Model definition schema

• US 7,313,561 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lo, Alvin, Yeh, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Cam Y T
• Application Number:
  US10/727,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20040181538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/102, 707/103.R
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/283 Multi-dimensional databases or data warehouses, e.g. MOLAP or ROLAP
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/288 Entity relationship models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• 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 tagged format data schema is disclosed. The schema enables an object-relational model to be specified and decorated with metadata so that a dimensional model can be inferred therefrom. In accordance with one embodiment, based on information specified in the schema, a processing engine is able to autonomously generate a dimensional model.

Claims

1. A data processing system including a processor, the system comprising:

a standardized data representation that is encoded on a computer-readable storage medium and that represents an object-relational data model;

a model generator that processes the standardized data representation and automatically derives, based on descriptions of objects and an indication of a collection of object-relational mappings in the standardized data representation to generate a dimensional model that corresponds to the object-relational data model, the standardized data representation includes;

a description of the objects and object relationships reflected in the object-relational data model;

a description of persistent data store mappings associated with the object-relational data model;

the indication of a collection of object-relational mappings that specify how a data member associated with a class in the object-relational data model can be filled with data retrieved from at least one table in a relational database;

a description of at least one user-designated focal point that represents a point of analysis indicated in association with data in the object-relational data model; and

a description of at least one data element selected from a group consisting of a class from the object-relational data model, a data member associated with a class from the object-relational data model, a collection of object-relational mappings that specify how data is retrieved from a relational database, a field that uniquely identifies a class from the object-relational data model, an association relationship indicator that identifies a relationship among classes in the object-relational data model, a composition relationship indicator that identifies a relationship among classes in the object-relational data model, and a measure that identifies an interesting numerical value used for generation of the dimensional model.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the standardized data representation is a specification of the object-relational data model decorated with metadata so as to support the derivation of the dimensional model.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the standardized data representation includes a description of at least one focal point that represents a point of analysis indicated in association with data in the object-relational data model.

4. A data processing system including a processor, the system comprising:

a tagged format data schema that is encoded on a computer-readable storage medium and that represents an object-relational data model;

a model generator that processes the tagged format data schema and automatically derives, based on descriptions of objects and an indication of a collection of object-relational mappings in the tagged format data schema to generate a dimensional model that corresponds to the object-relational data model,

the tagged format data schema includes;

a description of objects and object relationships reflected in the object-relational data model;

a description of persistent data store mappings associated with the object-relational data model;

the indication of a collection of object-relational mappings that specify how a data member associated with a class in the object-relational data model can be filled with data retrieved from at least one table in a relational database;

a description of at least one user-designated focal point that represents a point of analysis indicated in association with data in the object-relational data model; and

a description of at least one data element selected from a group consisting of a class from the object-relational data model, a data member associated with a class from the object-relational data model, a collection of object-relational mappings that specify how data is retrieved from a relational database, a field that uniquely identifies a class from the object-relational data model, an association relationship indicator that identifies a relationship among classes in the object-relational data model, a composition relationship indicator that identifies a relationship among classes in the object-relational data model, and a measure that identifies an interesting numerical value used for generation of the dimensional model.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the schema includes a tag used to indicate a class in the object-relational data model.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the schema includes a tag for indicating a data member associated with a class in the object-relational data model.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the schema includes a tag for indicating a key field that uniquely identifies a class included in the object-relational data model.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the schema includes a tag for indicating a name field that uniquely identifies an instance of a class included in the object-relational data model.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the schema includes a tag for indicating an association relationship among multiple classes in the object-relational data model.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein the schema includes a tag for indicating a composition relationship among multiple classes in the object-relational data model.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein the schema includes a tag for indicating a measure, a measure being an interesting numerical value used for generation of the dimensional model.

12. The system of claim 4, wherein the schema enables the object-relational data model to be specified and decorated with metadata so as to support the derivation of the dimensional model.

13. The system of claim 4, wherein the schema is configured to be processed by a processing engine that is adapted to autonomously derive the dimensional model.

14. The system of claim 4, wherein the schema includes a description of at least one focal point that represents a point of analysis indicated in association with data in the object-relational data model.

15. A data processing system including a processor, the system comprising:

a Extensible Markup Language (XML) data schema that is encoded on a computer-readable storage medium and that represents an object-relational data model;

a model generator that processes the data schema and automatically derives, based on descriptions of objects and an indication of a collection of object-relational mappings in the data schema to generate a dimensional model that corresponds to the object-relational data model,

the data schema includes;

a description of objects and object relationships reflected in the object-relational data model;

a description of persistent data store mappings associated with the object-relational data model;

a description of at least one user-designated focal point that represents a point of analysis indicated in association with data in the object-relational data model;

the indication of a collection of object-relational mappings that specify how a data member associated with a class in the object-relational data model can be filled with data retrieved from at least one table in a relational database; and

a description of at least one data element selected from a group consisting of a class from the object-relational data model, a data member associated with a class from the object-relational data model, a collection of object-relational mappings that specify how data is retrieved from a relational database, a field that uniquely identifies a class from the object-relational data model, an association relationship indicator that identifies a relationship among classes in the object-relational data model, a composition relationship indicator that identifies a relationship among classes in the object-relational data model, and a measure that identifies an interesting numerical value used for generation of the dimensional model.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the schema includes a tag used to indicate a class in the object-relational data model.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the schema includes a tag for indicating a data member associated with a class in the object-relational data model.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the schema includes a tag for indicating a key field that uniquely identifies a class included in the object-relational data model.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the schema includes a tag for indicating a name field that uniquely identifies an instance of a class included in the object-relational data model.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the schema includes a tag for indicating an association relationship among multiple classes in the object-relational data model.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the schema includes a tag for indicating a composition relationship among multiple classes in the object-relational data model.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the schema includes a tag for indicating a measure, a measure being an interesting numerical value used for generation of the dimensional model.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein the schema enables the object-relational data model to be specified and decorated with metadata so as to support the derivation of the dimensional model.