Using ontological relationships in a computer database

• US 7,779,024 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2008
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Barsness, Eric Lawrence, Santosuosso, John Matthew, Ruhlow, Randy William
• Primary Examiner(s): Vital; Pierre M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nofal; Christopher P
• Application Number:
  US12/039,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2452 Query translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

An apparatus and method use ontological relationships in a query language and a computer database to improve database performance and utility. A set of ontological relationships are stored in the database and new query clauses are used to query the data in advantageous ways. Ontological relationships are preferably stored in a tree structure. This tree structure then can be used to reflect the ontological relationships of data stored in the columns of a database.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

a memory coupled to the at least one processor; and

a database residing in the memory having data, wherein the apparatus is configured to;

receive a database query;

analyze the database query to determine whether the database query satisfies a first condition, the first condition being satisfied if the database query comprises a SELECT statement and an ontological clause in the form of a Change Query Attribute (CHGQRYA) clause, wherein the CHGQRYA clause is composed of a Substitute Forward clause, Substitute Backward clause, or a Group By At Level clause;

analyze the database to determine whether the database satisfies a second condition, the second condition being satisfied if the database defines an ontological data structure for the CHGQRYA clause; and

when the first condition and the second condition are satisfied;

parsing the ontological data structure to extract an ontological relationship for the CHGQRYA clause;

using the extracted ontological relationship to modify an attribute of the database query; and

executing the database query to return data from the database, wherein the data is associated with the ontological relationship.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the ontological data structure is organized in the shape of a tree.

3. An article of manufacture comprising:

(A) a database manager that;

determines whether a database query satisfies a first condition, the first condition being satisfied if the database query comprises a SELECT statement and an ontological clause in the form of a Change Query Attribute (CHGQRYA) clause, wherein the CHGQRYA clause is composed of a Substitute Forward clause, Substitute Backward clause, or a Group By At Level clause;

analyzes the database to determine whether the database satisfies a second condition, the second condition being satisfied if the database defines an ontological data structure for the CHGQRYA clause; and

when the first condition and the second condition are satisfied;

parsing the ontological data structure to extract an ontological relationship for the CHGQRYA clause;

using the extracted ontological relationship to modify an attribute of the database query; and

executing the database query to return data from the database, wherein the data is associated with the ontological relationship; and

(B) computer-recordable media bearing the database manager.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the ontological data structure is organized in the shape of a tree.