Patent US6324535B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6324535B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for producing sequenced queries
Assignee: Amazon Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1999-12-02
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Granted: 2001-11-27
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Expires: 2019-12-02
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus converts an original query into a sequenced query that takes into account a range of values of a variable defined by a start and end point in performing the query. The start or end points are calculated if necessary and a query to collect all of the start and end points may be generated, and a query is generated that produces a constant set of start and end points defining consecutive periods, such that all the data in the tables related to the original query is constant over each of these periods. These two queries are merged into the original query to produce a sequenced query capable of execution on various database software and capable of taking into account the range of values of the variable in performing the original query.
Inventors
- 👤 John Bair
- 👤 Richard T Snodgrass
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 05:56
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/24; G06F16/245; G06F16/2458; G06F16/2477; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/912; Y10S707/917; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S707/99935; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952; Y10S707/99953
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
108 words
A method in a computer system for, from a dataset of one or more dependent variables expressed relative to a time variable, evaluating a function of the dependent variables in terms of the time variable, comprising: within a range of values of the time variable, identifying subranges of the time variable for which the value of each dependent variable is constant; and evaluating the function from values of the dependent variables exactly once for each identified subrange of the time variable, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, and wherein the identifying and evaluating includes performing at least one query on the database tables.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
108 words
A method in a computer system for, from a dataset of one or more dependent variables expressed relative to a time variable, evaluating a function of the dependent variables in terms of the time variable, comprising: within a range of values of the time variable, identifying subranges of the time variable for which the value of each dependent variable is constant; and evaluating the function from values of the dependent variables exactly once for each identified subrange of the time variable, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, and wherein the identifying and evaluating includes performing at least one query on the database tables.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
108 words
A method in a computer system for, from a dataset of one or more dependent variables expressed relative to an independent variable, evaluating a function of the dependent variables in terms of the independent variable, comprising: within a range of values of the independent variable, identifing subranges of the independent variable for which the value of each dependent variable is constant; and evaluating the function from values of the dependent variables exactly once for each identified subrange of the independent variable, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, and wherein the identifying and evaluating includes performing at least one query on the database tables.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
108 words
A method in a computer system for, from a dataset of one or more dependent variables expressed relative to an independent variable, evaluating a function of the dependent variables in terms of the independent variable, comprising: within a range of values of the independent variable, identifing subranges of the independent variable for which the value of each dependent variable is constant; and evaluating the function from values of the dependent variables exactly once for each identified subrange of the independent variable, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, and wherein the identifying and evaluating includes performing at least one query on the database tables.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 , further comprising storing the values produced by evaluating the function.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the storing comprises storing for each subrange exactly one copy of each of the values produced by evaluating the function.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the storing comprises storing for each subrange multiple copies, each corresponding to a different value of the independent variable within the subrange, of each of the values produced by evaluating the function.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the identifying and evaluating are performed in response to receiving a request to evaluate the function.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the identifying divides the range into a plurality of non-overlapping subranges.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the identifying divides the range into a plurality of subranges that collectively cover the range.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the function is of a single dependent variable.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the function is of multiple depndent variable.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the function is the identity function.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the function is mathematical.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the function is nonmathematical.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the function is logical.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the independent variable is temporal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the dependent variables are numeric.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the independent variable is numeric.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the number of identified subranges is smaller than the size of the dataset.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
110 words
A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to, from a dataset of one or more dependent variables expressed relative to an independent variable, evaluate a function of the dependent variables in terms of the independent variable by: within a range of values of the independent variable, designating subranges of the independent variable for which the value of each dependent variable is constant; and evaluating the function from values of the dependent variables exactly once for each designated subrange of the independent variable, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, wherein the designating and evaluating includes performing at least one query on the database tables.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
110 words
A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to, from a dataset of one or more dependent variables expressed relative to an independent variable, evaluate a function of the dependent variables in terms of the independent variable by: within a range of values of the independent variable, designating subranges of the independent variable for which the value of each dependent variable is constant; and evaluating the function from values of the dependent variables exactly once for each designated subrange of the independent variable, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, wherein the designating and evaluating includes performing at least one query on the database tables.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 19 , further comprising storing the values produced by evaluating the function.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the storing comprises storing for each subrange exactly one copy of each of the values produced by evaluating the function.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the storing comprises storing for each subrange multiple copies, each corresponding to a different value of the independent variable within the subrange, of each of the values produced by evaluating the function.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the designating and evaluating are performed in response to receiving a request to evaluate the function.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the designating divides the range into a plurality of non-overlapping subranges.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the designating divides the range into a plurality of subranges that collectively cover the range.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
12 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 19 wherein the independent variable is temporal.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
154 words
