Title: System for generating structured query language statements and integrating legacy systems
Patent Number: US Patent 5,764,973
Issued: June 9, 1998
Filed: September 13, 1995
Parent case: This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/193,532, filed Feb. 8, 1994, now abandoned.
Inventor(s): Lunceford, Paul et al.
Assignee: enterWorks.com
Referenced at issuance: US Patent 5,181,162 (Eastman Kodak Company) Φ
Referenced after issuance: US Patent 7,225,302 (SAP AG)
Blogger comment:
There were 17 references to prior patents at issuance including US Patent 5,181,162. The remaining references are unremarkable for the scope and purposes of this blog.
An advanced search at USPTO online on May 16, 2008 for distinguishing references to this patent after its issuance using ref/5764973 reveals 35 references. A more refined search reveals US Patent 7,225,302.
Abstract:
The present invention overcomes the shortfalls in the art by creating an environment for integrating information stored in the full range of data structures including: flat files, hierarchical databases, network databases, relational databases, and object-oriented databases. The system can support the integration of not only text and numeric data, but also video, sound and graphics. The system involves using an object-oriented interface to integrate the various information systems into a single framework while still maintaining the legacy systems undisturbed.
Independent claims (as numbered):
1. A system for integrating information from a plurality of different data structures stored in a plurality of different types of storage structures into a single-framework, the system comprising:
(a) input means for choosing criteria on which to gather said information;
(b) modeling means for modeling an entire problem domain which includes at least one said data structure from said plurality of different types of storage structures, including relations, hierarchical, flat file, and object-oriented database structures, at least some of the data structures including relational tables, the modeling means including means for determining which foreign keys in the relational tables are necessary, for removing unnecessary foreign keys in the relational tables, and for removing tables made only of foreign keys;
(c) data dictionary means for tracking locations of said information across said at least one data structure in said problem domain;
(d) statement generating means for automatically generating data requests based on said chosen criteria;
(e) accessing means for receiving said information independent of said types of storage structures and responsive to said data requests; and
(f) interface means for providing a uniform relational view of said problem domain that is consistent across said types of storage structures enabling said data to be manipulated without limitation as to said type of storage structure.
16. A system for integrating information from at least first and second different types of legacy database systems, the legacy database systems having physical data elements stored therein, the system comprising:
first and second interfaces for communicating with the first and second different types of legacy database systems; and
an object-oriented database management system communicating with the first and second interfaces and including:
an object-oriented database,
means for modeling the tables and the physical data elements therein in the different databases and types of databases in the legacy systems to generate logical data elements corresponding to the tables in the legacy systems, logical data elements corresponding to the physical data elements, and pointers from the logical data elements to the physical data elements in the legacy systems, and
a metacatalog maintained as an object-oriented database for storing the logical data elements generated by the modeling means.
19. A method for integrating multiple different types of legacy systems with physical elements into a single object-oriented framework, the method comprising the steps of:
scanning header tables from a number of different tables in the legacy systems to create data elements for the tables;
storing the data elements created in the scanning step in an object-oriented database;
for each table, modeling the physical data elements in the table to create logical data elements;
storing the logical data elements created in the modeling step in the object-oriented database;
creating pointers from the data element for each table to the logical data elements that represent the physical data elements in the respective tables;
determining a datatype for each physical data element based on the header tables of the legacy systems;
using the datatype determined in the determining step as the datatype for each logical data element; and
creating logical elements in a metacatalog during the scanning and modeling steps to create a logical element in the metacatalog each time a physical element is modeled, the system automatically creating a unified environment from multiple different databases and types of databases in legacy systems to provide a consistent view across all of the legacy systems.