Method, system and apparatus for accessing stored spatial data

• US 8,566,312 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Rugland, Terje, Benum, Trond
• Primary Examiner(s): SOMERS, MARC S
• Application Number:
  US10/957,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20050165725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,308 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/10, 707/1, 707/2, 707/705, 707/736, 707/918, 707/919
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

An apparatus, method and system for accessing database attributes stored in a first database are disclosed. The database attributes may be stored in a proprietary manner. The invention includes a data access layer having a second database, which maps visible attributes to the database attributes. The second database includes one or more artificial attributes, stored in meta data. The invention also includes an attribute pre-processing module for scanning a user request to see if the request includes the artificial attribute. The attribute pre-processing module creates an artificial attribute post processor, which can build a real attribute from a combination of the artificial attribute received from the attribute pre-processing module and a visible attribute received from the first database via the data access layer.

Claims

1. An apparatus for accessing database attributes stored in a first database, comprising:

a memory configured to store a first data access layer having a second database and a second data access layer having a third database,

the first data access layer for;

mapping a first visible attribute to first non-spatial data components of a first proprietary spatial attribute of the first database, wherein the first visible attribute is stored in the first data access layer by topic, and

providing access to retrieve the non-spatial data components while hiding a first database implementation of the first proprietary spatial attribute,

the second data access layer for;

mapping a second visible attribute to second non-spatial data components of a second proprietary spatial attribute of a fourth database, wherein the second visible attribute is stored in the second data access layer by topic, and

providing access to retrieve the second non-spatial data components while hiding a second database implementation of the second proprietary spatial attribute, and

the second database and the third database comprising meta data, wherein the meta data comprises a first artificial attribute used to create a first artificial attribute post processor and a second artificial attribute used to create a second artificial attribute post processor, wherein the first artificial attribute describes a formula for a first real attribute and first visible attribute for dynamically calculating the first real attribute, and wherein the second artificial attribute describes a spatial data type of a second real attribute and second visible attribute for dynamically building the second real attribute, and

a processor configured to;

execute an attribute pre-processing module for;

scanning a user request to verify whether the request includes the first artificial attribute and the second artificial attribute, and

obtaining, according to a usage rule for the first artificial attribute, the formula and the first non-spatial data components,

create the first artificial attribute post processor suitable for dynamically calculating, according to the formula, the first real attribute from a first combination of the first artificial attribute received from the first attribute pre-processing module and the first non-spatial data components received from the first data access layer, and

create the second artificial attribute post processor suitable for dynamically building the second real attribute from a second combination of the second artificial attribute received from the second attribute pre-processing module and the second non-spatial data components received from the second data access layer,

wherein the second database and the third database comprise a plurality of artificial attributes stored in meta data, wherein the plurality of artificial attributes are stored by topic for selecting the first artificial attribute and the second artificial attribute from the plurality of artificial attributes.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the first artificial attribute is spatial data.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the first artificial attribute is a shape.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the first artificial attribute is used to derive a symbol code from other attributes.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the first artificial attribute post processor sends the first real attribute to an output.

6. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the output includes a display screen.

7. An apparatus as in claim 5, wherein the output includes a printer.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the first visible attribute consists of non-spatial data.

9. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the first artificial attribute includes the usage rule that identifies the first artificial attribute as artificial and describes a location where data is stored to dynamically calculate the first artificial attribute into the first real attribute.

10. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the first artificial attribute includes a building block that describes the first artificial attribute.

11. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising enabling code stored in the second database, the enabling code capable of reading the meta data also stored in the second database and the enabling code supporting read/insert/update/delete operations.

12. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein each artificial attribute includes a corresponding usage rule, which identifies the artificial attribute as artificial and describes a location where data is stored to dynamically build the artificial attribute into the corresponding real attribute, and at least one building block, and wherein the corresponding artificial attribute post processor sends the corresponding real attribute to an output.

