Consolidation of multiple source content schemas into a single target content schema

• US 6,785,689 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2001
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blue Yonder Group, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: i2 Technologies US Incorporated (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Bellare, Manjunath M., Daniel, Jerald A. X., Chandramouli, Natarajan
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Uyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): THAI, HANH B
• Application Number:
  US10/008,733
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/6-7, 707/100, 707/102, 707/103.R, 707/103.Y, 707/101, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 707/754
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/211 Schema design and management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• 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

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for mapping multiple source content schemas into a single target content schema. For each source schema to be mapped, a source class tree representing the source schema classes and a target class tree representing the target schema classes are provided for display to a user, input specifying one or more source properties within one or more source classes is received, one or more target properties within one or more target classes are determined for mapping to the source properties, and a schema map file including a mapping of the target properties to the source properties is generated. The source databases are determined. The schema map files are applied to generate information used for extracting the appropriate content from the source databases and for loading the extracted content into the target database.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for mapping a plurality of source content schemas into a single target content schema, comprising:

a computer-implemented schema mapper coupled to a plurality of computer-implemented source databases and to a computer-implemented target database, each computer-implemented source database storing content according to a corresponding source schema comprising one or more source classes that each comprises one or more source properties, the computer-implemented target database operable to receive content extracted from one or more computer-implemented source databases and store the extracted content according to a corresponding target schema comprising one or more target classes that each comprises one or more target properties, the computer-implemented schema mapper operable to, for each source schema to be mapped to the target schema;

receive user input specifying the source schema for mapping to a target schema;

provide a source class tree representing the source schema classes and a target class tree representing the target schema classes for display to a user;

receive user input specifying one or more source properties within one or more source classes of the source schema;

determine one or more target properties within one or more target classes of the target schema for mapping to the one or more source properties of the source schema; and

generate a schema map file comprising a mapping of the one or more target properties of the target schema classes to the one or more source properties of the source schema classes;

a computer-implemented content extractor coupled to the plurality of computer-implemented source databases, the computer-implemented content extractor operable to;

access the schema map file for each source schema mapped to the target schema;

according to the one or more accessed schema map files, determine the one or more mapped source properties for which content is to be extracted from the one or more corresponding computer-implemented source databases;

apply the one or more schema map files to generate information used for extracting the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties and information used for loading the extracted content into the computer-implemented target database; and

extract the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties from the one or more corresponding computer-implemented source databases; and

a computer-implemented content loader coupled to the computer-implemented content extractor and to the computer-implemented target database, the computer-implemented content loader operable to load the extracted content associated with the one or more mapped source properties into the computer-implemented target database according to the information for loading the extracted content generated by the computer-implemented content extractor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the schema mapper is operable to:

receive user input specifying one or more source classes of a particular source schema, specification of a source class automatically specifying all source properties within the specified source class; and

determine one or more target classes of the target schema for mapping to the one or more source classes of the particular source schema.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the schema mapper is operable to receive user input defining an expression for mapping multiple source properties of a particular source schema to a single target property of the target schema; and

the content extractor is operable to use the expression in extracting content from the source database corresponding to the particular source schema for loading into the target database.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the schema mapper is operable to receive user input specifying one or more filtering conditions for filtering the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties; and

the content extractor is operable to extract the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties from one or more corresponding source databases according to the specified filtering conditions.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the schema mapper is operable to allow a user to modify a schema map file subsequent to its creation by at least one of the following:

adding one or more new mapped properties;

deleting one or more existing mapped properties; and

updating one or more existing mapped properties.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the schema mapper is operable to:

receive user input specifying one or more source fields in a particular source database corresponding to a particular source schema;

receive user input selecting one or more primary keys corresponding to the one or more specified source fields, each primary key being associated with a pointer from the corresponding source class to another source class within the source schema; and

automatically map the one or more source fields to one or more corresponding target fields in the target database according to the one or more pointers associated with the one or more selected primary keys.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein content associated with each source schema comprises product-related data and each source schema is associated with a corresponding industry vertical, commodity domain, or other product classification structure.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a content distributor that is operable to receive the extracted content from the content extractor and communicate the extracted content, according to established license arrangements, to one or more customers that have subscribed to receive the content.

9. A computer-implemented method for mapping a plurality of source content schemas into a single target content schema, comprising:

receiving user input specifying one or more source schemas for mapping to a target schema, each source schema being associated with a corresponding source database that stores content according to the source schema, each source schema comprising one or more source classes that each comprises one or more source properties, the target schema being associated with a corresponding database that is operable to receive content extracted from one or more source databases and store the extracted content according to the target schema, the target schema comprising one or more target classes that each comprises one or more target properties;

for each source schema to be mapped to the target schema;

providing a source class tree representing the source schema classes and a target class tree representing the target schema classes for display to a user;

receiving user input specifying one or more source properties within one or more source classes of the source schema;

determining one or more target properties within one or more target classes of the target schema for mapping to the one or more source properties of the source schema; and

generating a schema map file comprising a mapping of the one or more target properties of the target schema classes to the one or more source properties of the source schema classes;

accessing the schema map file for each source schema mapped to the target schema;

according to the one or more accessed schema map files, determining the one or more mapped source properties for which content is to be extracted from the one or more corresponding source databases;

applying the one or more schema map files to generate information used for extracting the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties and information used for loading the extracted content into the target database;

extracting the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties from the one or more corresponding source databases; and

loading the extracted content associated with the one or more mapped source properties into the target database according to the information for loading the extracted content.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving user input specifying one or more source classes of a particular source schema, specification of a source class automatically specifying all source properties within the specified source class; and

