Data model and applications

• US 8,200,709 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2009
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Mackie, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAM LINH T
• Application Number:
  US12/352,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: 707/736, 707/749, 707/781, 707/793, 707/802, 707/803, 707/810
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Systems and methods relating to a data model are described. The data model includes aspects of both static and dynamic data structures. In a typical implementation the dynamic data structures are used to store information whose organization and values may change responsive to the values of other data stored in the data model. The static data structures are used to store information whose structure and content are relatively more static. Tables within the static and dynamic data structures include a unique key configured to interrelate information stored in each data structure. The data model is illustrated using a customer relationship management (CRM) example. In this example, roles and relationships between business objects are stored in the dynamic data structures.

Claims

1. A method of defining a role of a business object of a customer relation management system, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting a first business object of a plurality of business objects by the customer relation management system, the first business object described by a business object type and characterized by a database key;

selecting a role type of the role by the customer relation management system, the role type being responsive to the business object type;

defining by the customer relation management system a dynamic data structure storing data for the first business object characterizing the role and responsive to the role type, wherein the data of the dynamic data structure further defines a relationship between the first business object and a second business object of the plurality of business objects based on the role; and

defining by the customer relation management system a static data structure storing data for the first business object, wherein the data of the static data structure is selected based on the data of the dynamic data structure for the first business object including the relationship between the first business object and the second business object, and wherein the dynamic data structure varies based on the data of the dynamic data structure and the data of the static data structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the role type is further responsive to an attribute of the business object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the attribute is a static attribute characterized by static data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the business object is a person.

5. The method of claim 1, further including a step of specifying the relationship, the specification being responsive to the role type.

6. A method of defining a relationship between a first business object and a second business object stored by a customer relation management system, the method comprising steps of:

selecting by the customer relation management system a relationship type, the relationship type being responsive to a role type of the first business object and responsive to a role type of the second business object, the role type of the first business object describing a role of the first business object and the role type of the second business object describing a role of the second business object;

defining by the customer relation management system a dynamic data structure storing data characterizing the relationship and responsive to the relationship type; and

defining by the customer relation management system a static data structure storing data for the first business object and the second business object, wherein the data of the static data structure is selected based on the data of the dynamic data structure including the relationship between the first business object and the second business object, and wherein the dynamic data structure varies based on the data of the dynamic data structure and the data of the static data structure.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first business object has static attributes of a person.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the first business object has static attributes of a corporation.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the first business object is of a type business contact.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the first business object is of a type process or of a type task.

11. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the processor and having stored therein a sequence of instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to define a role of a business object of a customer relation management system by;

selecting a first business object of a plurality of business objects, the first business object described by a business object type and characterized by a database key;

selecting a role type of the role, the role type being responsive to the business object type;

defining by the customer relation management system a dynamic data structure storing data for the first business object characterizing the role and responsive to the role type, wherein the data of the dynamic data structure further defines a relationship between the first business object and a second business object of the plurality of business objects based on the role; and

defining by the customer relation management system a static data structure storing data for the first business object, wherein the data of the static data structure is selected based on the data of the dynamic data structure for the first business object including the relationship between the first business object and the second business object, and wherein the dynamic data structure varies based on the data of the dynamic data structure and the data of the static data structure.

12. A computer-readable memory having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to define a role of a business object of a customer relation management system by:

selecting a first business object of a plurality of business objects, the first business object described by a business object type and characterized by a database key;

selecting a role type of the role, the role type being responsive to the business object type;

defining by the customer relation management system a dynamic data structure storing data for the first business object characterizing the role and responsive to the role type, wherein the data of the dynamic data structure further defines a relationship between the first business object and a second business object of the plurality of business objects based on the role; and

defining by the customer relation management system a static data structure storing data for the first business object, wherein the data of the static data structure is selected based on the data of the dynamic data structure for the first business object including the relationship between the first business object and the second business object, and wherein the dynamic data structure varies based on the data of the dynamic data structure and the data of the static data structure.