A method in a computer system for, from a dataset of one or more dependent variables expressed relative to an independent variable, the dataset comprising a plurality of data points each indicating a value of each of the dependent variables for a particular value of the independent variable, evaluating a function of the dependent variables in terms of the independent variable, comprising: identifying the data point having the smallest value of the independent variable, identifying data points at which the value of at least one of the dependent variables varies from the value of the same dependent variable at the data point having the next smaller value of the independent variable, and evaluating the function from values of the dependent variables at only the idenfified data points, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, and wherein the identifing and evaluating includes performing at least one query on the database tables.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
154 words
A method in a computer system for, from a dataset of one or more dependent variables expressed relative to an independent variable, the dataset comprising a plurality of data points each indicating a value of each of the dependent variables for a particular value of the independent variable, evaluating a function of the dependent variables in terms of the independent variable, comprising: identifying the data point having the smallest value of the independent variable, identifying data points at which the value of at least one of the dependent variables varies from the value of the same dependent variable at the data point having the next smaller value of the independent variable, and evaluating the function from values of the dependent variables at only the idenfified data points, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, and wherein the identifing and evaluating includes performing at least one query on the database tables.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
113 words
A method in a computer system for analyzing a dataset of one or more dependent variables expressed relative to an independent variable, comprising: within a range of values of the independent variable, identifying subranges of the independent variable for which the value of each dependent variable is constant; and storing an indication of the identified subranges, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, and wherein the indentifying includes performing at least one query on the database tables, so that the stored indication of the identified subranges may be used to evaluate the function from values of the dependent variables exactly once for each identified subrange of the independent variable.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
113 words
A method in a computer system for analyzing a dataset of one or more dependent variables expressed relative to an independent variable, comprising: within a range of values of the independent variable, identifying subranges of the independent variable for which the value of each dependent variable is constant; and storing an indication of the identified subranges, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, and wherein the indentifying includes performing at least one query on the database tables, so that the stored indication of the identified subranges may be used to evaluate the function from values of the dependent variables exactly once for each identified subrange of the independent variable.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
109 words
A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to analyzing a dataset of one or more dependent variables expressed relative to an independent variable by: for each dependent variable, identifying subranges of the independent variable for which the value of the dependent variable is constant; and for each dependent variable, storing an indication of the identified subranges, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, and wherein the indentifying includes performing at least one query on the database tables, so that the stored indications of the identified subranges may be used to evaluate a function from values of one or more of the dependent variables.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
109 words
A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system to analyzing a dataset of one or more dependent variables expressed relative to an independent variable by: for each dependent variable, identifying subranges of the independent variable for which the value of the dependent variable is constant; and for each dependent variable, storing an indication of the identified subranges, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, and wherein the indentifying includes performing at least one query on the database tables, so that the stored indications of the identified subranges may be used to evaluate a function from values of one or more of the dependent variables.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
101 words
An apparatus for evaluating a function of the dependent variables in terms of the independent variable, comprising: a subrange identifier that, within a range of values of the independent variable, identifies subranges of the independent variable for which the value of each dependent variable is constant; and a function evaluator that exactly once for each identified subrange of the independent variable evaluates the function from the values of the dependent variables within the subrange, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, and wherein the identifying and evaluating includes performing at least one query on the database tables.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
101 words
An apparatus for evaluating a function of the dependent variables in terms of the independent variable, comprising: a subrange identifier that, within a range of values of the independent variable, identifies subranges of the independent variable for which the value of each dependent variable is constant; and a function evaluator that exactly once for each identified subrange of the independent variable evaluates the function from the values of the dependent variables within the subrange, wherein the dataset is stored in one or more database tables, and wherein the identifying and evaluating includes performing at least one query on the database tables.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
72 words
A computer memory storing a function result data structure for containing the result of a function of one or more dependent variables expressed in terms of an independent variable, the function result data structure comprising one entry for each of a plurality of ranges of the independent variable, each entry indicating a value of the function and indicating the range of the independent variable for which the value of the function holds.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
72 words
A computer memory storing a function result data structure for containing the result of a function of one or more dependent variables expressed in terms of an independent variable, the function result data structure comprising one entry for each of a plurality of ranges of the independent variable, each entry indicating a value of the function and indicating the range of the independent variable for which the value of the function holds.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer memory of claim 31 wherein the function result data structure is generated by evaluating the function exactly once for each range of the independent variable.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
73 words
A generated data signal conveying a function result data structure for containing the result of a function of one or more dependent variables expressed in terms of an independent variable, the function result data structure comprising one entry for each of a plurality of ranges of the independent variable, each entry indicating a value of the function and indicating the range of the independent variable for which the value of the function holds.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
73 words
A generated data signal conveying a function result data structure for containing the result of a function of one or more dependent variables expressed in terms of an independent variable, the function result data structure comprising one entry for each of a plurality of ranges of the independent variable, each entry indicating a value of the function and indicating the range of the independent variable for which the value of the function holds.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
28 words
The generated data signal of claim 33 wherein the function result data structure is generated by evaluating the function exactly once for each range of the independent variable.
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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) | 2004-11-26 | 2005-05-28 | 2005-11-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-11-26 | 2009-05-28 | 2009-11-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-11-26 | 2013-05-28 | 2013-11-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |