Method, system, program, and data structure for cleaning a database table

• US 7,120,638 B1
• Filed: 09/21/1999
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Mandel, Richard Henry III, Cesare, Mark Anthony, Jerves, Julie Ann, Christopher, Tom Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, HUNG Q
• Application Number:
  US09/399,694
• Time in Patent Office: 2,576 Days
• Field of Search: 707/4, 707/6, 707/100, 707/104, 707/101, 707/102, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/215 Improving data quality; Data cleansing, e.g. de-duplication, removing invalid entries or correcting typographical errors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Disclosed is a method, system, program, and data structure for performing a clean operation on an input table. The input table to clean is indicated in an input data table name. At least one rule definition is processed to clean the input table. Each rule definition indicates a find criteria, a replacement value, and an input data column in the input table. For each rule definition, the input data column is searched for any fields that match the find criteria. The replacement value for the particular rule definition is inserted in the fields in the input data column that match the find criteria. Subsequent applications of additional rule definitions applied to the same input data column operate on replacement values inserted in the input data column during previously applied rule definitions.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for performing a clean operation on an input table having an input table name, comprising:

receiving at least one rule definition, wherein each rule definition indicates a find criteria, a replacement value, and an input data column in the input table, wherein each rule definition is associated with one rule table including the find criteria and replacement value, and wherein a rule table column parameter for each rule definition indicates the columns in the rule table including the find criteria and replacement value for the rule definition;

searching, for each rule definition, the input data column for any fields that match the find criteria;

determining whether the rule definition specifies an output table; and

in response to determining that the rule definition does not specify an output table, directly inserting, for each rule definition, the replacement value in the fields in the input data column that match the find criteria, wherein subsequent applications of additional rule definitions applied to the same input data column operate on replacement values inserted in the input data column in previously applied rule definitions.

2. A computer implemented system for performing a clean operation on an input table having an input data table name, comprising;

means for receiving at least one rule definition, wherein each rule definition indicates a find criteria, a replacement value, and an input data column in the input table, wherein each rule definition is associated with one rule table including the find criteria and replacement value, and wherein a rule table column parameter for each rule definition indicates the columns in the rule table including the find criteria and replacement value for the rule definition;

means for searching, for each rule definition, the input data column for any fields that match the find criteria;

means for determining whether the rule definition specifies an output table; and

means for, in response to determining that the rule definition does not specify an output table, directly inserting, for each rule definition, the replacement value in the fields in the input data column that match the find criteria, wherein subsequent applications of additional rule definitions applied to the same input data column operate on replacement values inserted in the input data column in previously applied rule definitions.

3. An article of manufacture for use performing a clean operation on an input table in a database having an input data table name, the article of manufacture comprising computer usable media including at least one computer program embedded therein that causes the computer to perform:

receiving at least one rule definition, wherein each rule definition indicates a find criteria, a replacement value, and an input data column in the input table, wherein each rule definition is associated with one rule table including the find criteria and replacement value, and wherein a rule table column parameter for each rule definition indicates the columns in the rule table including the find criteria and replacement value for the rule definition;

searching, for each rule definition, the input data column for any fields that match the find criteria;

determining whether the rule definition specifies an output table; and

in response to determining that the rule definition does not specify an output table, directly inserting, for each rule definition, the replacement value in the fields in the input data column that match the find criteria, wherein subsequent applications of additional rule definitions applied to the same input data column operate on replacement values inserted in the input data column in previously applied rule definitions.

4. A memory device including a command data structure, comprising:

an input data table name parameter indicating the input table subject to the clean operation; and

at least one rule definition, wherein each rule definition includes a find criteria, a replacement value, and an input data column in the input table, wherein, for each rule definition, the input data column is searched for any fields that match the find criteria, wherein, for each rule definition, it is determined whether the rule definition specifies an output table, and in response to determining that the rule definition does not specify an output table, the replacement value is directly inserted in the fields in the input data column that match the find criteria, wherein subsequent applications of additional rule definitions applied to the same input data column operate on replacement values inserted in the input data column in previously applied rule definitions, and wherein at least one rule definition further includes;

an indication of one rule table including the find criteria and replacement value for the at least two rule definitions, such that the one rule table includes the find criteria and replacement value for the at least two rule definitions and a rule table column parameter for the at least two rule definitions indicating the columns in the rule table including the find criteria and replacement value for the rule definitions.