Method and apparatus for defining common entity relationships
First Claim
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1. A method comprisingusing a computer processor to access a first repository of metadata in a computer memory;
- using a computer processor to store a first data entity-relationship diagram in the first repository of metadata, wherein the first data entity-relationship diagram includes a plurality of data entities and a plurality of data entity relationships stored in the computer memory, such that each of the plurality of data entity relationships links one of the plurality of data entities with only one of the plurality of data entities;
wherein each of the plurality of data entities relates to one of a plurality of overall topics;
wherein the first data entity-relationship diagram includes a first data entity of the plurality of data entities relating to a first data entity overall topic of the plurality of overall topics;
wherein the first data entity includes a first data attribute relating to a sub topic of the first data entity overall topic; and
the method further comprising using a computer processor to declare the first data attribute to be a first unique key for the first data entity by storing a first unique key indicator in the computer memory to indicate that the first data attribute is a first unique key for the first data entity;
using a computer processor to determine that the first data attribute is a first unique key for the first data entity, wherein the first data entity is comprised of a plurality of instances, and the first data attribute uniquely identifies each of the plurality of instances of the first data entity;
wherein the first data entity-relationship diagram includes a second data entity of the plurality of data entities relating to a second data entity overall topic of the plurality of overall topics;
wherein the second data entity includes a second data attribute relating to a sub topic of the second data entity overall topic; and
the method further comprising using a computer processor to declare the second data attribute to be a second unique key for the second data entity by storing a second unique key indicator in the computer memory to indicate that the second data attribute is a second unique key of the second data entity;
using a computer processor to determine that the second data attribute is a second unique key for the second data entity;
wherein the second data entity is comprised of a plurality of instances, and the second data attribute uniquely identifies each of the plurality of instances of the second data entity;
using a computer processor to add a first common entity relationship set as data to the first repository of metadata;
wherein the first common entity relationship set groups together a plurality of common group unique keys wherein each of the plurality of common group unique keys is the same as each of the other of the plurality of common group unique keys, except that each of the plurality of common group unique keys includes a data entity link stored in the computer memory which specifies a data entity of the plurality of data entities to which each of the common group unique keys is related, such that each of the plurality of common group unique keys is related to a different data entity of the plurality of data entities;
wherein the plurality of common group keys includes the first data attribute and the second data attribute;
and the method further comprising using a computer processor to add a first common entity relationship indicator to computer memory to indicate that the first data attribute is a member of the first common entity relationship set in the first repository of metadata; and
using a computer processor to add a second common entity relationship indicator to the computer memory to indicate that the second data attribute is a member of the first common entity relationship set in the first repository of metadata; and
using a computer processor to store a common entity relationship link in the first data entity-relationship diagram in the computer memory, wherein the common entity relationship link links the first data attribute of the first data entity and the second data attribute of the second data entity,wherein the common entity relationship link is a peer-to-peer type of link; and
wherein the first data entity-relationship diagram, including the first data entity, the second data entity, the first data attribute and the second data attribute are stored in the first repository of metadata prior to adding the first common entity relationship set as data to the first repository of metadata.
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Abstract
A method, an apparatus, and a system for configuring, designing, and/or implementing common metadata and common data is detailed as a new type of data relationship, within and between databases.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method comprising
using a computer processor to access a first repository of metadata in a computer memory; -
using a computer processor to store a first data entity-relationship diagram in the first repository of metadata, wherein the first data entity-relationship diagram includes a plurality of data entities and a plurality of data entity relationships stored in the computer memory, such that each of the plurality of data entity relationships links one of the plurality of data entities with only one of the plurality of data entities; wherein each of the plurality of data entities relates to one of a plurality of overall topics; wherein the first data entity-relationship diagram includes a first data entity of the plurality of data entities relating to a first data entity overall topic of the plurality of overall topics; wherein the first data entity includes a first data attribute relating to a sub topic of the first data entity overall topic; and the method further comprising using a computer processor to declare the first data attribute to be a first unique key for the first data entity by storing a first unique key indicator in the computer memory to indicate that the first data attribute is a first unique key for the first data entity; using a computer processor to determine that the first data attribute is a first unique key for the first data entity, wherein the first data entity is comprised of a plurality of instances, and the first data attribute uniquely identifies each of the plurality of instances of the first data entity; wherein the first data entity-relationship diagram includes a second data entity of the plurality of data entities relating to a second data entity overall topic of the plurality of overall topics; wherein the second data entity includes a second data attribute relating to a sub topic of the second data entity overall topic; and the method further comprising using a computer processor to declare the second data attribute to be a second unique key for the second data entity by storing a second unique key indicator in the computer memory to indicate that the second data attribute is a second unique key of the second data entity; using a computer processor to determine that the second data attribute is a second unique key for the second data entity;
wherein the second data entity is comprised of a plurality of instances, and the second data attribute uniquely identifies each of the plurality of instances of the second data entity;using a computer processor to add a first common entity relationship set as data to the first repository of metadata;
wherein the first common entity relationship set groups together a plurality of common group unique keys wherein each of the plurality of common group unique keys is the same as each of the other of the plurality of common group unique keys, except that each of the plurality of common group unique keys includes a data entity link stored in the computer memory which specifies a data entity of the plurality of data entities to which each of the common group unique keys is related, such that each of the plurality of common group unique keys is related to a different data entity of the plurality of data entities;wherein the plurality of common group keys includes the first data attribute and the second data attribute; and the method further comprising using a computer processor to add a first common entity relationship indicator to computer memory to indicate that the first data attribute is a member of the first common entity relationship set in the first repository of metadata; and using a computer processor to add a second common entity relationship indicator to the computer memory to indicate that the second data attribute is a member of the first common entity relationship set in the first repository of metadata; and using a computer processor to store a common entity relationship link in the first data entity-relationship diagram in the computer memory, wherein the common entity relationship link links the first data attribute of the first data entity and the second data attribute of the second data entity, wherein the common entity relationship link is a peer-to-peer type of link; and