13. A method for accessing data stored in a first database comprising:

receiving a request for stored data;

scanning, using a computer processor, the request to verify whether the request seeks a first artificial attribute and a second artificial attribute, wherein a second database and a third database comprise meta data, wherein the meta data comprises the first artificial attribute and the second artificial attribute;

retrieving, using the computer processor and according to a usage rule, data required to dynamically calculate the first artificial attribute into a first real attribute and to dynamically build the second artificial attribute into a second real attribute; and

using the retrieved data to dynamically calculate, according to a formula and using the computer processor, the first real attribute, wherein the retrieved data comprises the first artificial attribute used to create a first artificial attribute post processor and first non-spatial data components,

wherein the first artificial attribute describes the formula for the first real attribute and a first visible attribute for dynamically calculating the first real attribute,

wherein the first visible attribute is stored in a first data access layer by topic and mapped to the first non-spatial data components of a first proprietary spatial attribute of the first database, and

wherein the first data access layer provides access to retrieve the first non-spatial data components while hiding a first database implementation of the first proprietary spatial attribute,

using the retrieved data to dynamically build, using the computer processor, the second real attribute, wherein the retrieved data comprises the second artificial attribute used to create a second artificial attribute post processor and second non-spatial data components,

wherein the second artificial attribute describes a spatial data type of the second real attribute and a second visible attribute for dynamically building the second real attribute,

wherein the second visible attribute is stored in a second data access layer by topic and mapped to the second non-spatial data components of a second proprietary spatial attribute of a fourth database, and

wherein the second data access layer provides access to retrieve the second non-spatial data components while hiding a second database implementation of the second proprietary spatial attribute,

wherein the second database and the third database comprise a plurality of artificial attributes stored in meta data, wherein the plurality of artificial attributes are stored by topic for selecting the first artificial attribute and the second artificial attribute from the plurality of artificial attributes.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein the first artificial attribute includes a usage rule and at least one building block that specifies the location of the data to be retrieved to dynamically build the first real attribute.

15. A method as in claim 13, further comprising sending the first real attribute to an output.

16. A method as in claim 15, wherein the output includes a display.

17. A method as in claim 15, wherein the output includes a printer.

18. A method as in claim 13, wherein the first visible attribute consists of non-spatial data.

19. A method as in claim 18, further comprising enabling code, stored in the second database, reading the meta data stored in the second database and supporting read/insert/update/delete operations.

20. A method as in claim 13, wherein the first artificial attribute is spatial data.

21. A method as in claim 13, wherein the first artificial attribute is a shape.

22. A method as in claim 13, wherein the first artificial attribute is used to derive a symbol code from other attributes.

23. A method as in claim 13, wherein the plurality of artificial attributes are organized by topic, each artificial attribute including a usage rule and at least one building block, specifying the location of the data to be retrieved to dynamically build the corresponding real attribute and further comprising:

enabling code, stored in the second database, reading the meta data stored in the second database and supporting read/insert/update/delete operations, and

sending the corresponding real attribute to an output.

24. A method for accessing data stored in a first database comprising:

an attribute pre-processor receiving a request for stored data;

the attribute pre-processor scanning the request to verify whether the request seeks a first artificial attribute and a second artificial attribute,

wherein a second database and a third database comprise meta data,

wherein the meta data comprises the first artificial attribute used to create a first artificial attribute post processor and the second artificial attributed used to create a second artificial attribute post processor,

wherein the first artificial attribute describes a formula for a first real attribute and a first visible attribute for dynamically calculating a first real attribute,

wherein the second artificial attribute describes a spatial data type of a second real attribute and a second visible attribute for dynamically building a second real attribute,

wherein the first visible attribute and second visible attribute are stored in a first data access layer and a second data access layer by topic and each mapped to non-spatial data components of a proprietary spatial attribute,

wherein each of the first visible attribute and second visible attribute provides access to retrieve the non-spatial data components while hiding a database implementation of the proprietary spatial attribute;

if the request seeks the first artificial attribute and the second artificial attribute, the attribute pre-processor creates the first artificial attribute post processor and the second artificial attribute post processor, sends, according to a usage rule, the first artificial attribute to the first artificial attribute post-processor, sends the second artificial attribute to the second artificial attribute post-processor, sends a request for the visible attributes to the first data access layer and the second data access layer;

the first data access layer sending a first query to the first database for first non-spatial data components of a first proprietary spatial attribute of the first database, retrieving the first non-spatial data components, and sending the retrieved first non-spatial data components to the first artificial attribute post-processor;

