US6606618B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for optimizing the performance of a database
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 2001-02-23
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Granted: 2003-08-12
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Expires: 2021-02-23
Abstract
Abstract A relational installation database for storing data elements in the form of strings, objects, etc. is aliased with integer identifiers corresponding to each data element is disclosed. The integer identifiers are obtained from an index that sequentially stores a copy of each unique occurrences of a data element. Populating an installation database with only integers reduces persistent size and provides uniformity to the data fields underlying the database tables, and provides a significant improvement in database performance The uniform data fields may be expanded and contracted to add temporary rows and columns directly to a database table. Database tables may be created in a modular fashion and may be efficiently merged together when the software product is complete. Also, differences between various versions of the software product may be recorded in database transforms.
Inventors
- 👤 John C. Delo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 21:24
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/60; G06F8/61; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/22; G06F16/24; G06F16/245; G06F16/2453; G06F16/2458; G06F16/2477; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99942; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for reducing the persistent size and optimizing the performance of a relational database system, comprising the computer implemented steps of: storing in an index a copy of each non-integer unique data element that would occur in a database table; sequentially assigning to each entry in the index a corresponding integer identifier; populating the database table with the corresponding integer identifier for each non-integer unique data element so that the database table uniformly contains integers; and keeping a reference count for each non-integer unique data element to control the data element's lifetime.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for reducing the persistent size and optimizing the performance of a relational database system, comprising the computer implemented steps of: storing in an index a copy of each non-integer unique data element that would occur in a database table; sequentially assigning to each entry in the index a corresponding integer identifier; populating the database table with the corresponding integer identifier for each non-integer unique data element so that the database table uniformly contains integers; and keeping a reference count for each non-integer unique data element to control the data element's lifetime.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: accepting a database query containing a queried data element; searching the index to determine the integer identifier corresponding to the queried data element; in response to determining the integer identifier corresponding to the queried data element, searching the database table to locate a record containing the integer identifier corresponding to the queried data element; and processing the query.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the index is a hashed index; and wherein searching the index comprises evaluating a hashing function.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of searching the database table comprises: creating a cursor for the database table; populating the cursor with information from the database query and the integer identifier corresponding to the queried data element; and using the populated cursor to perform a binary search on the database table, so as to identify the corresponding integer data element in the database table.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of adding a temporary row to the database table to store integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of adding a temporary column to the database table to store integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of: modifying the integer identifiers corresponding to data elements and temporary data elements; wherein the modifications to integer identifiers corresponding to the data elements persist, but the modifications to the integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements do not persist.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
A computer-readable medium having stored thereon the computer-implemented steps of claim 1 .
Claim 10
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for reducing the persistent size and optimizing the performance of a relational database system, comprising the computer implemented steps of: storing in an index a copy of each non-integer unique data element that would occur in a database table; sequentially assigning to each entry in the index an integer identifier; populating the database table with the integer identifiers corresponding to each data element; keeping a reference count for each data element to control its lifetime; and adding a temporary column to the database table to store a plurality of temporary data elements, the temporary data elements not persisting in the database table.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
104 words
A method for reducing the persistent size and optimizing the performance of a relational database system, comprising the computer implemented steps of: storing in an index a copy of each non-integer unique data element that would occur in a database table; sequentially assigning to each entry in the index an integer identifier; populating the database table with the integer identifiers corresponding to each data element; keeping a reference count for each data element to control its lifetime; and adding a temporary column to the database table to store a plurality of temporary data elements, the temporary data elements not persisting in the database table.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 9 , further comprising the step of adding a temporary row to the database table to store the temporary data elements.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for reducing the persistent size and optimizing the performance of a relational database system, comprising the computer implemented steps of: storing in an index a copy of each non-integer unique data element that would occur in a database table; sequentially assigning to each entry in the index an integer identifier; populating the database table with the integer identifiers corresponding to each data element; keeping the reference count for each data element to control the data element's lifetime; adding either a temporary row or a temporary column to the database table to store integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements; and modifying the integer identifiers corresponding to data elements and temporary data elements; wherein the modifications to integer identifiers corresponding to the data elements persist, but the modifications to the integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements do not persist.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
141 words
A method for reducing the persistent size and optimizing the performance of a relational database system, comprising the computer implemented steps of: storing in an index a copy of each non-integer unique data element that would occur in a database table; sequentially assigning to each entry in the index an integer identifier; populating the database table with the integer identifiers corresponding to each data element; keeping the reference count for each data element to control the data element's lifetime; adding either a temporary row or a temporary column to the database table to store integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements; and modifying the integer identifiers corresponding to data elements and temporary data elements; wherein the modifications to integer identifiers corresponding to the data elements persist, but the modifications to the integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements do not persist.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 11 , further Comprising the steps of: accepting a database query containing a queried data element; searching the index to determine the integer identifier corresponding to the queried data element; in response to determining the integer identifier corresponding to the queried data element, searching the database table to locate a record containing the integer identifier corresponding to the queried data element; and processing the query.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the index is a hashed index, and wherein searching the index comprises evaluating a hashing function.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of searching the database table comprises; creating a cursor for the database table; populating the cursor with information from the database query and the integer identifier corresponding to the queried data element; and using the populated cursor to perform a binary search on the database table, so as to identify the corresponding integer data element in the database table.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
153 words
A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium carrying computer executable instructions that implement a method for reducing the persistent size and optimizing the performance of a relational database system, the method comprising: storing in an index a copy of each non-integer unique data element that would occur in a database table; sequentially assigning to each entry in the index an integer identifier; populating the database table with the integer identifiers corresponding to each data element; keeping the reference count for each data element to control the data element's lifetime; adding either a temporary row or a temporary column to the database table to store integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements; and modifying the integer identifiers corresponding to data elements and temporary data elements; wherein the modifications to integer identifiers corresponding to the data elements persist, but the modifications to the integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements do not persist.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
153 words
A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium carrying computer executable instructions that implement a method for reducing the persistent size and optimizing the performance of a relational database system, the method comprising: storing in an index a copy of each non-integer unique data element that would occur in a database table; sequentially assigning to each entry in the index an integer identifier; populating the database table with the integer identifiers corresponding to each data element; keeping the reference count for each data element to control the data element's lifetime; adding either a temporary row or a temporary column to the database table to store integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements; and modifying the integer identifiers corresponding to data elements and temporary data elements; wherein the modifications to integer identifiers corresponding to the data elements persist, but the modifications to the integer identifiers corresponding to temporary data elements do not persist.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
70 words
The computer program product of claim 15 , the method further comprising: accepting a database query containing a queried data element; searching the index to determine the integer identifier corresponding to the queried data element; in response to determining the integer identifier corresponding to the queried data element, searching the database table to locate a record containing the integer identifier corresponding to the queried data element; and processing the query.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the index is a hashed index, and wherein searching the index comprises evaluating a hashing function.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
67 words
The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein searching the database table comprises: creating a cursor for the database table; populating the cursor with information from the database query and the integer identifier corresponding to the queried data element; and using the populated cursor to perform a binary search on the database table, so as to identify the corresponding integer data element in the database table.
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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) | 2006-08-11 | 2007-02-10 | 2007-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-08-11 | 2011-02-10 | 2011-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-08-11 | 2015-02-10 | 2015-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |