Enhanced table functions for database management systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10970265-B2
Application number	US-201715418479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2017
Priority date	Jan 27, 2017
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A table function can be received at a database system and applied to one or more data sources. The table function can have one or more generic input operators associated with a source data type of the one or more data sources. One or more output operators associated with a return set of data of the table function can be determined at function call compile time from the values passed to one or more generic input operators. The determining of the one or more output parameters can be based on one or more rules specified in the table function definition. The one or more output operators for the table function can be generated at function call compile time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method to be performed on one or more data processors comprising at least part of a computer system, the method comprising:
receiving, at a database system, a generic table function applicable to a plurality of types of data sources, the generic table function comprising a hierarchy navigation function having a function signature, the function signature including one or more fixed input parameters and one or more generic input operators, wherein the one or more generic input operators comprise a call to at least one generic table having a generic data type, and further wherein the one or more generic input operators are defined irrespective of source data type of the plurality of types of data sources;
determining, at a compile time for the generic table function and based on the function signature, one or more output operators associated with a return set of data of the generic table function, wherein the one or more output operators are determined based on an identity and/or a data type of elements in the return set of data, and wherein the one or more output operators are further based on one or more rules specified in the generic table function, the one or more rules defining how the one or more output operators are derived from the one or more fixed input parameters and the one or more generic input operators; and
generating, at compile time for the generic table function, the one or more output operators for the generic table function.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generic table function is a Standard Query Language (SQL) table function.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generic table function generates a start node table defining the start node for a navigation through a hierarchy of nodes.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein an output of the generic table function includes a hierarchy of descendant nodes of the start node.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generic table function is a hierarchy generator function.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generic table function is configured to allow customization of one or more input parameters of the generic table function.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
traversing a node hierarchy in accordance with the hierarchy navigation function.

8. A system comprising:
at least one processor; and
memory storing machine-readable instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at the at least one processor, a generic table function applicable to a plurality of types of data sources, the generic table function comprising a hierarchy navigation function having a function signature, the function signature including one or more fixed input parameters and one or more generic input operators, wherein the one or more generic input operators comprise a call to at least one generic table having a generic data type, and further wherein the one or more generic input operators are defined irrespective of source data type of the plurality of types of data sources;
determining, at compile-time for the generic table function and based on the function signature, one or more output operators associated with a return set of data of the generic table function, wherein the one or more output operators are determined based on an identity and/or a data type of elements in the return set of data, and wherein the one or more output operators are further based on one or more rules specified in the generic table function, the one or more rules defining how the one or more output operators are derived from the one or more fixed input parameters and the one or more generic input operators; and
generating, at compile time for the generic table function, the one or more output operators for the generic table function.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the generic table function is a Standard Query Language (SQL) table function.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the generic table function generates a start node table defining the start node for a navigation through a hierarchy of nodes.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein an output of the generic table function includes a hierarchy of descendant nodes of the start node.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the generic table function is a hierarchy generator function.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the generic table function is configured to allow customization of one or more input parameters of the generic table function.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise:
traversing a node hierarchy in accordance with the hierarchy navigation function.

Assignees

• Sap Se

Inventors

• Franz Gerald
• Jakschitsch Hannes
• Sedler Roland
• Erler Bastian

Classifications

• G06F16/2433

  Query languages · CPC title

• G06F16/2282 Primary

  Tablespace storage structures; Management thereof · CPC title