wherein the first data entity-relationship diagram, including the first data entity, the second data entity, the first data attribute and the second data attribute are stored in the first repository of metadata prior to adding the first common entity relationship set as data to the first repository of metadata. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method comprising
using a computer processor to store a first database in a computer memory; -
wherein the first database includes a plurality of database tables and a plurality of database foreign key constraints, such that each of the plurality of database foreign key constraints links one of the plurality of database tables with only one of the plurality of database tables; wherein each of the plurality of database tables relates to one of a plurality of overall topics; wherein the first database includes a first database table of the plurality of database tables relating to a first database table overall topic of the plurality of overall topics; wherein the first database table includes a first database table column relating to a sub topic of the first database table overall topic; and the method further comprising using a computer processor to database instantiate the first database table column with a first plurality of data values; using a computer processor to use the first plurality of data values of the first database table column as a source of data values for a first unique index for the first database table; using a computer processor to the enforce the first unique index of the first database table, where the first unique index is programmed to reject the storage in the first database table of any duplicate data values of the first plurality of data values; wherein the first database table is comprised of a plurality of data records, and each data value of the first plurality of data values in the first database table column uniquely identifies each of the plurality of data records of the first database table; wherein the first database includes a second database table of the plurality of database tables relating to a second database table overall topic of the plurality of overall topics; wherein the second database table includes a second database table column relating to a sub topic of the second database table overall topic; and the method further comprising using a computer processor to database instantiate the second database table column with of a second plurality of data values; using a computer processor to use the second plurality of data values of the second database column as a source of data values for a second unique index for the second database table; using a computer processor to reject the storage in the second database table of any duplicate data values in the second plurality of data values, so that each of the second plurality of data values is different from each of the other of the second plurality of data values; wherein the second database table is comprised of a plurality of data records, and each data value of the second plurality of data values in the second database table column uniquely identifies each of the plurality of data records in the second database table; using the computer processor to ensure that each of the plurality of data records of the second database table is one of the plurality of data records of the first database table; using the computer processor to ensure that each data record of the plurality of data records of the second database table may only be modified to match one of the data records of the plurality data records of the first database table; and using the computer processor to ensure that each data record of the plurality of data records from the first database table may not be changed if the same data record is in the plurality of data records of the second database table; using the computer processor to ensure that each data record of the plurality of data records of the first database table cannot be deleted from the first database table if that same data record is in the plurality of data records of the second database table. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method comprising
using a computer processor to store a first database in a computer memory; -
wherein the first database includes a plurality of database tables and a plurality of database foreign key constraints, such that each of the plurality of database foreign key constraints links one of the plurality of database tables with only one of the plurality of database tables; wherein each of the plurality of database tables relates to one of a plurality of overall topics; wherein the first database includes a first database table of the plurality of database tables relating to a first database table overall topic of the plurality of overall topics; wherein the first database table includes a first database table column relating to a sub topic of the first database table overall topic; and the method further comprising using a computer processor to database instantiate the first database table column with a first plurality of data values; using a computer processor to use the first plurality of data values of the first database table column as a source of data values for a first unique index for the first database table; using a computer processor to reject the storage in the first database table of any duplicate data values in the first plurality of data values, so that each of the first plurality of data values is different from each of the other of the first plurality of data values; wherein the first database table is comprised of a plurality of data records, and each data value of the first plurality of data values stored in the first database table column uniquely identifies each of the plurality of data records of the first database table; using a computer processor to store a second database in a computer memory; wherein the second database includes a further plurality of database tables and a further plurality of database foreign key constraints, such that each of the further plurality of database foreign key constraints links one of the further plurality of database tables with only one of the further plurality of database tables; wherein each of the plurality of database tables relates to one of a further plurality of overall topics; wherein the second database includes a second database table of the further plurality of database tables relating to a second database table overall topic of the further plurality of overall topics; wherein the second database table includes a second database table column relating to a sub topic of the second database table overall topic; and the method further comprising using a computer processor to database instantiate the second database table column with a second plurality of data values; using a computer processor to reject the storage in the second database table of any duplicate data values in the second plurality of data values, so that each of the second plurality of data values is different from each of the other of the second plurality of data values; wherein the second database table is comprised of a plurality of data records, and each data value of the second plurality of data values stored in the second database table column uniquely identifies each of the plurality of data records of the second database table; using the computer processor to ensure that each of the plurality of data records of the second database table stored in the second database is one of the plurality of data records of the first database table stored in the first database; using the computer processor to ensure that each data record of the plurality of data records of the second database table stored in the second database may only be modified to match one of the data records of the plurality data records of the first database table stored in the first database; and using the computer processor to ensure that each data record of the plurality of data records from the first database table stored in the first database may not be changed if the same data record is in the plurality of data records of the second database table stored in the second database; using the computer processor to ensure that each data record of the plurality of data records of the first database table stored in the first database cannot be deleted from the first database table if that same data record is in the plurality of data records of the second database table stored in the second database.
