Core data services extensibility for entity-relationship models

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9619552-B2
Application number	US-201314020675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2013
Priority date	Sep 6, 2013
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments extend the relational model and query language to recognize features of tables and higher level entity-relationship models (ERMs). Extension language is implemented in the data design language (DDL) to incorporate tables, entities (and views) having custom-defined/semantic structure, rather than being limited to primitive types (e.g. flat tables as in standard SQL). The extension language includes an indication that a query is to include all active elements for each table extension or entity extension that is active. The extension language can be chained to extend a table or entity that has been extended.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
providing a database comprising a core data services (CDS) component including a data definition language (DDL) compiler and overlying a lower layer organized according to a relational model and including a first table comprising a base artifact;
providing a database engine in communication with the database utilizing a data definition language describing the relational model and including a structural extension element associating the first table with a second table;
providing an application comprising an entity-relationship model including the second table;
a query engine communicating a query to the database engine utilizing an extended query language accommodating the entity-relationship model, the extended query language comprising an alias;
the DDL compiler referencing the alias to uniquely identify that the structural extension element is referenced by the query, and
the database engine returning a query result including data from the first table to the query engine based upon the extended query language.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the extended query language is an extension of structured query language (SQL).

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the query is a view query.

4. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1 wherein the alias comprises an explicit alias indicating extension of the relational model.

5. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1 wherein the query includes a context annotation in the extended query language.

6. A computer-implemented method as in claim 1 wherein the query includes an entity extension identifying the second table as an entity of the entity-relationship model.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium embodying a computer program for performing a method, said method comprising:
providing a database comprising a core data services (CDS) component including a data definition language (DDL) compiler and overlying a lower layer organized according to a relational model and including a first table comprising a base artifact;
providing a database engine in communication with the database utilizing a data definition language describing the relational model and including a structural extension element associating the first table with a second table;
providing an application comprising an entity-relationship model including the second table;
a query engine communicating a query to the database engine utilizing an extended query language accommodating the entity-relationship model, the extended query language comprising an alias;
the DDL compiler referencing the alias to uniquely identify that the structural extension element is referenced by the query, and
the database engine returning a query result including data from the first table to the query engine based upon the extended query language.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as in claim 7 wherein the extended query language is an extension of structured query language (SQL).

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as in claim 7 wherein the query is a view query.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as in claim 7 wherein the alias comprises an explicit alias indicating extension of the relational model.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as in claim 7 wherein the query includes a context annotation in the extended query language.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as in claim 7 wherein the query includes an entity extension identifying the second table as an entity of the entity-relationship model.

13. A computer system comprising:
one or more processors comprising a database engine and a query engine;
a software program comprising code stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, executable on said processors, the software program configured to:
provide a database comprising a core data services (CDS) component including a data definition language (DDL) compiler and overlying a lower layer organized according to a relational model and including a first table comprising a base artifact;
provide the database engine in communication with the database utilizing a data definition language describing the relational model and including a structural extension element associating the first table with a second table;
provide an application comprising an entity-relationship model including the second table;
cause the query engine to communicate a query to the database engine utilizing an extended query language accommodating the entity-relationship model, the extended query language comprising an alias;
cause the DDL compiler to uniquely identify that the structural extension element is referenced by the query; and
cause the database engine to return a query result to the query engine including data from the first table based upon the extended query language.

14. A computer system as in claim 13 wherein the extended query language is an extension of structured query language (SQL).

15. A computer system as in claim 13 wherein the query is a view query.

16. A computer system as in claim 13 wherein the alias comprises an explicit alias indicating extension of the relational model.

17. A computer system as in claim 13 wherein the query includes a context annotation in the extended query language.

18. A computer system as in claim 13 wherein the query includes an entity extension identifying the second table as an entity of the entity-relationship model.

Assignees

• Falter Timm
• Hutzel Daniel
• Baeuerle Stefan
• Sap Se

Inventors

• Falter Timm
• Hutzel Daniel
• Baeuerle Stefan

Classifications

• G06F16/288 Primary

  Entity relationship models · CPC title

• G06F17/30604 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic