Database simulation of data types

• US 7,711,675 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2002
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Anonsen, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Miranda
• Application Number:
  US10/200,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20040015474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,843 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-201, 709/203, 709217-231, 717/137, 717/141
• US Class Current: 707/759
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases

Abstract

The present invention is a method for comparing object data in an object domain with database data in a database domain. The method includes applying a first transfer function to the object data so as to generate a first transformed data. The method also includes applying a second transfer function to the database data so as to generate a second transformed data. Finally, the method includes comparing the first transformed data with the second transformed data.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of comparing object data in an object domain with database data in a database domain, the method comprising:

providing the object data to a structured query language server;

using the structured query language server to apply a first transfer function to the object data to generate first transformed data in an intermediate domain, wherein the first transformed data in the intermediate domain is of a different type than the object data and the first transfer function occurs on the structured query language server as part of an execution of a relational database query language statement;

using the structured query language server to apply a second transfer function to the database data to generate second transformed data in the intermediate domain, wherein the second transformed data in the intermediate domain is of a different type than the database data and the second transfer function occurs on the structured query language server as part of an execution of a relational database query language statement, the intermediate domain comprising a domain that is intermediate to both the object domain and the database domain, and wherein at least one of the first and second transfer functions is a derived property transform;

using the structured query language server to compare the first transformed data with the second transformed data in the intermediate domain; and

providing an indication of the comparison of the first transformed data with the second transformed data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second transfer functions is a data translating transform.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is executed as part of a structured query language statement.

4. An object-relational database system, comprising:

a relational database having a database domain;

an object-oriented data accessing system for accessing the relational database, the object-oriented data accessing system having an object domain;

database data stored in the database domain;

object data stored in the object domain; and

a structured query language server that receives the object data from the object-oriented data accessing system and applies a first transfer function to the object data to generate first transformed data in an intermediate domain, the first transformed data in the intermediate domain having a different type than the object data, wherein the structured query language server receives the database data and applies a second transfer function to the database data to generate second transformed data in the intermediate domain, the second transformed data in the intermediate domain having a different type than the database data, wherein the first transfer function is different than the second transfer function and the intermediate domain comprising a domain that is intermediate to both the object domain and the database domain, and wherein the structured query language server compares the first transformed data to the second transformed data and provides an indication of the comparison, and wherein at least one of the first and second transfer functions is a derived property transform.

5. The object-relational database system of claim 4, wherein at least one of the first and second transfer functions is a data translating transform.

6. The object-relational database system of claim 4, wherein the relational database is configured to employ structured query language.

7. The object-relational database system of claim 4, wherein the relational database is configured to process one or more queries that are expressed in structured query language.

8. A computer-implemented method of operating upon object-relational data utilizing an intermediate domain that allows a set of operators and supports operations upon first data in a first domain, and second data in a second domain, the method comprising:

placing the first data from the first domain in the intermediate domain, wherein the first domain is an object domain and wherein placing the first data in the intermediate domain comprises applying a first transfer function to the first data in the object domain to change a data type of the first data;

placing the second data from the second domain in the intermediate domain, wherein the second domain is a relational database domain and wherein placing the second data in the intermediate domain comprises applying a second transfer function to the second data in the relational database domain to change a data type of the second data, wherein the second transfer function is different than the first transfer function and the intermediate domain comprises a domain that is different than the first and the second domains, and wherein at least one of the first and second transfer functions is a derived property transform; and

executing at least one operator upon the first and second data in the intermediate domain, wherein the operator is selected from the set of operators, and wherein all operators allowable upon data in the intermediate domain are permissible in the first domain such that they have the same effect in the first domain and intermediate domain.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein executing at least one operator includes executing a command on a relational database server.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein executing at least one operator includes executing a command on a structured query language server.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein executing at least one operator includes executing a query expressed in accordance with structured query language.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second transfer functions is executed on a structured query language server.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein a relational database includes the relational database domain and is configured to process one or more queries that are expressed in structured query language.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second transfer functions is a data translating transform.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the method is executed as part of a structured query language statement.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method is executed as part of a “

where clause”

portion of the structured query language statement.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the method is executed as part of a “

set operation”

portion of the structured query language statement.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the method is executed as part of an “

update set”

portion of the structured query language statement.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the method is executed as part of an “

insert value”

portion of the structured query language statement.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the method is executed as part of an “

order by”

portion of the structured query language statement.