Patent · US Active

Method for representing and storing hierarchical data in a columnar format

US9087138B2 · kind B2 · utility

15Cited by
13References
12Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJan 15, 2013
Grant dateJul 21, 2015
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 28, 2033

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F16/00
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A computer implemented system, program product, and method that organizes hierarchical data into a plurality of columns is disclosed. A schema interface is defined for the data and two types of columns, value columns and occurrence columns, are used. Each value column stores the values for a field. Each occurrence column stores the occurrence numbers for a node that is repeatable, or optional, or in a choice group. The hierarchical relationship of the data is jointly preserved by the schema interface and the occurrence numbers in the occurrence columns. A database management system built upon the method is capable of operating at higher efficiency by combining some of the best aspects of relational database and hierarchical database management systems. The computer implemented method also provides a new and efficient method of exchanging data over networks.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.