# US 5,710,920 A · Object extending method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,710,920 A - Document ID: US5710920A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/362,873 - Filed: 1994-12-23 - Granted: 1998-01-20 - Earliest claimed: 1993-12-28 - Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd. - Inventors: Takeo Maruyama; Satoshi Wakayama; Yo-ichi Yamamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5710920A ## CPC - G06F 16/289: {Object oriented databases} - Y10S 707/99943: Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface - Y10S 707/99944: Object-oriented database structure - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract In an object extending method for use in an object-oriented data base system having an object having an attribute, a relation and a procedure and a definition object having definition information determining a structure of the object, information on changes in attribute, relation and procedure which accompany a change in the definition object is held as a parts object in the definition object, and data to be newly appended to the object as a result of the change in the definition object is held as a parts object in the object, so that work to change the object in accordance with a change in schema may be reduced. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of extending objects in an object-oriented data base system having an object which includes an attribute, a relation and a procedure, and a definition object which includes definition information defining a structure of said object, said method comprising the steps of: managing change information for changing a structure of said object defined in said definition information; generating a new definition object by appending a parts definition object indicative of a change in said structure of said object to said definition object; generating a new object by appending to said object a parts object representing changes in attribute, relation, and procedure of said object made in accordance with said change information; and accessing a data base by operating said new definition object. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method recited in claim 1, wherein said object is stored in a data base. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method recited in claim 1, wherein the definition object is stored in a dictionary file. ### Claim 4 An object-oriented data base system comprising: a data base for storing an object which includes an attribute, a relation and a procedure; a dictionary file for storing a definition object which includes definition information defining a structure of said object; a dictionary manager for generating a new definition object by appending a parts definition object indicative of change information of changes in said structure of said object defined in said definition information to said definition object; means for generating a new object by appending to said object a parts object representing changes in attribute, relation, and procedure of said object made in accordance with said change information; and means for accessing said data base by operating said new definition object. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) An object-oriented data base system as recited in claim 4, further comprising: an area in said definition object for holding a parts definition object identifier for identifying said parts definition object; an area in said object for holding a parts object identifier for identifying said parts object, wherein respective identifiers are registered in respective areas. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) An object-oriented data base system as recited in claim 4, further comprising: a journal file for storing said parts definition object as a change history of said change information of said structure of said object. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) An object-oriented data base system as recited in claim 6, further comprising: means for generating an update journal of said definition object when said new parts definition object is generated; and means for generating an update journal of said new object when said parts object is generated. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An object-oriented data base system as recited in claim 7, wherein said means for accessing a data base includes: a means for generating an updated definition objection from said definition object and said parts definition object, and a means for generating an updated object from said object and said parts object. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) An object-oriented data base system as recited in claim 8, wherein said parts definition object, having information on a change in said structure, contains a version number, a change classification, a change position, an attribute name, a data type, and a data length. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) An object-oriented data base system as recited in claim 7, wherein said parts definition object, having information on a change and definition of a procedure, contains a version number, a change classification, a selector name, a number of parameters, a parameter type, a type of return value, and execution code information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) An object-oriented data base system as recited in claim 7, wherein said definition object defining a structure of said objects contains a relation name, a relation classification, a number of types and a type information group of relation originator, a number of types in a type information group of relation destination, relation meaning information, an attribute information group held by a relation, and a set of relation pair objects each having a relation originator object group, a relation destination object group, and a relation attribute data group. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) An object-oriented data base system as recited in claim 11, wherein said object contains a relation management object for holding a relation name and a relation pair object group. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An object-oriented data base system as recited in claim 12, wherein a definition object, after the definition change is generated from said definition object and a part object having the definition change information, and wherein an object, after the definition change, is generated as a dynamic view from said object and a parts object for holding information on a change of said structure of said object. ### Claim 14 A method for extending object in an object-oriented data base system having an object which includes an attribute, a relation, and a procedure, and a definition object which includes definition information defining a structure of said object, said method comprising the steps of: storing an object having an attribute, a relation, and a procedure in a data base; storing a definition object having definition information defining a structure of said object in a dictionary file; generating a parts definition object indicative of change information of changes in a structure of said definition object; appending a definition object indicative of said parts definition object to said dictionary file; storing a parts object indicative of data newly appended to said object as a result of a change in said structure of said definition object in said data base; and performing processing of access to said data base by using said object and said parts object. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising: storing said parts object as a change history of said change information of said structure of said definition object. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising: generating an updated definition object from said definition object and said part definition object; and managing said generated definition object. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising: generating an updated object from said object and said parts object; and managing said generated object. ### Claim 18 A computer program product for use with a computer having a display device, comprising: an object-oriented data base system having an object which includes an attribute, a relation, and a procedure, and a definition object which includes definition information defining a structure of said object; and a computer readable medium with a computer program recorded thereon, the program including: (a) a first code for causing the computer to manage change information of changes in said structure of said object, (b) a second code for causing the computer to generate a new definition object by appending a parts definition object indicative of said change in said structure of said object to said definition object, (c) a third code for causing the computer to generate a new object by appending to said object a parts object representing changes in attribute, relation, and procedure of said object made in accordance with said change information; and (d) a fourth code for causing the computer to access a data base by operating said new definition object. ### Claim 19 A computer program product for use with a computer having a display device, comprising: a computer readable medium with a computer program reported thereon, the program including: (a) a first code for storing an object having an attribute, a relation, and a procedure in a data base, (b) a second code for causing the computer to store a definition object having definition information defining a structure of said object in a dictionary file, (c) a third code for causing the computer to generate a parts definition object indicative of change information of changes in a structure of definition object, (d) a fourth code for causing the computer to append a definition object indicative of said parts definition object to said dictionary file, (e) a fifth code for causing the computer to store a parts definition object indicative of data newly appended to said object as a result of a change in said structure of said definition object in said data base, and (f) a sixth code for causing the computer to perform processing of access to said data base by using said object and said parts object. ### Claim 20 A method for extending objects in an object-oriented data base system, said data base system having an object which includes an attribute, a relation and a procedure, and a definition object which includes definition information defining a structure of said object, said method comprising the steps of: managing change information for changing the structure of said object defined in said definition information; generating a new definition object by appending a parts definition object indicative of a change in said structure of said object to said definition object; generating a new object by appending to said object a parts object representing said change in said structure of said object; and accessing a data base by operating said new definition object.