# US 2021/0279280 A1 · Inheritance in dynamic hierarchical systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0279280 A1 - Document ID: US20210279280A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/810,606 - Filed: 2020-03-05 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-05 - Assignees: Sap SE - Applicants: Sap SE - Inventors: Raghavendra Rao M G; Maximilian Stefanac - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210279280A1 ## CPC - G06F 16/9024: {Graphs; Linked lists (G06F16/9027 takes precedence)} - G06F 16/2246: {Trees, e.g. B+trees} - G06F 16/2272: {Management thereof} - G06F 16/24556: {Aggregation; Duplicate elimination} - G06F 16/282: {Hierarchical databases, e.g. IMS, LDAP data stores or Lotus Notes} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Methods and apparatus are disclosed for representing a dynamic hierarchical system as a composite graph data structure. Members of a system are represented as primary nodes of a tree. Multiple system states have respective trees, which can be overlaid to obtain a composite graph. The composite graph can be augmented with secondary nodes for member attributes, and further nodes for state-dependent values of the attributes. Methods of processing bottom-up, top-down, and filtered queries are disclosed. Applications to military, manufacturing, and communication networks are provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: building a composite graph data structure representing a system, the composite graph data structure comprising a plurality of primary nodes representing respective components of the system, wherein the primary nodes are organized, for a plurality of states of the system, as distinct respective rooted trees and are associated with data items which are values of respective attributes of the primary nodes; receiving, from a client, a query for a given node of the primary nodes in a given state of the states, wherein the given node is not a root of the respective rooted tree of the given state; initializing a query response; traversing an inheritance path of the given node in the respective rooted tree of the given state, wherein the inheritance path comprises first nodes of the primary nodes; using the data items associated with the first nodes to update the query response; and transmitting the query response to the client. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first nodes are traversed in order from the given node to the root. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the rooted trees share a common root node. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the composite graph data structure contains a plurality of secondary nodes directly coupled by secondary edges to respective nodes of the primary nodes. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the secondary edges are independent of the states. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein each of the secondary nodes represents an attribute of the primary node to which the each secondary node is directly coupled. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the composite graph data structure further comprises a plurality of value nodes directly coupled by value edges to respective ones of the secondary nodes, and each of the value nodes represents a value of the attribute represented by the secondary node to which the each value node is directly coupled. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein at least two of the value edges are dependent on the states. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the query response comprises a set, and the using aggregates the data items into the set. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the query extends to other states of the plurality of states besides the given state, and the method further comprises performing the traversing and the using for the other states. ### Claim 11 One or more computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more hardware processors, cause the hardware processors to perform actions comprising: receiving a composite graph data structure representing a system, the composite graph data structure comprising a plurality of primary nodes organized, for a plurality of states of the system, as distinct respective trees, wherein the primary nodes represent respective components of the system and are associated with data items which are values of respective attributes of the primary nodes; receiving, from a client, a query for a given component of the system in a given state of the system, wherein the given component is represented by a given node of the primary nodes that is not a leaf of the respective tree of the given state; initializing a query response; traversing a subtree, of the respective tree, rooted at the given node; using the data items associated with respective nodes of the primary nodes of the subtree to update the query response; and transmitting the query response to the client. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the trees are rooted trees sharing a common root node. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the given node is a root of the respective tree of the given state. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein: the composite graph data structure contains a plurality of secondary nodes directly coupled by secondary edges to respective nodes of the primary nodes; the secondary edges are independent of the states; and each of the secondary nodes represents an attribute of the primary node to which the each secondary node is directly coupled. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The one or more computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein: the composite graph data structure further comprises a plurality of value nodes directly coupled by value edges to respective ones of the secondary nodes; each of the value nodes represents a value of the attribute represented by the secondary node to which the each value node is directly coupled; and at least two of the value edges are dependent on the states. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The one or more computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein the query response is a count, and the using sums the data items into the count. ### Claim 17 A system comprising: one or more hardware processors with memory coupled thereto; computer-readable media storing instructions executable by the one or more hardware processors, the instructions comprising: first instructions to retrieve nodes or edges of a composite graph data structure of a plurality of primary nodes organized, for a plurality of states, as distinct respective rooted trees; second instructions to traverse a subtree of a given rooted tree of the composite graph data structure; and third instructions to traverse successive nodes joining a given node to its root node in the composite graph data structure; and fourth instructions to receive queries from one or more clients and, subsequent to processing each of the queries using the composite graph data structure, return a corresponding query response to a corresponding client of the one or more clients. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise: fifth instructions to add a new rooted tree, for a new state, to the composite graph data structure. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein two of the states are for a common operating mode of the nodes at distinct respective times. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein two of the states are for distinct respective operating modes of the nodes at a common time.