Extensions of structured query language for database-native support of graph data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017147705-A1
Application number	US-201514946664-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 19, 2015
Priority date	Nov 19, 2015
Publication date	May 25, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Based on received input, a vertex table of the database layer and a vertex key column in the vertex table can be identified. The vertex key column defines vertices of a graph representation. Also based on the received input, an edge table of the database layer, an edge key column in the edge table, a source column in the edge table, and a target column in the edge table can be identified. The source column and target column define relationships between vertices of the plurality of vertices. Within a graph workspace object, graph relationships linking the vertices defined by the vertex key column via edges defined by the source column and target column in the edge table can be assigned, and the graph workspace can be generated in a higher level programming layer based on the graph workspace object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer program product comprising a non-transient machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
instantiating a graph workspace object in a database architecture comprising a database layer; identifying, based on received input, a vertex table of the database layer and a vertex key column in the vertex table, the vertex key column defining a plurality of vertices of a graph representation; also identifying, based on the received input, an edge table of the database layer, an edge key column in the edge table, a source column in the edge table, and a target column in the edge table, the source column and target column defining relationships between vertices of the plurality of vertices; assigning, within the graph workspace object, graph relationships linking the vertices defined by the vertex key column via edges defined by the source column and target column in the edge table; and generating a graph workspace in a higher level programming layer based on the graph workspace object.

2 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
generating the vertex table in a physical table pool, the vertex table comprising a vertex row corresponding to each of the plurality of vertices; and generating the edge table in the physical table pool, the edge table comprising an edge row, each edge row comprising values in the edge key column, the source column, the target column, and an edge key column, the values in the source column and the target column defining a relationship linking two of the plurality of vertices, and the values in the edge key column uniquely identifying the relationship.

3 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise creating the graph workspace based on commands received in a native language configured to manipulate data in the database architecture.

4 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the native language comprises a structured query language (SQL).

5 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise updating the graph workspace object in response to changes in the vertex table or the edge table.

6 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the edge table and/or the vertex table further comprise at least one property column identifying a property of elements present in the edge table and/or the vertex table.

7 . The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the higher level programming layer comprises a calculation engine layer.

8 . The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein the operations further comprise instantiating the graph workspace in the calculation engine layer of the database architecture, and wherein the edge table and vertex table are maintained in a physical table pool of the database architecture.

9 . A method for implementation by one or more data processors forming part of at least one computing system, the method comprising:
instantiating a graph workspace object in a database architecture comprising a database layer; identifying, based on received input, a vertex table of the database layer and a vertex key column in the vertex table, the vertex key column defining a plurality of vertices of a graph representation; also identifying, based on the received input, an edge table of the database layer, an edge key column in the edge table, a source column in the edge table, and a target column in the edge table, the source column and target column defining relationships between vertices of the plurality of vertices; assigning, within the graph workspace object, graph relationships linking the vertices defined by the vertex key column via edges defined by the source column and target column in the edge table; and generating a graph workspace in a higher level programming layer based on the graph workspace object.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
generating the vertex table in a physical table pool, the vertex table comprising a vertex row corresponding to each of the plurality of vertices; and generating the edge table in the physical table pool, the edge table comprising an edge row, each edge row comprising values in the edge key column, the source column, the target column, and an edge key column, the values in the source column and the target column defining a relationship linking two of the plurality of vertices, and the values in the edge key column uniquely identifying the relationship.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise creating the graph workspace based on commands received in a native language configured to manipulate data in the database architecture.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the native language comprises a structured query language (SQL).

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise updating the graph workspace object in response to changes in the vertex table or the edge table.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the edge table and/or the vertex table further comprise at least one property column identifying a property of elements present in the edge table and/or the vertex table.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the higher level programming layer comprises a calculation engine layer.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise instantiating the graph workspace in the calculation engine layer of the database architecture, and wherein the edge table and vertex table are maintained in a physical table pool of the database architecture.

17 . A system comprising:
computer hardware comprising at least one programmable processor configured to perform operations comprising:
instantiating a graph workspace object in a database architecture comprising a database layer;
identifying, based on received input, a vertex table of the database layer and a vertex key column in the vertex table, the vertex key column defining a plurality of vertices of a graph representation;
also identifying, based on the received input, an edge table of the database layer, an edge key column in the edge table, a source column in the edge table, and a target column in the edge table, the source column and target column defining relationships between vertices of the plurality of vertices;
assigning, within the graph workspace object, graph relationships linking the vertices defined by the vertex key column via edges defined by the source column and target column in the edge table; and
generating a graph workspace in a higher level programming layer based on the graph workspace object.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:
generating the vertex table in a physical table pool, the vertex table comprising a vertex row corresponding to each of the plurality of vertices; and generating the edge table in the physical table pool, the edge table comprising an edge row, each edge row comprising values in the edge key column, the source column, the target column, and an edge key column, the values in the source column and the target column defining a relationship linking two of the plurality of vertices, and the values in the edge key column uniquely identifying the relationship.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise updating the graph workspace object in response to changes in th

Assignees

• Sap Se

Inventors

• Kasperovics Romans
• Mindnich Tobias
• Kinder Cornelia
• Weyerhaeuser Christoph
• Fischer Thomas

Classifications

• G06F16/2433 Primary

  Query languages · CPC title

• G06F17/30958 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F17/30339

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F17/30598

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F17/30404

  Physics · mapped topic