Methods of organizing data and processing queries in a database system, and database system and software product for implementing such methods

A method of processing a query in a database system, wherein a plurality of row identifiers are defined to designate respective rows of a reference table having columns respectively associated with data attributes, said rows containing groups of related words assigned to said attributes in a collection of data, wherein a plurality of thesauruses each associated with a respective attribute and data representing reference table row identifier lists respectively associated with entries of said thesauruses are stored, wherein each thesaurus associated with one attribute is defined with reference to a partition into subsets of a set of words which can be assigned to said one attribute and has a respective entry for each subset including at least one word assigned to said one attribute in the collection of data, the reference table row identifier list associated with said thesaurus entry including any identifier allocated to a row of the reference table having a word of said subset assigned to said one attribute,

• wherein the thesaurus include at least one macroword thesaurus associated with an attribute and with a prefix length shorter than a word length of said attribute, whereby said macroword thesaurus is defined with reference to a partition into subsets each consisting of words beginning by a common prefix having said prefix length, the method comprising the steps of:
• analyzing query criteria to determine a combination involving thesaurus entries relevant to the query;
• determining a matching reference table row identifier list based on said combination and on the stored data representing the reference table row identifier lists associated with said relevant thesaurus entries;
• and
• processing said matching row identifier list to output a response.

A database system, for managing information from a collection of data, wherein a plurality of row identifiers are defined to designate respective rows of a reference table having columns respectively associated with data attributes, said rows containing groups of related words assigned to said attributes in the collection of data, the database system comprising:

• means for storing a plurality of thesauruses respectively associated with attributes of said group, wherein each thesaurus associated with an attribute is defined with reference to a partition into subsets of a set of words which can be assigned to said attribute and has a respective entry for each subset including at least one word assigned to said attribute in the collection of data;
• and
• means for storing data representing identifier lists respectively associated with the thesaurus entries, wherein the identifier list associated with a entry, relating to a subset, of a thesaurus associated with an attribute includes any row identifier designating a row of the reference table having a word of said subset assigned to said attribute,
• and wherein the thesaurus include at least one macroword thesaurus associated with an attribute and with a prefix length shorter than a word length of said attribute, whereby said macroword thesaurus is defined with reference to a partition into subsets each consisting of words beginning by a common prefix having said prefix length.

A computer program product for managing information from a collection of data, wherein a plurality of row identifiers are defined to designate respective rows of a reference table having columns respectively associated with data attributes, said rows containing groups of related words assigned to said attributes in the collection of data, the computer program product comprising:

• instructions for storing a plurality of thesauruses respectively associated with attributes of said group, wherein each thesaurus associated with an attribute is defined with reference to a partition into subsets of a set of words which can be assigned to said attribute and has a respective entry for each subset including at least one word assigned to said attribute in the collection of data;
• and
• instructions for storing data representing identifier lists respectively associated with the thesaurus entries, wherein the identifier list associated with a entry, relating to a subset, of a thesaurus associated with an attribute includes any row identifier designating a row of the reference table having a word of said subset assigned to said attribute,
• and wherein the thesaurus include at least one macroword thesaurus associated with an attribute and with a prefix length shorter than a word length of said attribute, whereby said macroword thesaurus is defined with reference to a partition into subsets each consisting of words beginning by a common prefix having said prefix length.