Providing a consistent hierarchical abstraction of relational data
First Claim
1. A method for managing data in a database system, comprising the steps of:
- said database system maintaining(a) data that identifies one or more relational tables as tables that store data associated with the content of resources that belong to an information hierarchy, and(b) connection criteria that indicates what constitutes a hierarchical relationship in the information hierarchy;
wherein said one or more relational tables include at least one table that stores, along with the data associated with the content of the resources, certain data that serves as an external hierarchy definition that establishes hierarchical relationships between said resources;
said database system maintaining information that captures said information hierarchy, as an internal hierarchy definition, in one or more hierarchy structures separate from said one or more relational tables; and
wherein the step of maintaining information that captures said information hierarchy as an internal hierarchy definition includes said database system automatically maintaining consistency between said external hierarchy definition and said internal hierarchy definition.
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Abstract
A hierarchy may be explicitly or implicitly reflected in existing data maintained external to hierarchy structures. Such hierarchies are referred to herein as a “pre-existing hierarchies”. Techniques are described herein for capturing a pre-existing hierarchy in hierarchy structures. After a pre-existing hierarchy has been captured, there exist two independent sets of data that reflect the hierarchy: the external hierarchy definition and the internal hierarchy definition. Changing either hierarchy definition changes the hierarchy. Therefore, to maintain a consistent reflection of the hierarchy, the internal hierarchy definition must be modified in response to changes made to the external hierarchy definition, and the external hierarchy definition must be modified in response to changes made to the internal hierarchy definition. Various techniques are described for maintaining consistency between the two hierarchy definitions.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for managing data in a database system, comprising the steps of:
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said database system maintaining (a) data that identifies one or more relational tables as tables that store data associated with the content of resources that belong to an information hierarchy, and (b) connection criteria that indicates what constitutes a hierarchical relationship in the information hierarchy; wherein said one or more relational tables include at least one table that stores, along with the data associated with the content of the resources, certain data that serves as an external hierarchy definition that establishes hierarchical relationships between said resources; said database system maintaining information that captures said information hierarchy, as an internal hierarchy definition, in one or more hierarchy structures separate from said one or more relational tables; and wherein the step of maintaining information that captures said information hierarchy as an internal hierarchy definition includes said database system automatically maintaining consistency between said external hierarchy definition and said internal hierarchy definition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for managing data in database system, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
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said database system maintaining (a) data that identifies one or more relational tables as tables that store data associated with the content of resources that belong to an information hierarchy, and (b) connection criteria that indicates what constitutes a hierarchical relationship in the information hierarchy; wherein said one or more relational tables include at least one table that stores, along with the data associated with the content of the resources, certain data that serves as an external hierarchy definition that establishes hierarchical relationships between said resources; said database system maintaining information that captures said information hierarchy, as an internal hierarchy definition, in one or more hierarchy structures separate from said one or more relational tables; and wherein the step of maintaining information that captures said information hierarchy as an internal hierarchy definition includes said database system automatically maintaining consistency between said external hierarchy definition and said internal hierarchy definition. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification