Virtual database of heterogeneous data structures

Patent 6920457 Issued on July 19, 2005. Estimated Expiration Date:

May 16, 2022. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Method and system for generating a user interface adaptable to various database management systems
Patent #: 5550971
Issued on: 08/27/1996
Inventor: Brunner, et al.

Data warehouse portal Patent #: 6671689
Issued on: 12/30/2003
Inventor: Papierniak

Inventor

Pressmar, Peter

Application

No. 10146850 filed on 05/16/2002

US Classes:

707/101, Manipulating data structure (e.g., compression, compaction, compilation)707/102, Generating database or data structure (e.g., via user interface)707/104.1, Application of database or data structure (e.g., distributed, multimedia, image)707/100, DATABASE SCHEMA OR DATA STRUCTURE707/3Query processing (i.e., searching)

Examiners

Primary: Rones, Charles

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Scully, Scott, Murphy & Presser

Foreign Patent References

WO 96/30845 WO 10/01/1996

International Class

G06F017/30

Abstract

The described database (100) for receiving information, the described method and information management program (90), and the described apparatus for receiving and administering information in the form of arbitrarily structured data sets in at least one storage device of one or more data processing devices, has hierarchy levels, whereby a superior hierarchy level (119) contains information elements (111, 112, 113) for the definition of a structure of information elements (130, 140, 150) of a subordinate hierarchy level (129), and a subordinate hierarchy level (129) contains information elements (130, 140, 150) in an instantiation (131-136, 141-146, 151-156) in accordance with the structure which is defined at least by one information element (111, 112, 113) of the superior hierarchy level (119). As a result one obtains a database (100) having self-defining information.

Other References

Davis, J. P., et al., “EDICT—An Enhanced Relational Data Dictionary: Architecture and Example”, Data Engineering, 1988, Proceedings, Fourth International Conference on Los Angeles, CA, USA Feb. 1-5, 1988, pp. 184-191.