Patent US3889316A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6112207A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6112207A
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Apparatus and method which features linearizing attributes of an information object into a string of bytes for object representation and storage in a database system
Assignee: Oracle International Corp
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Filing: 1997-10-31
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Granted: 2000-08-29
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Expires: 2017-10-31
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and process for storing information objects in a database are disclosed. An information object, instantiated according to an abstract data type having a plurality of attributes, is pickled into an image that contains all values stored in the object in a linearized representation. In one embodiment, the entire image is stored in a single column of a table of the database. In another embodiment, each portion of the image associated with one of the attributes is stored in a separate column of the database table.
Inventors
- 👤 Anil Nori
- 👤 John Weisz
- 👤 Vikas Arora
- 👤 Subramanian Muralidhar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:46
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/28; G06F16/289; G06F16/284; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99942
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of storing an information object in a table of a database system, the table comprising an array of rows and columns, the method comprising the steps of: pickling said information object into a first linearized representation of said information object; and storing said first linearized representation in one of said columns.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of storing an information object in a table of a database system, the table comprising an array of rows and columns, the method comprising the steps of: pickling said information object into a first linearized representation of said information object; and storing said first linearized representation in one of said columns.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method recited in claim 1, wherein the pickling step comprises the steps of: receiving first metadata that describes said information object; and providing said first metadata to a pickling process that pickles said information object into said first linearized representation of said information object.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of receiving second metadata that describes a format of said columns and a position in one of said columns of an attribute of said information object.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of allocating storage for said first linearized representation of said information object.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method recited in claim 4, wherein the step of allocating storage comprises the steps of: receiving an estimated storage size of said information object; and allocating contiguous main memory in an amount approximately equal to said estimated storage size.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method recited in claim 4, wherein the step of allocating storage comprises the steps of: receiving an estimated storage size of said information object; and allocating virtual memory in an amount approximately equal to said estimated storage size.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method recited in claim 4, wherein the step of allocating storage comprises the steps of: receiving an estimated storage size of said information object; and allocating a binary object having an object size in bytes approximately equal to said estimated storage size.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method recited in claim 3, further comprising the steps of: allocating memory storage for said first linearized representation of said information object; storing in memory a null object associated with said information object and comprising information indicating whether said information object and said attribute thereof has a null value; and storing a value of said attribute of said information object in said linearized representation when a corresponding attribute of said null object indicates that said attribute of said information object is valid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
76 words
The method recited in claim 3, further comprising the steps of: receiving an identifier of said attribute of said information object for which a value is to be retrieved; testing a null object associated with said information object and comprising information indicating whether said information object and said attribute thereof has a null value to determine whether said attribute is null; and retrieving said value when said null object indicates that said attribute has a value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
103 words
The method recited in claim 3, further comprising the steps of: receiving an identifier of said attribute of said information object to be modified and a modification value; testing whether said linearized representation is stored in said column in an unpacked format; testing a null object associated with said information object and comprising information indicating whether said information object and said attribute has a null value to determine whether said attribute is null; and storing said modification value in said column when said information object is stored in said unpacked format and when said null object indicates that said information object contains information.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method recited in claim 3, further comprising the steps of: receiving, in said first metadata, information identifying a comparison routine configured to compare said information object and a second information object; invoking said comparison routine; and receiving a result value from said comparison routine that indicates whether said information object matches said second information object.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method recited in claim 1, further including the step of: identifying a plurality of attributes of said information object; associating each of said plurality of attributes with a portion of an image; and storing each portion of said image in a separate one of said columns of said database.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
87 words
A computer program product that includes a medium readable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to store an information object in a memory in a table of a database system, the table comprising an array of rows and columns by causing said processor to execute the steps of: pickling said information object into a first linearized representation of said information object; and storing said first linearized representation in one of said columns.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
87 words
A computer program product that includes a medium readable by a processor, the medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by said processor, causes said processor to store an information object in a memory in a table of a database system, the table comprising an array of rows and columns by causing said processor to execute the steps of: pickling said information object into a first linearized representation of said information object; and storing said first linearized representation in one of said columns.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
The computer program product recited in claim 13, wherein said sequence of instructions further comprises instructions that cause said processor to execute the steps of: receiving first metadata that describes said information object; and providing said first metadata to a pickling process that pickles said information object into said first linearized representation of said object.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
The computer program product recited in claim 14, wherein said sequence of instructions further comprises instructions that cause said processor to carry out the step of receiving second metadata that describes a format of said columns and a position in one of said columns of an attribute of said information object.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The computer program product recited in claim 14, wherein said sequence of instructions further comprises instructions that cause said processor to execute the step of allocating storage for said linearized representation of said information object.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
57 words
The computer program product recited in claim 16, wherein said sequence of instructions further comprises instructions that cause said processor to execute the step of allocating storage by carrying out the steps of: receiving an estimated storage size of said information object; and allocating contiguous main memory in an amount approximately equal to said estimated storage size.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
56 words
The computer program product recited in claim 16, wherein said sequence of instructions further comprises instructions that cause said processor to execute the step of allocating storage by carrying out the steps of: receiving an estimated storage size of said information object; and allocating virtual memory in an amount approximately equal to said estimated storage size.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
60 words
The computer program product recited in claim 16, wherein said sequence of instructions further comprises instructions that cause said processor to execute the step of allocating storage by carrying out the steps of: receiving an estimated storage size of said information object; and allocating a binary object having an object size in bytes approximately equal to said estimated storage size.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
70 words
The computer program product recited in claim 14, wherein said sequence of instructions further comprises instructions that cause said processor to execute the steps of: receiving, in said first metadata, information identifying a comparison routine configured to compare said information object and a second information object; invoking said comparison routine; and receiving a result value from said comparison routine that indicates whether said information object matches said second information object.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
64 words
The computer program product recited in claim 14, wherein said sequence of instructions further comprises instructions that cause said processor to execute the steps of: establishing in said memory a graph representing said information object and a collection attribute of said information object; pickling said graph into a second linearized representation of said graph; storing said second linearized representation in another of said columns.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
91 words
A computer apparatus for storing an information object in a table of a database system, said computer apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory coupled to said processor; the memory having stored therein said table comprising an array of rows and columns; and sequences of instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to store said information object by causing the processor to perform the steps of: pickling said information object into a linearized representation of said information object; and storing said linearized representation in one of said columns.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
91 words
A computer apparatus for storing an information object in a table of a database system, said computer apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory coupled to said processor; the memory having stored therein said table comprising an array of rows and columns; and sequences of instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to store said information object by causing the processor to perform the steps of: pickling said information object into a linearized representation of said information object; and storing said linearized representation in one of said columns.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
84 words
A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, the computer data signal comprising a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes said processor to store an information object in a memory in a table of a database system, the table comprising an array of rows and columns, by causing said processor to execute the steps of: pickling said information object into a first linearized representation of said information object; and storing said first linearized representation in one of said columns.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
84 words
A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, the computer data signal comprising a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes said processor to store an information object in a memory in a table of a database system, the table comprising an array of rows and columns, by causing said processor to execute the steps of: pickling said information object into a first linearized representation of said information object; and storing said first linearized representation in one of said columns.
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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) | 2003-08-29 | 2004-02-28 | 2004-08-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-08-29 | 2008-02-28 | 2008-08-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-08-29 | 2012-02-28 | 2012-08-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |