Model entity operations in query results
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsRichard D. Dettinger, Daniel P. Kolz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods, systems and articles of manufacture that enhance the capability of a database abstraction model and query application constructed for an underlying physical database. Typically, the query application is used to compose and execute an abstract query. Once an initial query result is presented to a user, a user may select to execute a model entity operation by interacting with a query interface of the query application. A model entity operation allows the user to retrieve additional information from the underlying database, based on information included in the initial query result, without having to create a new query or having to correlate the results of multiple queries.
Claims7
A method for processing a data access request, comprising:
- receiving a user request to perform a model entity operation, wherein the user request includes a user selection of a first instance of a model entity selected from a plurality of instances of the model entity included in a first query result and a selected query operation, wherein the model entity is defined by a database abstraction model logically describing an underlying database and wherein the model entity defines a focus for the selected query operation, and wherein instances of the model entity are distinguished by an identifier in an underlying database;
- retrieving, in response to the user request, a linking function configured to identify instances of the model entity that are related to the first instance of the model entity, according to a predefined relationship;
- and
- performing the model entity operation by:
- invoking the linking function to retrieve any instances of the model entity that are related to the first instance of the model entity;
- executing the selected query operation against the retrieved instances of the model entity;
- and
- returning, as a second query result, at least a second instance of the model entity that satisfies any conditions specified by the selected query operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.