Method and apparatus in a database system

• US 8,484,239 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2007
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Wildeman, Mattias, Boman, Mats
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, BINH VAN
• Application Number:
  US12/675,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20100250584A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,141 Days
• Field of Search: 707/769
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2474 Sequence data queries, e.g. querying versioned data

Abstract

A method and a telecommunication database system for facilitating modifications in the database and the handling of data queries. The database comprises an original dataset with data entries containing original data for different objects, and at least one auxiliary dataset with data entries containing updated data for at least some of the objects. A dataset tag is included in the data entries in either dataset indicating which dataset each entry belongs to. When a querying logic makes a query for data in a wanted data entry, the wanted data entry is obtained from a dataset determined based on the dataset tag in the data entry.

Claims

1. A method in a telecommunication database system for obtaining data for a requesting party from a database containing data entries for a plurality of objects, the method comprising the steps of:

making a query for data from a wanted data entry, wherein the database comprises an original dataset with data entries holding original data for the objects and an auxiliary dataset with data entries holding updated data for at least some of said objects, wherein the data entries in the original dataset contain a first dataset tag and the data entries in the auxiliary dataset contain a second dataset tag, said dataset tags indicating to which dataset each entry belongs, and wherein each data entry in the auxiliary dataset and a corresponding data entry in the original dataset both refer to the same object such that the original and auxiliary datasets present different views of data for the same objects; and

,

obtaining data of the wanted data entry for the requesting party from one of said original and auxiliary datasets which is determined to be valid for said requesting party based on the dataset tag in said data entry.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a wanted dataset tag is specified in said query and the data is obtained from the data entry of the dataset according to the specified dataset tag.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data entries in the original dataset further contain a dataset flag pointing to one of the original and auxiliary datasets, and when no dataset tag is specified in said query, data and a dataset flag is obtained from the wanted data entry in the original dataset, and the correct dataset is determined based on said returned dataset flag.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein if the obtained dataset flag is equal to the original dataset tag, the data obtained from said original dataset is used.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein if the obtained dataset flag is different from the original dataset tag, it is checked whether the obtained dataset flag is equal to a dataset tag being set to active for the requesting party, and if not equal, the data obtained from said original dataset is used as default.

6. A method according to claim 3, wherein if the obtained dataset flag is different from the original dataset tag, it is checked whether the obtained dataset flag is equal to a dataset tag being set to active for the requesting party, and if equal, another query is placed indicating the active dataset tag and the data is obtained from the data entry of a dataset according to the indicated dataset tag.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein information is maintained on which dataset is active and valid to specific requesting parties, thereby presenting different views of the database to the respective requesting parties.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the different views presented for specific requesting parties are changed by changing the active dataset for the respective requesting parties.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein data entries are moved between different datasets by changing their dataset tags.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the database comprises a plurality of auxiliary datasets with data entries holding updated data for at least some of said objects and also containing dataset tags indicating to which auxiliary dataset each entry belongs.

11. A telecommunication database system, comprising:

a database containing data entries for a plurality of objects, wherein the database comprises;

an original dataset with data entries holding original data for the objects and,

an auxiliary dataset with data entries holding updated data for at least some of said objects;

wherein the data entries in the original dataset contain a first dataset tag and the data entries in the auxiliary dataset contain a second dataset tag, said dataset tags indicating to which dataset each entry belongs, and wherein each data entry in the auxiliary dataset and a corresponding data entry in the original dataset both refer to the same object such that the original and auxiliary datasets present different views of data for the same objects; and

,

a querying logic unit for obtaining data from the database for a requesting party, the querying logic unit being adapted to make a query for data from a wanted data entry and to obtain data of the wanted data entry for the requesting party from one of said original and auxiliary datasets which is determined to be valid for said requesting party based on the dataset tag in said data entry.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the querying logic unit is further adapted to specify a wanted dataset tag in said query and obtain the data from the data entry of the dataset according to the specified dataset tag.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the data entries in the original dataset further contain a dataset flag pointing to one of the original and auxiliary datasets, and when no dataset tag is specified in said query, the querying logic unit is further adapted to obtain data and a dataset flag from the wanted data entry in the original dataset and determine the correct dataset based on said returned dataset flag.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein if the obtained dataset flag is equal to the original dataset tag, the data obtained from said original dataset is used.

15. A system according to claim 13, wherein if the obtained dataset flag is different from the original dataset tag, the querying logic unit is further adapted to check whether the obtained dataset flag is equal to a dataset tag being set to active for the requesting party, and if not equal, the data obtained from said original dataset is used as default.

16. A system according to claim 13, wherein if the obtained dataset flag is different from the original dataset tag, the querying logic unit is further adapted to check whether the obtained dataset flag is equal to a dataset tag being set to active for the requesting party, and if equal, make another query indicating the active dataset tag and obtain the data from the data entry of a dataset according to the indicated dataset tag.

17. A system according to claim 11, wherein the querying logic unit is further adapted to maintain information on which dataset is active and valid to specific requesting parties, thereby presenting different views of the database to the respective requesting parties.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the querying logic unit is further adapted to change the different views presented for specific requesting parties by changing the active dataset for the respective requesting parties.

19. A system according to claim 11, adapted to move data entries between different datasets by changing their dataset tags.

20. A system according to claim 11, wherein the database comprises a plurality of auxiliary datasets with data entries holding updated data for at least some of said objects and also containing dataset tags indicating to which auxiliary dataset each entry belongs.

21. A database containing data entries for a plurality of objects in a telecommunication system, the database comprising:

an original dataset with data entries holding original data for the objects; and

,

an auxiliary dataset with data entries holding updated data for at least some of said objects;

wherein the data entries in the original dataset contain a first dataset tag and the data entries in the auxiliary dataset contain a second dataset tag, said dataset tags indicating to which dataset each entry belongs; and

,

wherein each data entry in the auxiliary dataset and a corresponding data entry in the original dataset both refer to the same object such that the original and auxiliary datasets present different views of data for the same objects;

whereby a querying logic unit can make a query for data from a wanted data entry and obtain data for a requesting party of the wanted data entry from one of said original and auxiliary datasets which is determined to be valid for said requesting party based on the dataset tag in said data entry.