Apparatus and method for storage of object collections in a database system
AssigneeOracle Corporation
InventorsAnil Nori, Viswanathan Krishnaomurthy, Vikas Arora, Srinath Krishnaswamy
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Abstract
The present invention pertains to an apparatus and process for storing information object collections in a database. Examples of such object collections are nested tables and variable length arrays. In an embodiment, the invention provides mechanisms and methods for storing nested tables in either a base table of a database, or an index-organized table. In one embodiment, mechanisms and methods are provided for storing variable length arrays into a table column, as a large object ("LOB"), or as an index-organized table. The invention also provides methods and mechanisms for accessing data from these storage mediums.
Claims25
A method of storing an information object in a database system, comprising the steps of:
- establishing an information object class that has a collection attribute;
- creating said information object as an instance of said information object class;
- establishing in said database system a collection storage structure for said collection attribute;
- storing attribute information about said information object in a first table;
- storing values of said collection attribute in said collection storage structure;
- and
- wherein said attribute information that is stored in said first table includes a reference that indicates where said values of said collection attribute for said information object are stored in said collection storage structure.
A computer apparatus for storing an information object in a table of a database system, said computer apparatus comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory coupled to said processor;
- the memory having stored therein a database system;
- and
- sequences of instructions which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to store said information object in said database system by causing the processor to perform the steps of:
- establishing an information object class that has a collection attribute;
- creating said information object as an instance of said information object class;
- establishing in said database system a collection storage structure for said collection attribute;
- storing attribute information about said information object in a first table;
- storing values of said collection attribute in said collection storage structure;
- and
- wherein said attribute information that is stored in said first table includes a reference that indicates where said values of said collection attribute for said information object are stored in said collection storage structure.
A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause said one or more processors to store an information object in a database system accessible to said one or more processors by causing said one or more processors to perform the steps of:
- establishing an information object class that has a collection attribute;
- creating said information object as an instance of said information object class;
- establishing in said database system a collection storage structure for said collection attribute;
- creating an information object as an instance of said information object class;
- storing attribute information about said information object in a first table;
- storing values of said collection attribute in said collection storage structure;
- and
- wherein said attribute information that is stored in said first table includes a reference that indicates where said values of said collection attribute for said information object are stored in said collection storage structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.