the first artificial attribute post-processor calculating, according to the formula, a first real attribute from the first non-spatial data components and the first artificial attribute and sending the first real attribute to an output,

the second data access layer sending a second query to a fourth database for second non-spatial data components of a second proprietary spatial attribute of the fourth database, retrieving the second non-spatial data components, and sending the retrieved second non-spatial data components to the second artificial attribute post-processor; and

the second artificial attribute post-processor creating a second real attribute from the second non-spatial data components and the second artificial attribute and sending the second real attribute to the output,

wherein the second database and the third database comprise a plurality of artificial attributes stored in the meta data, wherein the plurality of artificial attributes are stored by topic for selecting the first artificial attribute and the second artificial attribute from the plurality of artificial attributes.

25. A system for accessing database attributes stored in a first database, comprising:

a memory configured to store a first data access layer having a second database and a second data access layer having a third database,

the first data access layer for;

mapping a first visible attribute to first non-spatial data components of a first proprietary spatial attribute of the first database, wherein the first visible attribute is stored in the first data access layer by topic, and

providing access to retrieve the non-spatial data components while hiding a first database implementation of the first proprietary spatial attribute,

the second data access layer for;

mapping a second visible attribute to second non-spatial data components of a second proprietary spatial attribute of a fourth database, wherein the second visible attribute is stored in the second data access layer by topic, and

providing access to retrieve the second non-spatial data components while hiding a second database implementation of the second proprietary spatial attribute,

the second database and the third database comprising meta data, wherein the meta data comprises a first artificial attribute used to create a first artificial attribute post processor and a second artificial attribute used to create a second artificial attribute post processor, wherein the first artificial attribute describes a formula for a first real attribute and first visible attribute for dynamically calculating the first real attribute, and wherein the second artificial attribute describes a spatial data type of a second real attribute and second visible attribute for dynamically building the second real attribute, and

a processor configured to execute;

an attribute pre-processing module for;

scanning a user request to verify whether the request includes the first artificial attribute and the second artificial attribute, and

obtaining, according to a usage rule for the first artificial attribute, the formula and the first non-spatial data components;

the first artificial attribute post processor, created by the attribute pre-processing module, for dynamically calculating, according to the formula, the first real attribute from;

the first artificial attribute received from the attribute pre-processing module, and

the first non-spatial data components received from the first data access layer; and

the second artificial attribute post processor, created by the attribute pre-processing module, for dynamically building the second real attribute from;

the second artificial attribute received from the attribute pre-processing module, and

the second non-spatial data components received from the second data access layer,

wherein the second database and the third database comprise a plurality of artificial attributes stored in the meta data, wherein the plurality of artificial attributes are stored by topic for selecting the first artificial attribute and the second artificial attribute from the plurality of artificial attributes.

26. A system as in claim 25, wherein the first artificial attribute is spatial data.

27. A system as in claim 25, wherein the first artificial attribute is a shape.

28. A system as in claim 25, wherein the first artificial attribute is used to derive a symbol code from other attributes.

29. A system as in claim 25, wherein the first artificial attribute post processor sends the first real attribute to an output.

30. A system as in claim 29, wherein the output includes a display screen.

31. A system as in claim 29, wherein the output includes a printer.

32. A system as in claim 25, wherein the first artificial attribute further comprises enabling code stored in the second database, the enabling code capable of reading the metadata and the enabling code supporting read/insert/update/delete operations.

33. A system as in claim 25, wherein the first visible attribute consists of non-spatial data.

34. A system as in claim 25, wherein the first artificial attribute includes the usage rule that identifies the first artificial attribute as artificial and describes where data is stored to dynamically calculate the first artificial attribute into the first real attribute.

35. A system as in claim 25, wherein the first artificial attribute includes a building block that describes the first artificial attribute.

36. A system as in claim 25, further comprising:

each artificial attribute having a corresponding usage rule and a building block that describes the artificial attribute;

enabling code stored in the second database, the enabling code capable of reading the meta data and the enabling code supporting read/insert/update/delete operations; and

the corresponding artificial attribute post processor capable of sending the corresponding real attribute to an output.