Adaptive interpretation and compilation of database queries

US11055331B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Tableau Software, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Thomas Neumann · Munich, DE
• Viktor Leis · Munich, DE
• Alfons Kemper · Munich, DE
• Tobias Muehlbauer · Munich, DE
• Jan Finis · Munich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 8, 2017
• Grant date: Jul 6, 2021
• Expiry date: May 7, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06F16/334
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A method executes at a computer system to retrieve data from a database. Upon receiving a database query, the computer system translates the query into an intermediate representation, and estimates a compilation time to compile the intermediate representation into machine executable code. The query execution time to retrieve a result set is also estimated. In accordance with a determination that the query execution time and compilation time satisfy an interpretation criterion, the computer system invokes a byte code interpreter to interpret the intermediate representation and retrieve the result set from the database. In accordance with a determination that the query execution and compilation times satisfy one of a plurality of compilation criteria, the computer system compiles the intermediate representation to form machine code and executes the machine code to retrieve the result set from the database. In some cases, the query intermediate representation is optimized prior to compilation.