US6453310B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Installable schema for low-overhead databases
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 1998-10-26
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Granted: 2002-09-17
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Expires: 2018-10-26
Abstract
Abstract A relational database has a data file stored separately from a representation of the schema of the relational data in the data file. Schema representation files of several different types are generated by compiling a human-readable script defining the schema. One of the schema files is linked to its corresponding data file by a pointer, so that an application program invoking a database engine can find the schema for processing the data file. Another type of schema file can be included in an application program, so that the application can process the data file via the database engine without accessing any other schema information.
Inventors
- 👤 Jason L. Zander
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:56
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/28; G06F16/284; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99942; Y10S707/99943
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 47
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for processing relational databases having data files, comprising: defining a schema of the databases as a script; compiling the script into a first representation of the schema and a second representation of the schema independent of the first representation; constructing an executable application program for processing the databases; and installing the representation of the schema in the executable application program such that the schema is stored separately from the data file of the relational databases processed by the application program.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for processing relational databases having data files, comprising: defining a schema of the databases as a script; compiling the script into a first representation of the schema and a second representation of the schema independent of the first representation; constructing an executable application program for processing the databases; and installing the representation of the schema in the executable application program such that the schema is stored separately from the data file of the relational databases processed by the application program.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
A medium containing instructions and data for executing the method of claim 1 on a programmable digital computer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the schema includes definitions of tables, columns for the tables, and data types for the columns.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the schema further includes at least one index.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 1 , the first representation being a helper file containing structural definitions for the tables and a set of macros.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 1 , further comprising installing the first representation in a user computer independently of the application program.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for processing relational databases with an application program, comprising: recording a desired schema for the databases as a human-readable script in a source format; compiling the script into a representation capable of being included in the code of the application program, such that the schema forms a part of the application program rather than a part of the databases; and a globally unique schema identifier included in the representation.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
71 words
A method for processing relational databases with an application program, comprising: recording a desired schema for the databases as a human-readable script in a source format; compiling the script into a representation capable of being included in the code of the application program, such that the schema forms a part of the application program rather than a part of the databases; and a globally unique schema identifier included in the representation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A medium containing instructions and data for executing the method of claim 7 on a programmable digital computer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 7 , wherein the representation further includes a version number.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 7 , wherein the schema includes definitions of tables and columns for the tables.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 10 , wherein the schema further includes at least one index.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 10 , wherein the representation includes structural constructs representing the definitions of the tables and columns.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for processing relational databases with an application program, comprising: selecting one of the databases for processing; accessing a data file of the selected database; reading a pointer in the data file indicating a schema file stored independently of the data file; accessing the schema file separately from the data file; and accessing database within the data file in accordance with the schema file.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for processing relational databases with an application program, comprising: selecting one of the databases for processing; accessing a data file of the selected database; reading a pointer in the data file indicating a schema file stored independently of the data file; accessing the schema file separately from the data file; and accessing database within the data file in accordance with the schema file.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
A medium containing instructions and data for executing the method of claim 13 on a programmable digital computer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 13 , wherein the pointer contains an identifier for locating the schema file.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 13 , wherein the pointer contains a version identifier.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for processing relational databases having data files organized according to a defined schema, comprising: defining application program code for performing at least one function upon the databases; including with the application code a schema file separate from the data files and representing the schema of the data files, such that the function operates upon the data files in accordance with the schema; and a further program for executing the function, the application code passing the schema file to the further program for locating particular data in the data files.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for processing relational databases having data files organized according to a defined schema, comprising: defining application program code for performing at least one function upon the databases; including with the application code a schema file separate from the data files and representing the schema of the data files, such that the function operates upon the data files in accordance with the schema; and a further program for executing the function, the application code passing the schema file to the further program for locating particular data in the data files.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
A medium containing instructions and data for executing the method of claim 17 on a programmable digital computer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 17 , the application code passes the schema file to the further program for locating particular data in the data files by passing a pointer to the schema file to the further program, the further program accessing the schema file through the pointer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 17 , wherein the further program is a database engine.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 19 , wherein the schema file includes structural constructs representing definitions of the tables and columns in the schema.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 21 , wherein the constructs are separately integrated into the application code.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 17 , wherein the schema file further includes at least one index.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