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12. A method comprising
using a computer processor to access a first repository of metadata in a computer memory; -
using a computer processor to store a first data entity-relationship diagram in the first repository of metadata, wherein the first data entity-relationship diagram includes a first plurality of data entities and a first plurality of data entity relationships stored in the computer memory, such that each of the first plurality of data entity relationships links one of the first plurality of data entities with only one of the first plurality of data entities; wherein each of the first plurality of data entities relates to one of a first plurality of overall topics; wherein the first data entity-relationship diagram includes a first data entity of the first plurality of data entities relating to a first data entity overall topic of the first plurality of overall topics; wherein the first data entity includes a first data attribute relating to a sub topic of the first data entity overall topic; and the method further comprising using a computer processor to declare the first data attribute to be a first unique key for the first data entity by storing a first unique key indicator in the computer memory to indicate that the first data attribute is a first unique key for the first data entity; using a computer processor to determine that the first data attribute is a first unique key for the first data entity, wherein the first data entity is comprised of a first plurality of instances, and the first data attribute uniquely identifies each of the first plurality of instances of the first data entity; using a computer processor to access a second repository of metadata in the computer memory; using a computer processor to store a second data entity-relationship diagram in the second repository of metadata, wherein the second data entity-relationship diagram includes a second plurality of data entities and a second plurality of data entity relationships stored in the computer memory, such that each of the second plurality of data entity relationships links one of the second plurality of data entities with only one of the second plurality of data entities; wherein each of the second plurality of data entities relates to one of a second plurality of overall topics; wherein the second data entity-relationship diagram includes a second data entity of the second plurality of data entities relating to a second data entity overall topic of the second plurality of overall topics; wherein the second data entity includes a second data attribute relating to a sub topic of the second data entity overall topic; and the method further comprising using a computer processor to declare the second data attribute to be a second unique key for the second data entity by storing a second unique key indicator in the computer memory to indicate that the second data attribute is a second unique key for the second data entity; using a computer processor to determine that the second data attribute is a second unique key for the second data entity, wherein the second data entity is comprised of a second plurality of instances, and the second data attribute uniquely identifies each of the second plurality of instances of the second data entity; using a computer processor to add a first common entity relationship set as data to the first repository of metadata and to the second repository of metadata; wherein the first common entity relationship set groups together a plurality of common group unique keys wherein each of the plurality of common group unique keys is the same as each of the other of the plurality of common group unique keys, except that each of the plurality of common group unique keys includes a data entity link stored in the computer memory which specifies a data entity of the plurality of data entities to which each of the common group unique keys is related, such that each of the plurality of common group unique keys is related to a different data entity of the plurality of data entities; wherein the plurality of common group keys includes the first data attribute of the first data entity of the first entity-relationship diagram; wherein the plurality of common group keys includes the second data attribute of the second data entity of the second entity-relationship diagram; and the method further comprising using a computer processor to add a first common entity relationship indicator to computer memory to indicate that the first data attribute is a member of the first common entity relationship set in the first repository of metadata; and using a computer processor to add a second common entity relationship indicator to the computer memory to indicate that the second data attribute is a member of the first common entity relationship set in the second repository of metadata; and using a computer processor to store a first common entity relationship link in the first data entity-relationship diagram in the computer memory, wherein the first common entity relationship link links the first data attribute of the first data entity to the first common entity relationship set; using a computer processor to store a second common entity relationship link in the second data entity-relationship diagram in the computer memory, wherein the second common entity relationship link links the second data attribute of the second data entity to the first common entity relationship set. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification