Extending Dynamic Matrices for Improved Setup Capability and Runtime Search Performance of Complex Business Rules

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface configured to receive a search request from a remote node;
• a processor, coupled to the network interface, and configured to receive the search request from the network interface,
• search a rule details table for one or more entries comprising attributes matching the search request, wherein said search is performed using search parameters of the search request, and the rule details table comprises one rule attribute and a rule identifier per rule detail table entry, and
• identify a rule corresponding to the search parameters using a result of said searching, wherein each rule details table entry has a corresponding entry in a parent rules table, and the corresponding entry in the parent rules table comprises a parent rule identifier matching the rule identifier in the rule detail table entry;
• and
• a database communication interface, coupled to the processor, and configured to provide access to a database comprising the rule details table and the parent rules table.

A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor, the instructions comprising:

• a first set of instructions configured to search a rule details table for one or more entries comprising attributes matching a search request, wherein
• said search is performed using search parameters of the search request, and
• the rule details table comprises one rule attribute and a rule identifier per rule detail table entry;
• and
• a second set of instructions configured to identify a rule corresponding to the search parameters using a result of said searching, wherein
• each rule details table entry has a corresponding entry in a parent rules table, and
• the corresponding entry in the parent rules table comprises a parent rule identifier matching the rule identifier in the rule detail table entry.