System and method for syntax abstraction in query language generation

• US 8,005,870 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2001
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microstrategy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microstrategy Incorporated
• Inventors: Chen, Yinong, Yuan, Jun, Sahasrabudhe, Sadanand, Bedell, Jeffrey A., Li, Benjamin Z., Martin, Fabrice
• Primary Examiner(s): Chbouki; Tarek
• Application Number:
  US09/883,302
• Time in Patent Office: 3,717 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/3, 707/102, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for syntax abstraction in query language generation in an online analytical processing system, a business intelligence system, a reporting system, or a data mining system. The system generates one or more query language statements that can be run against one or more data sources to return a desired data result set. The system includes a syntax pattern selector module and a statement assembly module. The syntax pattern selector module selects a syntax pattern corresponding to a desired function and a syntax standard. The statement assembly module populates the syntax pattern with an argument data set associated with the desired data set. The result is the generation of one or more query language statements with the correct function, syntax, and data parameters to return the desired data result set from the data sources. A method and medium having processor readable code therein are also described.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system comprises at least a programmed computer processor for automated generation of one or more query language statements, the computer implemented system comprising:

a syntax pattern selector module using the programmed computer processor for selecting, in an automated process, a syntax pattern corresponding to a desired function defining a default syntax pattern provided to the syntax pattern selector module and a syntax standard for use in generating the one or more query language statements;

a statement assembly module using the programmed computer processor for populating the syntax pattern, in the automated process with an argument data set associated with parameters that specify information of a desired data set and the desired function provided to the statement assembly module as part of the process of generating the one or more query language statements, wherein the arguments data are arranged in a vector associated with a functional component by parameter type and mapped to plurality of positions within the syntax pattern to generate the one or more query language statements; and

whereby at least one query language statement having a tree query structure generated based at least in part on the parameters that specify information of the desired data set is assembled to be run against a data source to return the desired data set.

2. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the syntax pattern selector module selects the syntax pattern from a plurality of syntax patterns corresponding to a plurality of database management systems.

3. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the syntax pattern selector module selects the syntax pattern from a plurality of syntax patterns based upon at least one selection variable.

4. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, wherein the system is a component in an online analytical processing system, a reporting system, a business intelligence system, or a data mining system.

5. The computer-implemented system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of driver modules, each of the driver modules including at least one syntax pattern associated with a selected database management system.

6. A computer-implemented system comprises at least a programmed computer processor for generating one or more query language statements, the computer implemented system comprising:

a syntax pattern selector module using the programmed computer processor for selecting a syntax pattern corresponding to a desired function defining a default syntax pattern, and a syntax standard;

a statement assembly module using the programmed computer processor for populating the syntax pattern with an argument data set associated with parameters that specify information of a desired data set and the desired function, wherein the arguments data are arranged in a vector associated with a functional component by parameter type and mapped to plurality of positions within the syntax pattern to generate the one or more query language statements;

a structure generator module using the programmed computer processor for generating a query structure based on the desired data set, the query structure providing a basis for identifying the desired function to be used by the syntax pattern selector module; and

whereby at least one query language statement having a tree query structure generated based at least in part on the parameters that specify information of the desired data set is assembled to be run against a data source to return the desired data set.

7. A computer-implemented system comprises at least a programmed computer processor for generating one or more query language statements, the computer implemented system comprising:

a syntax pattern selector module using the programmed computer processor for selecting a syntax pattern corresponding to a desired function defining a default syntax pattern, and a syntax standard;

a statement assembly module using the programmed computer processor for populating the syntax pattern with an argument data set associated with parameters that specify information of a desired data set and the desired function, wherein the arguments data are arranged in a vector associated with a functional component by parameter type and mapped to plurality of positions within the syntax pattern to generate the one or more query language statements;

a function identifier module using the programmed computer processor for identifying a functional element corresponding to the desired function and at least one syntax pattern; and

whereby at least one query language statement having a tree query structure generated based at least in part on the parameters that specify information of the desired data set is assembled to be run against a data source to return the desired data set.

8. A computer-implemented system comprises at least a programmed computer processor for generating one or more query language statements, the computer implemented system comprising:

a syntax pattern selector module using the programmed computer processor for selecting a syntax pattern corresponding to a desired function defining a default syntax pattern, and a syntax standard;

a statement assembly module using the programmed computer processor for populating the syntax pattern with an argument data set associated with parameters that specify information of a desired data set and the desired function, wherein the arguments data are arranged in a vector associated with a functional component by parameter type and mapped to plurality of positions within the syntax pattern to generate the one or more query language statements;

an argument generator module using the programmed computer processor for identifying the argument data set associated with the desired data set; and

whereby at least one query language statement having a tree query structure generated based at least in part on the parameters that specify information of the desired data set is assembled to be run against a data source to return the desired data set.

9. The computer-implemented system of claim 8, wherein the argument generator module identifies the argument data set based upon a syntax description associated with the desired function.

10. A computer-implemented method of generating one or more query language statements to be run against a one or more data sources, comprising the steps, performed by a computer system, of:

selecting a syntax pattern corresponding to a desired function defining a default syntax pattern, provided as an input and a syntax standard for use in generating the one or more query language statements;

populating the syntax pattern with an argument data set associated with parameters that specify information of a desired data set and the desired function provided as an input identifying the data set on which to operate from the data source as part of generating the one or more query language statements, wherein the arguments data are arranged in a vector associated with a functional component by parameter type and mapped to plurality of positions within the syntax pattern to generate the one or more query language statements; and

wherein, the populated syntax pattern is used to generate one or more query language statements having a tree query structure generated based at least in part on the parameters that specify information of the desired data set runnable against one or more data sources to return the desired data result set.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the step of selecting the syntax pattern includes selecting the syntax pattern from a plurality of syntax patterns corresponding to a plurality of database management systems.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the step of selecting the syntax pattern includes selecting the syntax pattern from a plurality of syntax patterns based upon at least one selection variable.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising the step of generating a query structure based on the desired data set, the query structure providing a basis for identifying the desired function to be used in selecting the syntax pattern.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising the step of identifying at least one selection variable for selecting the syntax pattern from a plurality of syntax patterns.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the method is executed in an online analytical processing systems, a reporting system, a business intelligence system, or a data mining system.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of selecting the syntax pattern includes accessing a plurality of driver modules including at least one syntax pattern, each of the plurality of driver modules corresponding to a selected database management system.

17. A method of generating one or more query language statements to be run against a one or more data sources, comprising the steps of:

selecting a syntax pattern corresponding to a desired function defining a default syntax pattern, and a syntax standard;

populating the syntax pattern with an argument data set associated with parameters that specify information of a desired data set from the data source and the desired function, wherein the arguments data are arranged in a vector associated with a functional component by parameter type and mapped to plurality of positions within the syntax pattern to generate the one or more query language statements;

identifying a functional element corresponding to the desired function and at least one syntax pattern, the functional element providing a basis for selecting the syntax pattern; and

wherein, the populated syntax pattern comprises one or more query language statements having a tree query structure generated based at least in part on the parameters that specify information of the desired data set runnable against one or more data sources to return the desired data result set.

18. A method of generating one or more query language statements to be run against a one or more data sources, comprising the steps of:

selecting a syntax pattern corresponding to a desired function defining a default syntax pattern, and a syntax standard;

populating the syntax pattern with an argument data set associated with parameters that specify information of a desired data set from the data source and the desired function, wherein the arguments data are arranged in a vector associated with a functional component by parameter type and mapped to plurality of positions within the default syntax pattern to generate the one or more query language statements;

identifying the argument data set associated with the desired data set; and

wherein, the populated syntax pattern comprises one or more query language statements having a tree query structure generated based at least in part on the parameters that specify information of the desired data set runnable against one or more data sources to return the desired data result set.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of identifying the argument data set includes identifying the argument data set based upon a syntax description associated with the desired function.

20. A tangible medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for generating one or more query language statements through an automated computer-implemented method comprising:

code for causing the processor to identify a functional element corresponding to a desired function for use in generating the one or more query language statements, wherein the functional element defines a default syntax pattern;

code for causing the processor to identify an arguments data are arranged in a vector associated with a functional component by parameter type and mapped to plurality of positions within the syntax pattern to generate the one or more query language statements, wherein the argument data set is mapped to positions within the default syntax pattern to generate the one or more query language statements;

code for causing the processor to select a syntax pattern corresponding to the functional element; and

code for causing the processor to populate the selected syntax pattern with the identified argument data set to assemble at least one query language statement having a tree query structure generated based at least in part on the parameters that specify information of the desired data set to be run against a data source to return the desired data set.

21. A method of generating a query language statement from computer code embodied on a computer readable media comprising the steps of:

defining a syntax pattern accessible to a system for generating a query language statement having a tree query structure generated based at least in part on the parameters that specify information of the desired data set;

accessing the defined syntax pattern from the system to generate the query language statement;

wherein arguments data are arranged in a vector associated with a functional component by parameter type and mapped to plurality of positions within the syntax pattern to generate the one or more query language statements

and wherein the system does not need to be recompiled as a result of defining the syntax pattern.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the syntax pattern is associated with a selected database management system.

23. A tangible medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for generating one or more query language statements comprising:

code for causing the processor to identify a functional element corresponding to a desired function, wherein the functional element defines a default syntax pattern;

code for causing the processor to identify an argument data set associated with parameters that specify information of a desired data set and the identified functional element, wherein the arguments data are arranged in a vector associated with a functional component by parameter type and mapped to plurality of positions within the syntax pattern to generate the one or more query language statements;

code for causing the processor to select a syntax pattern corresponding to the functional element;

code for identifying a functional element corresponding to the desired function and at least one syntax pattern, the functional element providing a basis for selecting the syntax pattern; and

code for causing the processor to populate the selected syntax pattern with the identified argument data set to assemble at/east one query language statement having a tree query structure generated based at least in part on the parameters that specify information of the desired data set to be run against a data source to return the desired data set.

24. A tangible medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for generating one or more query language statements comprising:

code for causing the processor to identify a functional element corresponding to a desired function, wherein the functional element defines a default syntax pattern;

code for causing the processor to identify an argument data set associated with parameters that specify/information of a desired data set and the identified functional element wherein the arguments data are arranged in a vector associated with a functional component by parameter type and mapped to plurality of positions within the syntax pattern to generate the one or more query language statements;

code for causing the processor to select a syntax pattern corresponding to the functional element;

code for identifying the argument data set associated with the desired data set; and

code for causing the processor to populate the selected syntax pattern with the identified argument data set to assemble at least one query language statement having a tree query structure generated based at least in part on the parameters that specify information of the desired data set to be run against a data source to return the desired data set.