Hybrid relational, directory, and content query facility

• US 9,020,995 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Connearney, Colleen S., Cross, Michael W., McGarvey, John R., Seekamp, Christopher R., Wesley, Ajamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahmoudi, Tony
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAHMAN, MOHAMMAD N
• Application Number:
  US11/617,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20080162427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,043 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 4, 707/828, 707/829, 707/830
• US Class Current: 707/828
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases

Abstract

A method of data storage and retrieval using a relational database can include defining a first table in a relational database including a plurality of entries having a first value for a first field. A second table in the relational database including a plurality of entries can be defined. Each of the plurality of entries in the second table can specify an additional value for the first field of a corresponding entry in the first table. Responsive to a query, a data item selected from at least one of the plurality of entries in the first table can be presented.

Claims

1. A method of data storage and retrieval using a relational database comprising:

defining a first table in a relational database comprising a plurality of entries having a first value for a first field;

defining a second table in the relational database comprising a plurality of entries, wherein each of the plurality of entries in the second table includes a second field and a third field for the first field of a corresponding entry in the first table, wherein the second field is reserved to store a media file having a size equal to or smaller than a threshold value and the third field is reserved to store a media file having a size greater than the threshold value;

determining a size of a media file to be stored, the media file corresponding to the first value in the first field in at least one of the plurality of entries of the first table;

selecting from the second field and at least the third field a field for storing the media file according to a size of the media file;

storing the media file in the selected field; and

responsive to a query, presenting a data item selected from at least one of the plurality of entries from the first table and the corresponding media file stored in the selected field.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, for each entry in the first table, creating an associated entry in the second table that specifies the first value as an additional value.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising defining the additional value to be an alias for the first value.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to the query, searching fields of a third table storing a normalized version of a query term.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to the query, searching fields of a third table comprising lowercase versions of the additional value.

6. A method of data storage and retrieval using a relational database comprising:

defining a first table in a relational database comprising a plurality of entries having a first value for a first field;

defining a second table in the relational database comprising a plurality of entries, wherein each of the plurality of entries in the second table is reserved to store a media file for the first field of a corresponding entry in the first table;

responsive to a query for unstructured data, initiating a first search by searching only fields reserved for storing a smallest size of media files;

responsive to detecting a null in an entry located by the first search, initiating a second search of only fields reserved for storing a larger size of media files; and

responsive the query, presenting a data item selected from at least one of the plurality of entries from the first table and a corresponding larger size media file identified in the second search.

7. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage device, wherein the computer-readable storage device is not a transitory, propagating signal per se, having computer-usable program code stored thereon that stores and retrieves data, said computer program product including;

computer-usable program code that defines a first table in a relational database comprising a plurality of entries having a first value for a first field;

computer-usable program code that defines a second table in the relational database comprising a plurality of entries, wherein each of the plurality of entries in the second table includes a second field and a third field for the first field of a corresponding entry in the first table, wherein the second field is reserved to store a media file having a size equal to or smaller than a threshold value and the third field is reserved to store a media file having a size greater than the threshold value;

computer-usable program code that determines a size of a media file to be stored, the media file corresponding to the first value in the first field in at least one of the plurality of entries of the first table;

computer-usable program code that selects from the second field and at least the third field a field for storing the media file according to a size of the media file;

computer-usable program code that stores the media file in the selected field; and

computer-usable program code that, responsive to a query, presents a data item selected from at least one of the plurality of entries from the first table and the corresponding media file stored in the selected field.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising computer-usable program code that stores in a third table a normalized version of each additional value.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising computer-usable program code that, responsive to the query, searches fields of the third table storing a normalized version of a query term.

10. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage device, wherein the computer-readable storage device is not a transitory, propagating signal per se, having computer-usable program code stored thereon that stores and retrieves data, said computer program product including;

computer-usable program code that defines a first table in a relational database comprising a plurality of entries having a first value for a first field;

computer-usable program code that defines a second table in the relational database comprising a plurality of entries, wherein each of the plurality of entries in the second table is reserved to store a media file for the first field of a corresponding entry in the first table;

computer-usable program code that, responsive to a query for unstructured data, initiates a first search by searching only fields reserved for storing a smallest size of media files;

computer-usable program code that, responsive to detecting a null in an entry located by the first search, initiates a second search of only fields reserved for storing a larger size of media files; and

computer-usable program code that, responsive the query, presents a data item selected from at least one of the plurality of entries from the first table and a corresponding larger size media file identified in the second search.