Retrieval of related records from a relational database

• US 4,805,099 A
• Filed: 03/21/1988
• Issued: 02/14/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wang Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Huber, Val J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Gareth D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kriess, Kevin A.
• Application Number:
  US07/172,992
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/300
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/26 Visual data mining; Browsing structured data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

In the maintenance of a stored relational database, signals representing record occurrences related to a record occurrence of a starting relation are retrieved. Stored relationship attribute signals, including specification of a common relationship field, are used to generate a generic cursor defined against the destination relation record occurence is selected, values of the specified relation; the generic cursor is stored, and when a starting field are copied from it to the generic cursor to form a completed cursor. Destination relation record occurrence signals defined by the completed cursor are accessed and stored. Retrieval can be carried out interactively, allowing an operator to select from a display the starting relation record occurrence and the operation of retrieving the related occurrences, and to view representations of the stored destination record occurrences.

Claims

1. A data processing system having:

input means providing input signals;

a visual display;

storage means providing working storage and database storage; and

a processor having means for controlling said visual display, means for reading and writing said storage means, means for responding to said input signals, and access means for retrieving record occurrence signals from said database storage and for storing retrieved record occurrence signals in said working storage,

characterized in having

means in said working storage for providing format signals representative of a predefined display format data structure

means in said database storage for providing description signal representative of a description data structure describing a data dictionary for describing the elements of a relational database, said description data structure being modeled as relations in a relational database, and

interactive and nonprocedural data dictionary defining means for

controlling said display to display elements comprising representations of record occurrences retrieved from said description data structure signals and representations of selectable operations, in a format derived from said display format data structure signals,

accepting from said input means, input signals representing element enumeration, characters, and operation selection, and

allocating storage within said database storage and placing therein signals representative of a data dictionary data structure responsive to said description data structure and to said input signals,

said data dictionary data structure being modeled as relations in a relational database and being descriptive of a particular other relational database.

2. The data processing system of claim 1, further characterized in having

means in said working storage for providing cursor signals representative of a cursor defined against a target comprising at least one of said relations in said description data structure,

said data dictionary defining means comprising

relational operator means for providing signals representative of a result relation, membership in said result relation being defined enumeratively and interactively through said input means, said operator means comprising:

cursor acceptance means for accepting from said working storage said cursor signals, said system access means being responsive to signals from said cursor acceptance means to retrieve from said target description data structure record occurrence signals specified by said cursor;

screen image defining means for accepting from said working storage said format signals, and for defining and storing in said working storage screen image signals representative of a screen image, responsive to said format signals and to said stored retrieved record occurrence signals,

said processor being responsive to said operator means to control said display to display a representation of said stored screen image signals, and to modify said stored screen image signals corresponding to enumerating signals from said input means, input during such display, effecting enumeration of certain of said retrieved record occurrences,

said operator means further comprising means for deriving from said modified screen image signals together with said cursor signals, output signals defining a result relation, membership in which is defined enumeratively, and for storing said output signals in said working storage.

3. The data processing system of claim 2, further characterized in that

said operator screen image defining means is further responsive to said predefined display format signals to define in said screen image representations of a plurality of selectable operations executable by said processor,

said processor being responsive to said operator means to accept, during such display, said operation selection signal input from said input means, effecting selection of one of said defined plurality of operations, said processor storing said operation selection signals,

said operator means further providing means responsive to said stored operation selection signals for providing and storing an output signal representative of said selection operation.

4. A data processing system having:

input means providing input signals;

a visual display;

storage means providing working storage and database storage; and

a processor having means for controlling said visual display, means for reading and writing said storage means, means for responding to said input signals, and access means for retrieving record occurrence signals from said database storage and for storing retrieved record occurrence signals in said working storage,

characterized in having

means in said working storage for providing format signals representative of a predefined display format data structure and a predefined archetype display format data structure,

means in said database storage for providing data dictionary signals representative of a data dictionary describing the elements of a particular relational database, said data dictionary being modeled as relations in a relational database,

interactive and nonprocedural screen-file defining means for

controlling said display to display elements comprising representations of record occurrences retrieved from said data dictionary signals and representations of selectable operations, in a format derived from said display format data structure signals,

accepting from said input means, input signals representing element enumeration, characters, and operation selection, and

allocating storage within said working storage and placing therein signals representative of a screen-file data structure responsive to said data dictionary signals, said archetype display format signals, and said input signals,

said screen-file data structure comprising predefined format signals representative of formats for the display of record occurrences retrieved from the particular relational database.

6. The data processing system of claim 4, further characterized in having

means in said working storage for providing cursor signal representative of a cursor defined against a target comprising at least one of said relations in said data dictionary data structure,

said screen-file defining means comprising

relational operator means for providing signals representative of a result relation, membership in said result relation being defined enumeratively and interactively through said input means, said operator means comprising:

cursor acceptance means for accepting from said working storage said cursor signals, said system access means being responsive from said target description data structure record occurrence signals specified by said cursor;

screen image defining means for accepting from said working storage said format signals, and for defining and storing in said working storage screen image signals representative of a screen image, responsive to said format signals and to said stored retrieved record occurrence signals,

said processor being responsive to said operator means to control said display to display a representation of said stored screen image signals, and to modify said stored screen image signals corresponding to enumerating signals from said input means, input during such display, effecting enumeration of certain of said retrieved record occurrences,

said operator means further comprising means for deriving from said modified screen image signal together with said cursor signals, output signals defining a result relation, membership in which is defined enumeratively, and for storing said output signals in said working storage.

7. The data processing system of claim 6, further characterized in that

said operator screen image defining means is further responsive to said predefined display format signals to define in said screen image representations of a plurality of selectable operations by said processor,

said processor being responsive to said operator means to accept, during such display, said operation selection signals input from said input means, effecting selection of one of said defined plurality of operations, said processor storing said operation selection signals,

said operator means further providing means responsive to said stored operation selection signals for providing and storing an output signal representative of said selection operation.

5. A data processing system having:

input means providing input signals;

a visual display;

storage means providing working storage and database storage; and

a processor having means for controlling said visual display, means for reading and writing said storage means, means for responding to said input signals, and access means for retrieving record occurrence signals from said database storage and for storing retrieved record occurrence signals in said working storage,

characterized in having

means in said working storage for providing format signals representative of a predefined definition display format data structure, a predefined builder display format data structure, and a predefined archetype display format data structure,

means in said database storage for providing description signals representative of a description data structure describing a data dictionary for describing the elements of a relational database, said description data structure being modeled as relations in a relational database, and

interactive and nonprocedural data dictionary defining means for

controlling said display to display elements comprising representations of record occurrences retrieved from said description data structure signals and representations of selectable operations, in a format derived from said definition format data structure signals,

accepting from said input means, input signals representing element enumeration, characters, and operation selection, and

allocating storage within said database storage and placing therein signals representative of a data dictionary data structure responsive to said description data structure and to said input signals, said data dictionary data structure being modeled as relations in a relational database, and being descriptive of a particular other relational database,

said system further having interactive and nonprocedural screen-file defining means for

controlling said display to display elements comprising representations of record occurrences retrieved from said data dictionary signals and representations of selectable operations, in a format derived from said builder display format data structure signals,

accepting from said input means, further input signals representing element enumeration, characters, and operation selection, and

allocating storage within said working storage and placing therein signals representative of a screen-file data structure responsive to said data dictionary signals, said archetype display format signals, and said further input signals,

said screen-file data structure comprising predefined format signals representative of formats for the display of record occurrences retrieved from the particular other relational database.

8. In a data processing system having:

input means providing input signals;

a visual display;

storage means providing working storage and database storage, said database storage providing signals representative of the record occurrences comprising a particular relational database; and

a processor having means for controlling said visual display, means for reading and writing said storage means, means for responding to said input signals, and access means for retrieving record occurrence signals from said database storage and for storing retrieved record occurrence signals in said working storage,

interactive and nonprocedural means for maintaining said particular relational database, comprising

means in said working storage for providing signals representative of a screen-file data structure comprising predefined format signals representative of formats for the display of record occurrences retrieved from the particular relational database, and for providing cursor signals representative of a cursor defined against a target comprising at least one of said relations in said particular relational database, and

relational operator means for providing signals representative of a result relation, membership in said result relation being defined enumeratively and interactively through said input means, said operator means comprising;

cursor acceptance means for accepting from said working storage said cursor signals, said system access means being responsive to signals from said cursor acceptance means to retrieve from said target description data structure record occurrence signals specified by said cursor;

screen image defining means for accepting from said working storage said format siginals, and for defining and storing in said working storage screen image signals representative of a screen image, responsive to said format signals and to said stored retrieved record occurrence signals,

said processor being responsive to said operator means to control said display to display a representation of said stored screen image signals, and to modify said stored screen image signals corresponding to enumerating signals from said input means, input during such display, effecting enumeration of certain of said retrieved record occurrences,

said operator means further comprising means for deriving from said modified screen image signals together with said cursor signals, output signals defining a result relation, membership in which is defined enumeratively, and for storing said output signals in said working storage.