determining one or more target classes of the target schema for mapping to the one or more source classes of the particular source schema.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving user input defining an expression for mapping multiple source properties of a particular source schema to a single target property of the target schema; and

using the expression in extracting content from the source database corresponding to the particular source schema for loading into the target database.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving user input specifying one or more filtering conditions for filtering the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties; and

extracting the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties from one or more corresponding source databases according to the specified filtering conditions.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising allowing a user to modify a schema map file subsequent to its creation by at least one of the following:

adding one or more new mapped properties;

deleting one or more existing mapped properties; and

updating one or more existing mapped properties.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving user input specifying one or more source fields in a particular source database corresponding to a particular source schema;

receiving user input selecting one or more primary keys corresponding to the one or more specified source fields, each primary key being associated with a pointer from the corresponding source class to another source class within the source schema; and

automatically mapping the one or more source fields to one or more corresponding target fields in the target database according to the one or more pointers associated with the one or more selected primary keys.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein content associated with each source schema comprises product-related data and each source schema is associated with a corresponding industry vertical, commodity domain, or other product classification structure.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising communicating the extracted content, according to established license arrangements, to one or more customers that have subscribed to receive the content.

17. Software for mapping a plurality of source content schemas into a single target content schema, the software being embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

receive user input specifying one or more source schemas for mapping to a target schema, each source schema being associated with a corresponding source database that stores content according to the source schema, each source schema comprising one or more source classes that each comprises one or more source properties, the target schema being associated with a corresponding database that is operable to receive content extracted from one or more source databases and store the extracted content according to the target schema, the target schema comprising one or more target classes that each comprises one or more target properties;

for each source schema to be mapped to the target schema;

provide a source class tree representing the source schema classes and a target class tree representing the target schema classes for display to a user;

receive user input specifying one or more source properties within one or more source classes of the source schema;

determine one or more target properties within one or more target classes of the target schema for mapping to the one or more source properties of the source schema; and

generate a schema map file comprising a mapping of the one or more target properties of the target schema classes to the one or more source properties of the source schema classes;

access the schema map file for each source schema mapped to the target schema;

according to the one or more accessed schema map files, determine the one or more mapped source properties for which content is to be extracted from the one or more corresponding source databases;

apply the one or more schema map files to generate information used for extracting the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties and information used for loading the extracted content into the target database;

extract the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties from the one or more corresponding source databases; and

load the extracted content associated with the one or more mapped source properties into the target database according to the information for loading the extracted content.

18. The software of claim 17, further operable to:

receive user input specifying one or more source classes of a particular source schema, specification of a source class automatically specifying all source properties within the specified source class; and

determine one or more target classes of the target schema for mapping to the one or more source classes of the particular source schema.

19. The software of claim 17, further operable to:

receive user input defining an expression for mapping multiple source properties of a particular source schema to a single target property of the target schema; and

use the expression in extracting content from the source database corresponding to the particular source schema for loading into the target database.

20. The software of claim 17, further operable to:

receive user input specifying one or more filtering conditions for filtering the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties; and

extract the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties from one or more corresponding source databases according to the specified filtering conditions.

21. The software of claim 17, further operable to allow a user to modify a schema map file subsequent to its creation by at least one of the following:

adding one or more new mapped properties;

deleting one or more existing mapped properties; and

updating one or more existing mapped properties.

22. The software of claim 17, further operable to:

receive user input specifying one or more source fields in a particular source database corresponding to a particular source schema;

receive user input selecting one or more primary keys corresponding to the one or more specified source fields, each primary key being associated with a pointer from the corresponding source class to another source class within the source schema; and

automatically map the one or more source fields to one or more corresponding target fields in the target database according to the one or more pointers associated with the one or more selected primary keys.

23. The software of claim 17, wherein content associated with each source schema comprises product-related data and each source schema is associated with a corresponding industry vertical, commodity domain, or other product classification structure.

24. The software of claim 17, further operable to communicate the extracted content, according to established license arrangements, to one or more customers that have subscribed to receive the content.

25. A computer-implemented system for mapping a plurality of source content schemas into a single target content schema, comprising:

means for receiving user input specifying one or more source schemas for mapping to a target schema, each source schema being associated with a corresponding computer-implemented source database that stores content according to the source schema, each source schema comprising one or more source classes that each comprises one or more source properties, the target schema being associated with a corresponding computer-implemented database that is operable to receive content extracted from one or more computer-implemented source databases and store the extracted content according to the target schema, the target schema comprising one or more target classes that each comprises one or more target properties;

means for providing, for each source schema to be mapped to the target schema, a source class tree representing the source schema classes and a target class tree representing the target schema classes for display to a user;

means for receiving, for each source schema to be mapped to the target schema, user input specifying one or more source properties within one or more source classes of the source schema;

means for determining, for each source schema to be mapped to the target schema, one or more target properties within one or more target classes of the target schema for mapping to the one or more source properties of the source schema;

means for generating, for each source schema to be mapped to the target schema, a schema map file comprising a mapping of the one or more target properties of the target schema classes to the one or more source properties of the source schema classes;

means for accessing the schema map file for each source schema mapped to the target schema;

means for according to the one or more accessed schema map files, determining the one or more mapped source properties for which content is to be extracted from the one or more corresponding computer-implemented source databases;

means for applying the one or more schema map files to generate information used for extracting the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties and information used for loading the extracted content into the computer-implemented target database;

means for extracting the content associated with the one or more mapped source properties from the one or more corresponding computer-implemented source databases; and

means for loading the extracted content associated with the one or more mapped source properties into the computer-implemented target database according to the information for loading the extracted content.