59 words
A system for processing a relational database, comprising: a data file for containing data for the database according to a schema; a schema definition for the database, a compiler responsive to the schema definition for producing a first representation of the schema independent from the data file and a second representation of the schema independent of the first representation.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
59 words
A system for processing a relational database, comprising: a data file for containing data for the database according to a schema; a schema definition for the database, a compiler responsive to the schema definition for producing a first representation of the schema independent from the data file and a second representation of the schema independent of the first representation.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system according to claim 24 , wherein the schema definition is a human-readable file.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
A system according to claim 24 , wherein the first representation is a binary representation.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
A system according to claim 24 , wherein the schema definition includes specifications of tables and columns.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system according to claim 24 , wherein the first representation includes constructs embodying the specifications of the tables and columns.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
64 words
A system of relational databases, comprising: a plurality of schema files each representing the schemata of different ones of the databases; a plurality of data files separate from the schema files and each containing relational data organized according to a corresponding one of the schemata; and a pointer in each of the data files identifying one of the schema files representing the corresponding schema.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
64 words
A system of relational databases, comprising: a plurality of schema files each representing the schemata of different ones of the databases; a plurality of data files separate from the schema files and each containing relational data organized according to a corresponding one of the schemata; and a pointer in each of the data files identifying one of the schema files representing the corresponding schema.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system according to claim 29 , further comprising an application program for selectively accessing any one of the data files and for accessing that one of the schema files identified by the pointer in the accessed data file.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
38 words
A system according to claim 30 , further comprising a database engine coupled to the application program for performing an operation on the one data file in accordance with the one schema file accessed by the application program.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
92 words
A system for processing a relational database, comprising: a data file containing relational data organized according to a schema; an application program separate from the data file and including a representation of the schema of the data file, code responsive to the representation for performing an operation on the data file in accordance with the schema; and a further program that operates upon the data file in accordance with the schema, the application program passing the representation of the schema file to the further program for accessing data in the data file.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
92 words
A system for processing a relational database, comprising: a data file containing relational data organized according to a schema; an application program separate from the data file and including a representation of the schema of the data file, code responsive to the representation for performing an operation on the data file in accordance with the schema; and a further program that operates upon the data file in accordance with the schema, the application program passing the representation of the schema file to the further program for accessing data in the data file.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 32 , the application program passes the schema file to the further program by passing a pointer to the schema file to the further program.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system according to claim 32 , the further program comprising a database engine coupled to the application program for executing the operation upon the data file in response to receiving the representation of the schema from the application program.
Claim 42
Independent Claim
86 words
A system for processing a relational database, comprising: a data file containing relational data organized according to a schema; a schema file separate from the data file and containing constructs representing the schema; an application program separate from the data file and including at least one of the constructs taken from the schema representation and further including code for manipulating data according to the at least one construct; and code residing in the schema file for manipulating the at least one construct taken from the schema.
Claim 43
Independent Claim
86 words
A system for processing a relational database, comprising: a data file containing relational data organized according to a schema; a schema file separate from the data file and containing constructs representing the schema; an application program separate from the data file and including at least one of the constructs taken from the schema representation and further including code for manipulating data according to the at least one construct; and code residing in the schema file for manipulating the at least one construct taken from the schema.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 35 , wherein at least some of the code in the application program is taken from the schema file.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
91 words
A relational database, comprising: a data file for containing relational data for the database according to a schema; a schema file entirely separate from the data file for representing the schema of the relational data to an application program that accesses the data file; a representation of the schema file compiled into the application program; and a further program that operates upon the data file in accordance with the schema, the application program passing the representation of the schema file to the further program for accessing data in the data file.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
91 words
A relational database, comprising: a data file for containing relational data for the database according to a schema; a schema file entirely separate from the data file for representing the schema of the relational data to an application program that accesses the data file; a representation of the schema file compiled into the application program; and a further program that operates upon the data file in accordance with the schema, the application program passing the representation of the schema file to the further program for accessing data in the data file.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 32 , the application program passes the schema file to the further program by passing a pointer to the schema file to the further program.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2005-09-16 | 2006-03-18 | 2006-09-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2009-09-16 | 2010-03-18 | 2010-09-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2013-09-16 | 2014-03-18 | 2014-09-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |