Apparatus and method for performing data transformations in data warehousing
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer implemented method for transforming data in a data warehousing application, comprising the steps of:
- specifying at least one source table containing data, wherein the source table includes at least a first source table output port;
storing metadata corresponding to a plurality of transformation objects, wherein the transformation objects have at least one transformation object input port for accepting data and at least one transformation object output port for outputting transformed data and particular transformation objects transform data according to the metadata corresponding to that particular transformation object;
specifying a target table for storing manipulated data, wherein the target table includes at least a first target table input port;
selecting at least one of the transformation objects;
mapping data from the first source table output port to a first transformation object input port of a first selected transformation object, wherein the mapping is defined by a human user;
transforming the data according to the metadata corresponding to the first selected transformation object;
mapping the transformed data from a first transformation object output port to the first target table input port.
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Abstract
A transformation description language (TDL) for specifying how data is to be manipulated in a data warehousing application. The TDL is comprised of a source for storing raw data, one or more transformation objects for processing the raw data according to predefined instructions, and a target for storing the processed data. A mapping is used for directing the data flow between the I/O ports corresponding to the source, the plurality of transformation objects, and the target. The mapping specifies the connectivity between the source, transformation, and target objects as well as the order of these connections. There are a number of different transformations which can be performed to manipulate the data. Some such transformations include: an aggregator transformation, an expression transformation, a filter transformation, a lookup transformation, a query transformation, a sequence transformation, a stored procedure transformation, and an update strategy transformation.
290 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for transforming data in a data warehousing application, comprising the steps of:
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specifying at least one source table containing data, wherein the source table includes at least a first source table output port; storing metadata corresponding to a plurality of transformation objects, wherein the transformation objects have at least one transformation object input port for accepting data and at least one transformation object output port for outputting transformed data and particular transformation objects transform data according to the metadata corresponding to that particular transformation object; specifying a target table for storing manipulated data, wherein the target table includes at least a first target table input port; selecting at least one of the transformation objects; mapping data from the first source table output port to a first transformation object input port of a first selected transformation object, wherein the mapping is defined by a human user; transforming the data according to the metadata corresponding to the first selected transformation object; mapping the transformed data from a first transformation object output port to the first target table input port. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer implemented method for transforming data in a data mart application, comprising the steps of:
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identifying a set of source tables containing data, wherein each source table has at least one source output port; storing a set of transformation objects, wherein each transformation ofject has at least one transformation object input port and at least one transformation object output port and each transformation object has corresponding metadata which defines how data is to be transformed for each of the transformation objects; identifying a set of target tables for storing transformed data, wherein the target tables include at least one target table input port; selecting one or more source tables, transformation objects, and target tables for constructing a mapping; mapping data from one or more selected source table ouput ports to one or more of the transformation object input ports; mapping transformed data from one or more selected transformation object output ports to one or more of a different transformation object input port; mapping transformed data from one or more selected transformation object output ports to one or more target table input ports. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions for causing a computer to modify data comprising:
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a source for storing untransformed data, wherein the source includes an output port for outputting the untransformed data; a plurality of transformation objects for processing the untransformed data according to predefined instructions, wherein the plurality of transformation objects include at least one input port for accepting data and at least one output port for outputting processed data and wherein each of the transformation objects have a predefined set of rules for modifying data; a target for storing modified data, wherein the target includes at least one input port for accepting modified data; a mapping for directing a flow of data between ports corresponding to the source, one or more transformation objects which were selected from the plurality of transformation objects, and the target. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification