System and method for where-used searches for data stored in a multi-level hierarchical structure

• US 7,139,750 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agile Software Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Agile Software Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Ye, Min Liu, Lin, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Pardo, Thuy N.
• Application Number:
  US10/389,085
• Publication Number:
  US 20030177114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/101, 707/103.R, 707/102
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/282 Hierarchical databases, e.g. IMS, LDAP data stores or Lotus Notes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• 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 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system for and method of searching for data in a multi-level hierarchical database coupled with a search engine is disclosed. The invention allows not only direct where-used searches in a multi-level hierarchical database for modified objects in a hierarchical database, but also indirect where-used searches for a target object or objects that are modified directly by a user or that are modified indirectly due to modifications of an object and objects with a higher hierarchy than the target object or objects.

Claims

1. A method of searching a database including a BOM table, the BOM table including a set of first level objects, wherein each first level object of the set of first level objects includes a set of second level objects, comprising:

associating a first set of state indicia with each first level object of the set of first level objects, the first set of state indicia including a first object status, the first object status including one of a deleted status and a non-deleted status;

associating a second set of state indicia with each second level object of the set of second level objects, the second set of state indicia including the first object status and a second object status, the second object status including one of the deleted status and the non-deleted status;

executing a query on the BOM table, wherein when the query includes a non-deleted status criteria, at least one of a third set of first level objects that do not include the deleted status, and a fourth set of second level objects that do not include the deleted status, is returned.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first set of state indicia furthers includes a third object status, the third object status including a redline deleted status and a redline non-deleted status; and

the second set of state indicia furthers includes a fourth object status;

the fourth object status including the redline deleted status and the redline non-deleted status.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first set of state indicia furthers including a fifth object status, the fifth object status including a finalized status and a non-finalized status; and

the second set of state indicia furthers including a sixth object status, the sixth object status including a finalized status and a non-finalized status.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first set of state indicia furthers including a seventh object status, the seventh object status including a default release status and a non-default release status; and

the second set of state indicia furthers including the eighth object status, the eighth object status including a default release status and a non-default release status.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the the set of first level objects and the set of second level objects comprise at least one of:

a part, an assembly, a sub-assembly, a product, a service, a component, an element and processes.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the columns of the database comprise information about modifications to the objects.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first set of state indicia includes a plurality-of five-bit flags.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the the second set of state indicia includes a plurality of five-bit flags.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the BOM table includes a set of columns, the set of columns including one of an ID, a ParentID, a ChildID, a ChangeIN, a ChangeOUT, a PriorBOM, the first set of state indicia, and the second set of state indicia.

10. A method of executing a where-used query on a database including a set of BOMs, the BOMs including a set of first level objects, wherein each first level object of the set of first level objects includes a set of second level objects, comprising:

associating a first set of state indicia with each first level object of the set of first level objects, the first set of state indicia including a first object status, the first object status including one of a deleted status and a non-deleted status, the first set of state indicia further including a second object status, the second object status including one of a finalized status and a non-finalized status;

associating a second set of state indicia with each second level object of the set of second level objects, the second set of state indicia including the first object status and a third object status, the third object status including one of the deleted status and the non-deleted status, the second set of state indicia further including a fourth object status, the fourth object status including one of the finalized status and the non-finalized status;

executing the where-used query on the set of BOMs, wherein when the where-used query includes a non-deleted status criteria, at least one of a third set of first level objects that do not include the deleted status, and a fourth set of second level objects that do not include the deleted status, is returned.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein:

the first set of state indicia furthers including a fifth object status, the fifth object status including a default release status and a non-default release status; and

the second set of state indicia furthers including a sixth object status, the sixth object status including a default release status and a non-default release status.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein each BOM of the set of BOMs includes a set of columns, the set of columns including one of an ID, a ParentID, a ChildID, a ChangeIN, a ChangeOUT, a PriorBOM, the first set of state indicia, and the second set of state indicia.