Systems and methods for data modeling in an item-based storage platform

• US 20050049993A1
• Filed: 08/21/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Terek, F. Soner, Thompson, J. Patrick, Nori, Anil K., Campbell, David G., Celis, Pedro, Agarwal, Sameet
• Granted Patent: US 7,428,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a data store comprising Items, Elements, and Relationships. An Item is a unit of data storable in a data store and further comprises said Element and said Relationship. An Element is an instance of a type comprising one or more fields. A Relationship is a link between at least two Items. The data store further comprising a Core Schema to define a set of Core Items by which a hardware/software interface system understands and directly processes said set of Core Items in a predetermined and predictable way. The Core Items are derived (directly or indirectly) from a common single Base Item which, in turn, is a foundational Item in a Base Schema.

Claims

1. A data store comprising at least one of each of an Item, an Element, and a Relationship, wherein:

said Item is a unit of data storable in a data store and further comprises said Element and said Relationship;

said Element is an instance of a type comprising one or more fields; and

said Relationship is a link between at least two Items.

2. The data store of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of Items, said plurality of Items comprising an Item Folder and at least one other Item that is a member of said Item Folder.

3. The data store of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of Items, said plurality of Items comprising a Category and at least other one Item that is a member of said Category.

4. The data store of claim 1 wherein a Relationship between two Items is established automatically by a hardware/software interface system.

5. The data store of claim 1 wherein said Element is understandable by a hardware/software interface system.

6. The data store of claim 1 further comprising a second Element, and wherein said Relationship comprises said second Element.

7. The data store of claim 1 further comprising a Core Schema to define a set of Core Items by which a hardware/software interface system understands and directly processes said set of Core Items in a predetermined and predictable way.

8. The data store of claim 7 wherein each Item from the set of Core Items is derived (directly or indirectly) from a Common Single Base Item.

9. The data store of claim 7 wherein said Common Single Base Item is a foundational Item in a Base Schema.

10. A computer-readable medium with computer-readable instructions for a data store comprising at least two Items, said Items each comprising at least one Element, and said Items each sharing a Relationship with at least one other Item.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 further comprising:

instructions for said data store to store at least one of each an Item, an Element, and a Relationship;

instructions for said Item to further comprises said Element and said Relationship with said data store;

instructions for said Element to comprise a type of one or more fields; and

instructions for forming a Relationship between two Items.

12. A computer system, said computer system comprising:

a plurality of Elements where each Element from among said plurality of Elements constitutes an instance of a type comprising one or more fields;

a plurality of Items where each Item from among said plurality of Items constitutes a discrete storable unit of information that can be manipulated by a hardware/software interface system, and wherein each said Item comprises at least one Element;

a plurality of Relationships where each Relationship form among said plurality of Relationships is a link between at least two items;

a data store, said data store comprising said plurality of Item, said plurality of Elements, and said plurality of Relationships;

a storage platform for managing said data store and for manipulating said plurality of Items

13. The computer system of claim 12 wherein each Item from among said plurality of Items belongs to at least one Item Folder from among a plurality of Item Folders, and wherein each said Item may belong to more than one Item Folder from among said plurality of Item Folders.

14. The computer system of claim 13 wherein the deletion of said Item Folder does not automatically result in the deletion of said Item.

15. The computer system of claim 13 wherein an Item is automatically deleted when it no longer belongs to any Item Folder.

16. The computer system of claim 13 wherein said Item is automatically deleted when it is a member of only one Item Folder and said Item Folder is deleted.

17. The computer system of claim 13 wherein an Item is automatically a member of a default Item Folder.

18. The computer system of claim 13 wherein said Item, when it is a member of only one Item Folder and said Item Folder is deleted, automatically becomes a member of a default Item Folder.

19. A method for organizing Items in a data store, said Items comprising (a) a discrete unit of information that can be manipulated by an operating system, (b) at least one Element, and (c) a Relationship with at least one other Item;

said method comprising means by which an Item can be a member of at least two Item Folders but is not owned by any of said Item Folders such that the deletion of any of said Item Folders does not automatically result in the deletion of said Item.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the Item is a member of an Item Folder but is not owned by said Item Folder, such that the deletion of said Item Folder does not automatically result in the deletion of said Item.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the Item is automatically deleted when it no longer belongs to any Item Folder.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said Item, when it no longer belongs to any Item Folder, automatically becomes a member of a default Item Folder.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the Item is automatically deleted when it is a member of only one Item Folder and said Item Folder is deleted.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein said Item, when it is a member of only one Item Folder and said Item Folder is deleted, automatically becomes a member of a default Item Folder.