hierarchical routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/26 Route discovery packet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Methods and a system that provide a network of data sources in terms of a traditional database schema, convert traditional database queries into network messages, and route those messages to those data sources which have relevant data. In the present invention, the network interface of the data source accepts the message, filters the data source'"'"'s output according to the instructions in the message, and then sends reply messages to the originator of the query. The system then collects these reply messages at the query originator and produces query results as a traditional database result.

Claims

1. A method for information management of a distributed data sources network database that comprises a plurality of nodes, said plurality of nodes including a guerying node and a plurality of data sources, said method comprising the step of:

providing a schema for said distributed data sources network database;

entering a Query in a database language at said querying node in said network;

decomposing said query into at least one network message, wherein said decomposing step comprises collecting at least one constraint and at least one return value from said query, creating said network message comprising said constraint and said return value in said query, and adding a message ID and the network address of said querying node to said constraint and said return value to form said network message;

transmitting said network message to data sources relevant to said query;

receiving said network message at said data sources relevant to said query;

sending a reply message to said network message when said query is met; and

providing a query result in said database language at said guerying node from said reply message.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said network message is an Ethernet packet, IP packet, TCP packet, UDP packet, Profibus packet, DeviceNet packet, IEEE 802.11 packet, Ricochet packet, GSM formatted packet, or CDMA formatted packet, or multiple of said packets.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said schema comprises a relational schema, an object-oriented schema, or an object-relational schema.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said query language comprises SQL.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting step comprises routing said network message to data sources relevant to said query by using characteristic routing.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said transmitting step comprises routing said network message only to data sources relevant to said query by using multicast routing.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said decomposing step comprises collecting all predicates from said query, said predicates referencing columns of a table, creating network messages for all said predicates, wherein each network message comprises at least one predicate in said query, and adding a message ID and the network address of said querying node to said network messages.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the predicates incorporated into each said message are chosen based on the tables referenced.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the predicates incorporated into each said message are chosen based on classes referenced.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the predicates incorporated into each said message are chosen based on their position within OR expressions and subqueries.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

comparing current readings to a constraint received in said network message at said data sources relevant to said query; and

wherein said replying step comprises encapsulating current values of said return values specified in said network message, and adding said message ID and said network address of said querying node to said reply message.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said reply message is an Ethernet packet, IP packet, TCP packet, UDP packet, Profibus packet, DeviceNet packet, IEEE 802.11 packet, Ricochet packet, GSM formatted packet, or CDMA formatted packet, or multiple of said packet.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said constraint is static or dynamic.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said decomposing step comprises collecting all predicates from said query, said predicates referencing classes, creating network messages for all said predicates, wherein each network message comprises at least one predicate in said query, and adding a message ID and the network address of said querying node to said network messages.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said data sources comprise sensor nodes.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of nodes also includes a routing node, and wherein said network message is routed by said routing node using a type-based message routing to determined data sources relevant to said query in said transmitting step.

17. A system for information management of a distributed network of data sources database, said system comprising:

a network;

a plurality of data sources coupled to said network, said data sources capable of providing information according to a schema for said distributed network of data sources database;

at least one querying node coupled to said network, said querying node capable of receiving a query in a database language and decomposing said query into at least one network message that is transmitted over said network to data sources relevant to said query, wherein said network message is transmitted using characteristic routing over said network only to data sources relevant to said query;

wherein data sources relevant to said query send a reply message over said network in response to said network message when said query is met, and said querying node provides a query result in said database language from said reply message.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said network message and said reply message are Ethernet packets, IP packets, TCP packets, UDP packets, Profibus packets, DeviceNet packets, IEEE 802.11 packets, Ricochet packets, GSM formatted packets, or CDMA formatted packets, or multiple of said packets.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein said schema comprises a relational schema, an object-oriented schema, or an object-relational schema.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein said query language comprises SQL.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said network message is transmitted using multicast routing over said network only to data sources relevant to said query.

22. The system according to claim 17, wherein said data sources relevant to said query compare current readings to a constraint received in said network message, and send said reply message comprising current values of return values specified in said network message, a message ID and a network address of said querying node.

23. The system according to claim 17, further comprising:

a designated joiner node coupled to said network, wherein said designated joiner node located between said querying node and said data sources relevant to said query, and wherein said designated joiner node receives and processes at least two reply messages from said data sources relevant to said query to produce and send a reply message containing joined information from said at least two reply messages; and

wherein said querying node provides said query result in said database language from said reply message containing said joined information.

24. The system according to claim 17, wherein said data sources comprise sensor node.

25. The system according to claim 17, wherein said system also includes a routing node coupled to said network, and wherein said at least one network message is routed by said routing node using a type-based message routing to determine data sources relevant to said query.

26. A computer-readable program product comprising:

computer-readable code stored on computer-readable storage medium;

wherein said computer-readable code is capable of receiving a query in a database language, decomposing said query into at least one network message that is transmitted over a network only to data sources relevant to said query, wherein said network message is transmitted using characteristic routing over said network only to data sources relevant to said query, receiving a reply message over said network in response to said network message when said query is met, and providing a query result in said database language from said reply message.

27. The computer-readable program product according to claim 26, wherein said network message is an Ethernet packet, IP packet, TCP packet, UDP packet, Profibus packet, DeviceNet packet, IEEE 802.11 packet, Ricochet packet, GSM formatted packet, or CDMA formatted packet, or multiple of said packets.

28. The computer-readable program product according to claim 27, wherein said network message that is transmitted using characteristic routing or multicast routing over a network only to data sources relevant to said query.

29. The computer-readable program product according to claim 27, wherein said computer-readable storage medium stores thereon a computer application program resident on a querying node.

30. The computer-readable program product according to claim 27, wherein said computer-readable code is loadable into memory resident on a network interface of a querying node.

31. The computer-readable program product according to claim 26 wherein said data sources comprise sensor nodes.

32. The computer-readable program product according to claim 26, wherein said at least one network message is routed by a routing node using a type-based message routing to determine data sources relevant to said query.

33. A computer-readable program product comprising:

computer-readable code stored on computer-readable storage medium;

wherein said computer-readable code is capable of receiving a network message comprising a decomposed query including a constraint and a return value, comparing a current value for said return value, sending a reply message over a network in response to said network message when said constraint from said decomposed query is met, wherein said network message is transmitted using characteristic routing over said network only to data sources relevant to said query.

34. The computer-readable program product according to claim 33, wherein said computer-readable code is loadable into memory resident on a network interface of a data source.

35. The computer-readable program product according to claim 34 wherein said data source comprises a sensor node.

36. The computer-readable program product according to claim 33, wherein said network message is routed by a routing node using a type-based message routing to determine data sources relevant to said decomposed query.

37. A data source comprising:

data source hardware;

a network interface including memory and a controller;

computer-readable code stored on said memory, wherein said computer-readable code is capable of receiving a network message comprising a decomposed query including a constraint and a return value, comparing a current value for said return value, sending a reply message over a network in response to said network message when said constraint from said decomposed query is met, wherein said network message is transmitted using characteristic routing over said network only to data sources relevant to said query.

38. The data source according to claim 37 wherein said network interface provides for receiving said network message and sending said reply message, said network message and said reply message being Ethernet packets, IP packets, TCP packets, UDP packets, Profibus packets, DeviceNet packets, IEEE 802.11 packets, Ricochet packets, GSM formatted packets, or CDMA formatted packets, or multiple of said packets.

39. The data source according to claim 37, wherein said data source comprises a sensor node and said data source hardware comprises a sensor node hardware.

40. The data source according to claim 37 wherein said network message is routed by a routing node using a type-based message routing to determine relevance to said decomposed query.

41. A designated join node comprising:

a network interface including memory and a controller;

computer-readable code stored on said memory, wherein said computer-readable code is capable of receiving at least two reply messages, each reply message comprising a response to network message comprising a decomposed query including a constraint and a return value, processing said reply messages to provide and send a joined reply message over a network in response to said network message when said constraint from said decomposed query is met, wherein said network message is transmitted using characteristic routing over said network only to data sources relevant to said query.

42. The designated join node according to claim 41, wherein said network message is routed by a routing node using a type-based message routing to determine data sources relevant to said decomposed query.