Technique for encapsulating a query definition
AssigneeActuate Corporation
InventorsDenise L. Draper, Joseph Heitzeberg
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for querying data sources. The query system provides a query definition for defining queries in a uniform manner. The query definition includes a query specification, a data source identifier, and optionally, one or more results transforms. The query definition may be stored as a data structure on computer-readable media, such as a CD-ROM. The query specification includes query text and parameters. The query text specifies the query expression that is to be applied to the identified data source to generate the results. The parameters specify portions of the query text that can be changed by a user before a query is executed.
Claims68
A computer-readable medium containing a data structure defining a query definition, the data structure including:
- a query specification including query text and parameters, the parameters having values that may be set by a user before or when the query definition is executed;
- a results transform that transforms results of executing the query specification into a canonical format;
- and
- a data source identifier that identifies a data source to be used when the query specification is executed;
- wherein the data structure encapsulates the query definition.
A method in a computer-system for performing a query, the method comprising:
- receiving an indication of a query definition encapsulated by a data structure, the query definition including a query specification and a results transform;
- identifying a data source from the query specification;
- requesting execution of the query specification with the identified data source to generate results in a raw format;
- and
- transforming the generated results in the raw format to a canonical format using the results transform.
A computer-readable medium containing a data structure defining a query definition, the data structure comprising:
- a query specification including query text that is an expression of a query;
- and
- a data source identifier that identifies a data source to be used when the query specification is executed;
- whereby the data structure encapsulates the query definition that can be used by a plurality of different application programs to define a query that is to be executed using the query specification and the data source identified by the data source identifier.
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling computer systems to execute queries by a method comprising:
- receiving a query definition that includes a query specification and a data source identifier, the query definition being encapsulated by a data structure that can be accessed by a plurality of different application programs;
- and
- requesting execution of the query definition to generate results.
A computer system for executing queries, the computer system comprising:
- means for receiving a data structure encapsulating a query definition that includes a query specification and a data source identifier;
- and
- means for requesting execution of the query definition to generate results using the query specification and a data source identified by the data source identifier.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.