Mapping architecture with incremental view maintenance

• US 20070226196A1
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Adya, Atul, Larson, Per-Ake, Blakeley, Jose A., Melnik, Sergey
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24539 using cached or materialised query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

A data access architecture is provided that includes a mapping architecture for mapping data as may be used by an application to data as persisted in a database. The mapping architecture makes use of two types of mapping views—a query view that helps in translating queries and an update view that helps in translating updates. Incremental view maintenance can be used to translate data between the application and database.

Claims

1. A method for providing data services to an application, comprising:

generating a query view that expresses at least a portion of an application schema associated with said application in terms of a database schema associated with a database;

generating an update view that expresses at least a portion of said database schema in terms of said application schema;

utilizing said query view to query said database on behalf of said requesting application;

utilizing said update view to update said database on behalf of said requesting application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from said requesting application, an object in a programming language, said object in a programming language comprising data for use in updating said database.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from said requesting application, a create, insert, update, or delete instruction, said create, insert, update, or delete instruction comprising data for use in updating said database.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from said requesting application, an expression in a Data Manipulation Language (DML), said expression comprising data for use in updating said database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing said update view to compute an update to said database comprises applying a view maintenance algorithm to said update view.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein applying a view maintenance algorithm to said update view produces a delta expression for said update view, and further comprising using view unfolding to combine said delta expression with a query view.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein utilizing said update view to compute an update to said database comprises applying a view maintenance algorithm to data received for use in updating said database.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said application schema supports classes, relationships, inheritance, aggregation, and complex types.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said update view is generated using mapping that correlates said application schema to said database schema.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said query view and said update view are generated using said mapping.

11. A data access system for providing data services to an application, comprising:

a component for generating a query view that expresses at least a portion of an application schema associated with said application in terms of a database schema associated with a database;

a component for generating an update view that expresses at least a portion of said database schema in terms of said application schema;

a component for utilizing said query view to query said database on behalf of said requesting application;

a component for utilizing said update view to update said database on behalf of said requesting application.

12. The data access architecture of claim 11, further comprising a component for receiving, from said requesting application, an object in a programming language, said object in a programming language comprising data for use in updating said database.

13. The data access architecture of claim 11, further comprising a component for receiving, from said requesting application, a create, insert, update, or delete instruction, said create, insert, update, or delete instruction comprising data for use in updating said database.

14. The data access architecture of claim 11, further comprising a component for receiving, from said requesting application, an expression in a Data Manipulation Language (DML), said expression comprising data for use in updating said database.

15. The data access architecture of claim 11, wherein said component for utilizing said update view to compute an update to said database applies a view maintenance algorithm to said update view.

16. The data access architecture of claim 15, wherein applying a view maintenance algorithm to said update view produces a delta expression for said update view, and further comprising a component for using view unfolding to combine said delta expression with a query view.

17. The data access architecture of claim 11, wherein said component for utilizing update view to compute an update to said database applies a view maintenance algorithm to data received for use in updating said database.

18. The data access architecture of claim 11, wherein said application schema supports classes, relationships, inheritance, aggregation, and complex types.

19. The data access architecture of claim 11, further comprising a component for generating a mapping that correlates said application schema to said database schema.

20. The data access architecture of claim 19, wherein said query view and said update view are generated using said mapping.