Containment hierarchy in a database system

• US 7,734,657 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2006
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Harter, Steven, Anonsen, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): LeRoux; Etienne P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cindy
• Application Number:
  US11/495,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20060265411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/100, 707/200
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A method and system for storing and retrieving data in a database system includes associating a plurality of entities in a child/parent hierarchy. The entities are further grouped in types of similar properties, wherein each entity has a unique identifiable position within the child/parent space. References are made to types and properties of the entities in order to store and retrieve associated data about the entity, where the types and properties are mapped to tables of the database.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for storing and retrieving data in a database system, where data is stored on a computer storage media, the method comprising:

associating a first plurality of entities with a first class and a second plurality of entities with a second class, wherein the entities within each class are organized in an inheritance hierarchy;

containing the first class and the second class within a first container in a containment hierarchy, the first class and the second class having a child/parent relationship with the first container such that the first class and the second class are children of the first container, wherein the first class holds a first type of information and the second class holds a second type of information, the first type of information being different from the second type of information, and wherein the first class and the second class do not inherit properties of the first container;

referencing types and properties of the entities in the first and second plurality of entities to store and retrieve associated data, the types and properties of different entities being mapped to different tables of the database; and

associating an entity key with each entity in the first and second plurality of entities to define a location of the associated entity in the containment hierarchy and to allow for determining a parent entity of the associated entity, the entity key having information pertaining to an identifiable position of the associated entity and the type of entity of the associated entity, wherein associating an entity key comprises maintaining information related to an entity key of the parent entity to the associated entity, and wherein maintaining information related to the parent entity key comprises maintaining a reference to the parent entity key.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the entities is an object of an object oriented programming language.

2. A data storage system, comprising:

a relational data store component for storing data pertaining to entities in tables;

a plurality of maps that map between entities and a location of columns in the tables of the relational data store component that store the data of the entities;

a data access system configured to receive requests to perform an operation on data of at least one entity, wherein the entities are grouped in types of similar properties in a first class and a second class, the entities within each class being organized in an inheritance hierarchy, wherein the first class and the second class are contained within a first container in a containment hierarchy, the first class and the second class having a child/parent relationship with the first container such that the first class and the second class are children of the first container, wherein the first class holds a first type of information and the second class holds a second type of information, the first type of information being different from the second type of information, and wherein the first class and the second class do not inherit properties of the first container; and

stored information pertaining to entity keys, wherein each entity key is associated with each entity in the first and second plurality of entities and comprises information pertaining to a position of the associated entity within the containment hierarchy, wherein each entity key comprises information related to the parent entity of each entity such that the parent entity of the associated entity may be determined from the entity key, the information comprising a reference to an entity key of the parent entity.

3. The data storage system of claim 2 wherein each entity key includes information as to a type of the associated entity.

4. The data storage system of claim 2 wherein at least one of the entities is an object of an object oriented programming language.

6. One or more computer storage media storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform a method comprising the steps of:

associating a first plurality of entities with a first class and a second plurality of entities with a second class, wherein the entities within each class are organized in an inheritance hierarchy;

containing the first class and the second class within a first container in a containment hierarchy, the first class and the second class having a child/parent relationship with the first container such that the first class and the second class are children of the first container, wherein the first class holds a first type of information and the second class holds a second type of information, the first type of information being different from the second type of information, and wherein the first class and the second class do not inherit properties of the first container;

referencing types and properties of the entities in the first and second plurality of entities to store and retrieve associated data, the types and properties of different entities being mapped to different tables of the database; and

associating an entity key with each entity in the first and second plurality of entities to define a location of the associated entity in the containment hierarchy and to allow for determining a parent entity of the associated entity, the entity key having information pertaining to an identifiable position of the associated entity and the type of entity of the associated entity, wherein associating an entity key comprises maintaining information related to an entity key of the parent entity to the associated entity, and wherein maintaining information related to the parent entity key comprises maintaining a reference to the parent entity key.