Metadata database management system and method therefor

• US 7,613,728 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Refinitiv US Organization, LLC (Refinitiv US Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Reuters Limited (The Woodbridge Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Png, Teck Hock, Stadelmann, Stephan, Sng, Wei-Jen, Poh, Ka Theng
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Wilson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thai; Hanh B
• Application Number:
  US10/510,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20060253495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,444 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-101, 707/104.1, 707/102, 707/200, 707/203, 709223-224, 709/246
• 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: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A metadata database management system (300), comprising a metadata database (305) and a knowledge manager (310), for dynamically coupling to a database system (315). The metadata database (305) provides a single knowledge repository for storing metadata assoicated with information sources (330), that provide information that is processed by inbound information processors (325) for storage in the database system (315); and metadata associated with information consumers (340), that provide information retrieved from the database system (315), and processed by the outbound information processors (335). The knowledge manager (310) is coupled to access the metadata database (305), and provides one or more metadata applications that selectively use the metadata in the metadata database (305) to manage a plurality of knowledge aspects of the database system (315), the information sources (325) and the information consumers (335).

Claims

1. A computer system configured to manage a metadata database and at least one information database,

wherein the at least one information database is configured to receive information from at least one information source and configured to provide information to at least one information consumer, and

wherein the metadata database stores metadata associated with data stored in the at least one information database, stores metadata associated with the at least one information source, and stores metadata associated with the at least one information consumer, and

wherein the computer system includes a knowledge manager in communication with the metadata database and comprises a plurality of metadata applications for managing a plurality of knowledge aspects of the at least one information database, for accessing at least some of the metadata stored in the metadata database, and for using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one of a plurality of knowledge aspects of the at least one information database, the plurality of metadata applications comprising:

a data model manager using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one data model of the at least one information database and presenting the at least one data model in graphical form;

a data dictionary manager using the at least some of the metadata to generate and manage at least one data dictionary of the at least one information database, wherein the data dictionary manager accesses metadata stored in a knowledge entity and a data dictionary portion of the metadata database;

a knowledge entity manager using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one knowledge entity of the at least one information database and using the at least some of the metadata to structure a relationship of the at least one knowledge entity;

a data mapper using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one data mapping of the at least one information database based on one of an information source, an information source provider, and an information consumer; and

a change manager using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one change associated with the at least one information database, wherein the change manager accesses metadata stored in a change management portion of the metadata database,

wherein one or more of the data model manager, the data dictionary manager, the knowledge entity manager, the data mapper, and the change manager are stored on an application server.

2. The computer system in accordance with claim 1 being dynamically coupled to the at least one information database.

3. The computer system in accordance with claim 1 being dynamically coupled to the plurality of information sources.

4. A The computer system in accordance with claim 1 being dynamically coupled to the plurality of information consumers.

5. A The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one information source comprises at least another information database, the computer system is configured to couple to the at least another information database, and the metadata database is for storing metadata associated with the at least another information database.

6. A The computer system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the at least another information database has at least another one information source coupled thereto, the computer system is configured to couple to the at least another one information source, and the metadata database is for storing metadata associated with the at least another one information source.

7. A The computer system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the at least another information database has at least another one information consumer coupled thereto, the computer system is configured to couple to the at least another one information consumer, and the metadata database stores metadata associated with the at least another one information consumer.

8. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least one information consumer comprises at least one other information database, the computer system is configured to couple to the at least one other information database, and the metadata database stores metadata associated with the at least one other information database.

9. The computer system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the at least one other information database is coupled to at least one other information source, the computer system is configured to couple to the at least one other information source, and the metadata database stores metadata associated with the at least one other information source.

10. The computer system in accordance with claim 8, wherein the at least one other information database is coupled to at least one other information consumer, the computer system is configured to couple to the at least one other information consumer, and the metadata database is for storing metadata associated with the at least one other information consumer.

11. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least some of the metadata stored in the metadata database constitute a knowledge portion of the metadata database, and wherein the at least some of the metadata comprises at least one knowledge metadata.

12. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least some of the metadata stored in the metadata database constitute a knowledge entity portion of the metadata database, and wherein the at least some of the metadata comprises at least one knowledge entity metadata.

13. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least some of the metadata stored in the metadata database constitute a data mapping portion of the metadata database, and wherein the at least some of the metadata comprises at least one data mapping metadata.

14. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least some of the metadata stored in the metadata database constitute a data dictionary portion of the metadata database, and wherein the at least some of the metadata comprises at least one data dictionary metadata.

15. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least some of the metadata stored in the metadata database constitute a change management portion of the metadata database, and wherein the at least some of the metadata comprises at least one change management metadata.

16. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least some of the metadata stored in the metadata database constitute a business rules portion of the metadata database, and wherein the at least some of the metadata comprises at least one business rules metadata.

17. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least some of the metadata stored in the metadata database constitute a business event portion of the metadata database, and wherein the at least some of the metadata comprises at least one business event metadata.

18. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least some of the metadata stored in the metadata database constitute a reference and standards portion of the metadata database, and wherein the at least some of the metadata comprises at least one reference and standards metadata.

19. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least some of the metadata stored in the metadata database constitute a multiple language portion of the metadata database, and wherein the at least some of the metadata comprises at least one multiple language metadata.

20. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the at least some of the metadata stored in the metadata database constitute a document resources portion of the metadata database, and wherein the at least some of the metadata comprises at least one document resources metadata.

21. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the metadata applications further comprise a business rules processor using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one business rule associated with the at least one information database.

22. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the metadata applications further comprise a reference and standards processor using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one reference of the at least one information database.

23. The computer system in accordance with claim 22, wherein the at least one reference comprises at least one standard.

24. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the metadata applications further comprise a performance manager using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one performance aspect of the at least one information database.

25. The computer system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the metadata applications further comprise a graphical user interface using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one graphical user interface aspect of the at least one information database.

26. A computer system configured to manage a metadata database, the metadata database in communication with at least one information database and configured to receive information from at least one information source and to provide information to at least one information consumer, the metadata database comprising:

a metadata repository stored in an application server for storing metadata associated with data stored in the at least one information database, for storing metadata associated with the at least one information source, and for storing metadata associated with the at least one information consumer, the metadata repository comprising;

a knowledge portion providing information relating to knowledge entities and at least some of the metadata comprises at least one knowledge metadata;

a knowledge entity portion providing information on an organization of the knowledge entities and at least some of the metadata comprises at least one knowledge entity metadata;

a data mapping portion providing information on a multi-dimensional mapping between information received and stored and at least some of the metadata comprises at least one data mapping metadata;

a data dictionary portion providing information that describes what type of information is stored and at least some of the metadata comprises at least one data dictionary metadata; and

a change management portion providing information on changes within the metadata repository and wherein at least some of the metadata comprises at least one change management metadata.

27. The metadata database in accordance with claim 26 further comprising a business rules portion of the metadata repository, and at least some of the metadata comprises at least one business rules metadata.

28. The metadata database in accordance with claim 26 further comprising a business event portion the metadata repository, and at least some of the metadata comprises at least one business event metadata.

29. The metadata database in accordance with claim 26 further comprising a reference and standards portion of the metadata repository, and at least some of the metadata comprises at least one reference and standards metadata.

30. The metadata database in accordance with claim 26 further comprising a multiple language portion of the metadata repository, and at least some of the metadata comprises at least one multiple language metadata.

31. The metadata database in accordance with claim 26 further comprising a document resources portion of the metadata repository, and at least some of the metadata comprises at least one document resources metadata.

32. A computer system including a knowledge manager for a metadata database management system of at least one information database, wherein the at least one information database is configured to receive information from at least one information source and configured to provide information to at least one information consumer, and

wherein the knowledge manager includes a plurality of metadata applications in communication with a metadata database, for managing a plurality of knowledge aspects of the at least one information database, for accessing at least some of the metadata stored in the metadata database, and for using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one of the plurality of knowledge aspects of the at least one information database, the plurality of metadata applications comprising:

a data model manager using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one data model of the at least one information database and presenting the at least one data model in graphical form;

a dictionary manager using the at least some of the metadata to generate and manage at least one data dictionary of the at least one information database, wherein the data dictionary manager accesses metadata stored in a knowledge entity and a data dictionary portion of the metadata database;

a data mapper using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one data mapping of the at least one information database based on one of an information source, and information source provider, and an information consumer;

a change manager using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one change associated with the at least one information database, wherein the change manager accesses metadata stored in a change management portion of the metadata database,

wherein at least one of the data model manager, the dictionary manager, the data mapper, and the change mapper are stored on an application server.

33. The knowledge manager in accordance with claim 32, the plurality of metadata applications further comprising a knowledge entity manager using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one knowledge entity of the at least one information database.

34. The knowledge manager in accordance with claim 32, the plurality of metadata applications further comprising a business rules processor for using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one business rule associate with the at least one information database.

35. The knowledge manager in accordance with claim 32, the plurality of metadata applications further comprising a reference and standards processor using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one reference of the at least one information database.

36. The knowledge manager in accordance with claim 35, wherein the at least one reference comprises at least one standard.

37. The knowledge manager in accordance with claim 32, the plurality of metadata applications further comprising a performance manager using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one performance aspect of the at least one information database.

38. The knowledge manager in accordance with claim 32, the plurality of metadata applications further comprising at least one graphical user interface using the at least some of the metadata to manage at least one graphical user interface aspect of the at least one information database.