Query resolution system and service

A query resolution system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said query resolution engine is operable to provide an indication of the relevance of extracted entities in relation to said request.

A query resolution service for use in an object-oriented programming environment including one or more archives containing a plurality of persistent data entities, each entity including metadata in the form of a group of properties having property values assignable thereto, at least some of those properties providing a definition of a predetermined level of scope such that within a set of related data entities, the scope of an entity at a higher level encompasses the scope of related entities at a lower level of scope, the service comprising storing data entities' properties that have been extracted from said one or more archives and include said definition of a predetermined level of scope, and identifying, in response to a request, entities whose property values fulfil said request.

A database for connection to one or more archives containing a plurality of persistent data entities, each entity including metadata in the form of a group of properties having property values assignable thereto, at least some of those properties providing a definition of a predetermined level of scope such that within a set of related data entities, the scope of an entity at a higher level encompasses the scope of related entities at a lower level of scope, the database being arranged to store data entities' properties that have been extracted from said one or more archives and include said definition of a predetermined level of scope.

A terminal for connection to a database, said database being connected to one or more archives containing a plurality of persistent data entities, each entity including metadata in the form of a group of properties having property values assignable thereto, at least some of those properties providing a definition of a predetermined level of scope such that within a set of related data entities, the scope of an entity at a higher level encompasses the scope of related entities at a lower level of scope, the database being arranged to store data entities' properties that have been extracted from said one or more archives and include said definition of a predetermined level of scope, the terminal being operable in response to user input to generate a request to identify entities whose property values are defined in said input.

A query resolution service for use in an object-oriented programming environment including one or more archives containing a plurality of persistent data entities, each entity including metadata in the form of a group of properties having property values assignable thereto, at least some of those properties providing a definition of a predetermined level of scope such that within a set of related data entities, the scope of an entity at a higher level encompasses the scope of related entities at a lower level of scope, the service comprising extracting from said one or more archives those data entities' properties that include said definition of a predetermined level of scope, extracting for each one of a plurality of those data entities a group of properties inherited from a related data entity of higher scope and identifying, in response to a request, those entities whose property values including inherited property values, if any, fulfill said request.

A database for connection to one or more archives containing a plurality of persistent data entities, each entity including metadata in the form of a group of properties having property values assignable thereto, at least some of those properties providing a definition of a predetermined level of scope such that within a set of related data entities, the scope of an entity at a higher level encompasses the scope of related entities at a lower level of scope, the database being arranged to store data entities' properties that have been extracted from said one or more archives and include said definition of a predetermined level of scope, and wherein the database is also arranged to store, for each one of a plurality of those data entities, a group of properties inherited from a related data entity of higher scope, the inherited properties having been extracted from said one or more archives.

A terminal for connection to a database, said database being connected to one or more archives containing a plurality of persistent data entities, each entity including metadata in the form of a group of properties having property values assignable thereto, at least some of those properties providing a definition of a predetermined level of scope such that within a set of related data entities, the scope of an entity at a higher level encompasses the scope of related entities at a lower level of scope, the database being arranged to store data entities' properties that have been extracted from said one or more archives and include said definition of a predetermined level of scope, wherein the database is also arranged to store for each one of a plurality of those data entities a group of properties inherited from a related data entity of higher scope, the inherited properties having been extracted from said one or more archives, the terminal being operable in response to user input to generate a request to identify entities whose property values, including inherited property values, if any, are defined in said input.