Dealing with composite data through data model entities

• US 7,539,662 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2006
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dettinger, Richard D., Tenner, Jeffrey W., Stevens, Richard J., LaRocca, Jennifer L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene; John E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly; Anh
• Application Number:
  US11/360,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 707 2- 4, 707100-102, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/962 Entity-attribute-value
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• 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 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

The present invention is generally directed to a system, method and article of manufacture for accessing data represented abstractly through an abstraction model. In one embodiment, a data repository abstraction layer provides a logical view of an underlying data repository that is independent of the particular manner of data representation. A query abstraction layer is also provided and is based on the data repository abstraction layer. A runtime component performs conversion of an abstract query (i.e., a request for results or a request to modify data) into a form that can be used against a particular physical data representation. Abstract and/or physical queries are transformed according to model entities which define a relationship between logical fields of the data repository abstraction layer.

Claims

1. A method for constructing abstract queries defined by a plurality of logical fields which map to a plurality of physical entities of physical data having a particular physical data representation in a database stored on a computer server having a memory and one or more processors, wherein each of the plurality of physical entities is a table in the database, the method comprising:

receiving user input via a user interface, the input comprising a reference to a model entity definition comprising two or more logical fields, wherein a model entity corresponding to the model entity definition is selected as a focus for an abstract query the abstract query being composed from the plurality of logical fields via the user interface, each logical field providing a query component available to be included in an abstract query specifying one of a condition for the abstract query or an output field of the abstract query, and wherein each logical field includes a logical field name used to identify the logical field in the user interface and an access method selected from at least two distinct access method types, wherein the access method specifies a mapping between a respective logical field and one of the physical entities of physical data; and

based on the model entity definition, selectively adding at least one logical field to the abstract query, wherein selectively adding the at least one of logical field comprises;

determining, based on the model entity definition of the selected model entity, at least one logical field required as an output field for an abstract query of the selected model entity,

determining whether the at least one logical field is already present as an output field in the abstract query, and

if not, adding the at least one logical field to the abstract query.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the user input via the user interface further comprises:

receiving a plurality of abstract query contributions for the abstract query, wherein the plurality of abstract query contributions are defined by selected logical fields and a corresponding value for each of the selected logical fields; and

receiving a plurality of output fields for the abstract query, wherein the plurality of result

fields is defined by selected logical fields.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

converting the abstract query into a physical query consistent with the tables in the database; and

executing the physical query.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein converting the abstract query into the physical query comprises mapping each of the logical fields of the abstract query to respective tables in the database.

5. A method for constructing abstract queries defined by a plurality of logical fields which map to a plurality of physical entities of physical data having a particular physical data representation in a database stored on a computer server having a memory and one or more processors, the method comprising:

receiving, via a user interface, an abstract query composed from a plurality of logical fields defined by a data repository abstraction component, the abstract query comprising;

(i) a selection of a model entity definition comprising two or more logical fields, of a plurality of logical fields, each corresponding to a separate physical entity in the database, wherein the selection specifies a model entity corresponding to the model entity definition to use as a focus for the abstract query composed via the user interface, and wherein each of the plurality of logical fields provides a query component that may be included in an abstract query specifying one of a condition for the abstract query and an output field of the abstract query, and wherein each logical field includes a logical field name used to identify the logical field in the user interface and an access method selected from at least two distinct access method types, wherein the access method specifies a mapping between a respective logical field and physical data in the database;

(ii) a plurality of query conditions defined by selected logical fields and a corresponding value for each of the selected logical fields; and

(iii) at least one result field defined by selected logical fields;

determining whether the abstract query includes more than one ANDed query condition for a given logical field corresponding to a physical entity; and

upon determining a one-to-many relationship exists between the model entity definition and the physical entity corresponding to the given logical field, generating a query contribution against a replicated instance of the physical entity corresponding to the given logical field for each instance of the more than one ANDed query condition.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

generating a result field contribution for the abstract query; and

generating correlation logic between each physical entity involved in the abstract query.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each physical and the involved in the abstract query is a table in the database and wherein generating correlation logic comprises joining each table.