US5943668A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Relational emulation of a multi-dimensional database
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1997-06-30
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Granted: 1999-08-24
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Expires: 2017-06-30
Abstract
Abstract A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for using a relational database management system to support on-line analytical processing (OLAP) systems. A multi-dimensional database is defined having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks. The set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks. The data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks is stored in a relational database that represents the multi-dimensional database. Then, a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block is accessed from the relational database.
Inventors
- 👤 William Earl Malloy
- 👤 Simon Edward Moore
- 👤 Gary Robinson
- 👤 Craig Reginald Tomlyn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 08:39
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/28; G06F16/284; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99935; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of executing a command in a computer to perform a database operation on a relational database stored on a data storage device, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a multi-dimensional database having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks, wherein the set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks; (b) storing the data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks in a relational database, wherein the relational database represents the multi-dimensional database; (c) accessing a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block from the relational database after receiving a multi-dimensional member identifier and determining a corresponding relational member identifier.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of executing a command in a computer to perform a database operation on a relational database stored on a data storage device, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a multi-dimensional database having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks, wherein the set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks; (b) storing the data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks in a relational database, wherein the relational database represents the multi-dimensional database; (c) accessing a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block from the relational database after receiving a multi-dimensional member identifier and determining a corresponding relational member identifier.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of executing a command in a computer to perform a database operation on a relational database stored on a data storage device, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a multi-dimensional database having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks, wherein the set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks; (b) storing the data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks in a relational database, wherein the relational database represents the multi-dimensional database; and (c) accessing a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block from the relational database; (d) receiving a relational member identifier; and (e) determining a corresponding multi-dimensional member identifier.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
144 words
A method of executing a command in a computer to perform a database operation on a relational database stored on a data storage device, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a multi-dimensional database having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks, wherein the set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks; (b) storing the data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks in a relational database, wherein the relational database represents the multi-dimensional database; and (c) accessing a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block from the relational database; (d) receiving a relational member identifier; and (e) determining a corresponding multi-dimensional member identifier.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
158 words
An apparatus for executing a command to perform a database operation on a relational database, comprising: (a) a computer having a data storage device coupled thereto, wherein the data storage device stores the relational database; (b) one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for defining a multi-dimensional database having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks, wherein the set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks, for storing the data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks in a relational database, wherein the relational database represents the multi-dimensional database, and for accessing a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block from the relational database after receiving a multi-dimensional member identifier and determining a corresponding relational member identifier.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
158 words
An apparatus for executing a command to perform a database operation on a relational database, comprising: (a) a computer having a data storage device coupled thereto, wherein the data storage device stores the relational database; (b) one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for defining a multi-dimensional database having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks, wherein the set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks, for storing the data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks in a relational database, wherein the relational database represents the multi-dimensional database, and for accessing a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block from the relational database after receiving a multi-dimensional member identifier and determining a corresponding relational member identifier.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
158 words
An apparatus for executing a command to perform a database operation on a relational database, comprising: (a) a computer having a data storage device coupled thereto, wherein the data storage device stores the relational database; (b) one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for defining a multi-dimensional database having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks, wherein the set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks, for storing the data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks in a relational database, wherein the relational database represents the multi-dimensional database, for accessing a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block from the relational database, for receiving a relational member identifier and for determining a corresponding multi-dimensional member identifier.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
158 words
An apparatus for executing a command to perform a database operation on a relational database, comprising: (a) a computer having a data storage device coupled thereto, wherein the data storage device stores the relational database; (b) one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for defining a multi-dimensional database having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks, wherein the set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks, for storing the data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks in a relational database, wherein the relational database represents the multi-dimensional database, for accessing a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block from the relational database, for receiving a relational member identifier and for determining a corresponding multi-dimensional member identifier.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
165 words
An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for executing a command to perform a database operation on a relational database stored on a data storage device, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a multi-dimensional database having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks, wherein the set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks; (b) storing the data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks in a relational database, wherein the relational database represents the multi-dimensional database; and (c) accessing a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block from the relational database after receiving a multi-dimensional member identifier and determining a corresponding relational member identifier.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
165 words
An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for executing a command to perform a database operation on a relational database stored on a data storage device, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a multi-dimensional database having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks, wherein the set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks; (b) storing the data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks in a relational database, wherein the relational database represents the multi-dimensional database; and (c) accessing a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block from the relational database after receiving a multi-dimensional member identifier and determining a corresponding relational member identifier.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
165 words
An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for executing a command to perform a database operation on a relational database stored on a data storage device, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a multi-dimensional database having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks, wherein the set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks; (b) storing the data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks in a relational database, wherein the relational database represents the multi-dimensional database; (c) accessing a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block from the relational database; (d) receiving a relational member identifier; and (e) determining a corresponding multi-dimensional member identifier.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
165 words
An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for executing a command to perform a database operation on a relational database stored on a data storage device, the method comprising the steps of: (a) defining a multi-dimensional database having a set of multi-dimensional data blocks and a set of identifiers comprising selected dimensions of multi-dimensional data for identifying particular ones of the multi-dimensional data blocks, wherein the set of identifiers provides an ordering of the multi-dimensional data blocks using multi-dimensional member identifiers and holds usage information and age information about the multi-dimensional data blocks; (b) storing the data in the set of multi-dimensional data blocks in a relational database, wherein the relational database represents the multi-dimensional database; (c) accessing a set of rows representing a multi-dimensional data block from the relational database; (d) receiving a relational member identifier; and (e) determining a corresponding multi-dimensional member identifier.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-08-23 | 2003-02-22 | 2003-08-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-08-23 | 2007-02-22 | 2007-08-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-08-23 | 2011-02-22 | 2011-08-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |