Data processing system and method for retrieving and entity specified in a search path record from a relational database

Abstract

A relationships processing computing system provides for the recording and extraction of data objects (entities) and for development data representing a queried relationship between data objects (entities). The set of entities and relationships may be expanded at any time during the life of the system without reprogramming or compiling computer code and without disrupting concurrent use of the system. Complex inquiries, normally requiring multiple nested queries, may be performed without code level programming.

1. In a computer system, a data processing system for retrieving a selected entity from a relational database, said data processing system comprising:
 memory means containing a plurality of entities, wherein said entities are part of said relational database;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first entity and a first relation, and said first search path record storing means includes an inquiry definition table means;  
 means, operatively coupled to said first search path record storing means, for retrieving from said relational database a second entity wherein said second entity is related to said first entity by said first relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation, and said second search path record storing means includes said inquiry definition table means; and  
 means, operatively coupled to said second search path record storing means and to said second entity retrieving means, for retrieving from said relational database said selected entity wherein said selected entity is related to said second entity by said second relation.  
 
     
     
       2. In a computer system, a data processing system for retrieving a selected entity from a relational database, said data processing system comprising:
 memory means containing a plurality of entities, wherein said entities are part of said relational database;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first entity and a first relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said first search path record storing means, for retrieving from said relational database a second entity wherein said second entity is related to said first entity by said first relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said second search path record storing means and to said second entity retrieving means, for retrieving from said relational database said selected entity wherein said selected entity is related to said second entity by said second relation; and  
 means, operatively coupled to said second entity retrieving means and to said selected entity retrieving means, for storing said second entity in an abbreviated results gathering means.  
 
     
     
       3. In a computer system, a data processing system for retrieving a selected group of one or more entities from a relational database, said data processing system comprising:
 memory means containing a plurality of entities, wherein said entities are part of said relational database;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first entity and a first relation, and said first search path record storing means includes an inquiry definition table means;  
 means, operatively coupled to said first search path record storing means, for retrieving from said relational database a first group of entities comprising all entities within said relational database related to said first entity by said first relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation, and said second search path record storing means includes said inquiry definition table means; and  
 means, operatively coupled to said second search path record storing means and to said first group of entities retrieving means, for retrieving from said relational database said selected group of one or more entities wherein said selected group of one or more entities comprises all entities within said relational database related to at least one of said first group of entities by said second relation.  
 
     
     
       4. In a computer system, data processing system for retrieving a selected group of one or more entities from a relational database, said data processing system comprising:
 memory means containing a plurality of entities, wherein said entities are part of said relational database;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first entity and a first relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said first search path record storing means, for retrieving from said relational database a first group of entities comprising all entities within said relational database related to said first entity by said first relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said second search path record storing means and to said first group of entities retrieving means, for retrieving from said relational database said selected group of one or more entities wherein said selected group of one or more entities comprises all entities within said relational database related to at least one of said first group of entities by said second relation; and  
 means, operatively coupled to said first group of entities retrieving means and to said selected group of one or more entities retrieving means, for storing said first group of entities in an abbreviated results gathering means.  
 
     
     
       5. A computer method for retrieving a selected entity from a relational database, said method comprising:
 forming a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first entity and a first relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database in response to said first search path record a second entity wherein said second entity is related to said first entity by said first relating relation;  
 forming a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database in response to said second search path record said selected entity wherein said selected entity is related to said second entity by said second relation; and  
 storing said first search path record and said second search path record in an inquiry definition table means.  
 
     
     
       6. A computer method for retrieving a selected entity from a relational database, said method comprising:
 forming a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first entity and a first relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database in response to said first search path record a second entity wherein said second entity is related to said first entity by said first relation;  
 forming a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database in response to said second search path record said selected entity wherein said selected entity is related to said second entity by said second relation; and  
 storing said second entity in an abbreviated results gathering means.  
 
     
     
       7. A computer method for retrieving a selected group of one or more entities from a relational database, said method comprising:
 forming a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first entity and a first relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database a first group of entities comprising all entities within said relational database related to said first entity by said first relation;  
 forming a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database said selected group of entities wherein said selected group of entities comprises all entities within said relational database related to at least one of said first group of entities by said second relation; and  
 storing said first search path record and said second search path record in an inquiry definition table means.  
 
     
     
       8. A computer method for retrieving a selected group of one or more entities from a relational database, said method comprising:
 forming a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first entity and a first relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database a first group of entities comprising all entities within said relational database related to said first entity by said first relation;  
 forming a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database said selected group of entities wherein said selected group of entities comprises all entities within said relational database related to at least one of said first group of entities by said second relation; and  
 storing said first group of entities in an abbreviated results gathering means.  
 
     
     
       9. In a computer system, a data processing system for retrieving a selected entity from a relational database, said data processing system comprising:
 memory means containing a plurality of entities, wherein said entities are part of said relational database;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first relation, and said first search path record storing means includes an inquiry definition table means;  
 means, operatively coupled to said first search path record storing means, for retrieving from said relational database a first entity wherein said first entity is related to a second entity by said first relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation, and said second search path record storing means includes said inquiry definition table means; and  
 means, operatively coupled to said second search path record storing means and to said first entity retrieving means, for retrieving from said relational database said selected entity wherein said selected entity is related to said first entity by said second relation.  
 
     
     
       10. In a computer system, a data processing system for retrieving a selected group of one or more entities from a relational database, said data processing system comprising:
 memory means containing a plurality of entities, wherein said entities are part of said relational database;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first relation, and said first search path record storing means includes an inquiry definition table means;  
 means, operatively coupled to said first search path record storing means, for retrieving from said relational database a first group of entities comprising all entities within said relational database related to at least one of said entities by said first relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation, and said second search path record storing means includes said inquity definition table means; and  
 means, operatively coupled to said second search path record storing means and to said first group of entities retrieving means, for retrieving from said relational database said selected group of one or more entities wherein said selected group of one or more entities comprises all entities within said relational database related to at least one of said first group of entities by said second relation.  
 
     
     
       11. A computer method for retrieving a selected entity from a relation database, said method comprising:
 forming a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database in response to said first search path record a first entity wherein said first entity is related to a second entity by said first relation;  
 forming a second search path record wherein said second search path record identities a second relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database in response to said second search path record said selected entity wherein said selected entity is related to said first entity by said second relation; and  
 storing said first search path record and said second search path record in an inquiry definition table means.  
 
     
     
       12. A computer method for retrieving a selected group of one or more entities from a relational database, said method comprising:
 forming a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database a first group of entities comprising all entities within said relational database related to at least one of said entities by said first relation;  
 forming a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database said selected group of entities wherein said selected group of entities comprises all entities within said relational database related to at least one or said first group of entities by said second relation; and  
 storing said first search path record and said second search path record in an inquiry definition table means.  
 
     
     
       13. In a computer system, a data processing system for retrieving a selected entity from a relational database, said data processing system comprising:
 memory means containing a plurality of entities, wherein said entities are part of said relational database;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said first search path record storing means, for retrieving from said relational database a first entity wherein said first entity is related to a second entity by said first relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a second search path record wherein said second search path record identities a second relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said second search path record storing means and to said first entity retrieving means, for retrieving from said relational database said selected entity wherein said selected entity is related to said first entity by said second relation; and  
 means, operatively coupled to said first entity retrieving means and to said selected entity retrieving means, for storing said first entity in an abbreviated results gathering means.  
 
     
     
       14. In a computer system, a data processing system for retrieving a selected group of one or more entries from a relational database, said data processing system comprising:
 memory means containing a plurality of entities, wherein said entities are part of said relational database;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said first search path record storing means, for retrieving from said relational database a first group of entities comprising all entities within said relational database related to at least one of said entities by said first relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said memory means, for storing a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation;  
 means, operatively coupled to said second search path record storing means and to said first group of entities retrieving means, for retrieving from said relational database said selected group of one or more entities wherein said selected group of one or more entities comprises all entities within said relational database related to at least one of said first group of entities by said second relation; and  
 means, operatively coupled to said first group of entities retrieving means and to said selected group of one or more entities retrieving means, for storing said first group of entities in an abbreviated results gathering means.  
 
     
     
       15. A computer method for retrieving a selected entity from a relational database, said method comprising:
 forming a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database in response to said first search path record a first entity wherein said first entity is related to a second entity by said first relation;  
 forming a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database in response to said second search path record said selected entity wherein said selected entity is related to said first entity by said second relation; and  
 storing said first entity in an abbreviated results gathering means.  
 
     
     
       16. A computer method for retrieving a selected group of one or more entities from a relational database, said method comprising:
 forming a first search path record wherein said first search path record identifies a first relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database a first group of entities comprising all entities within said relational database related to at least one of said entities by said first relation;  
 forming a second search path record wherein said second search path record identifies a second relation;  
 retrieving from said relational database said selected group of entities wherein said selected group of entities comprises all entities within said relational database retalted to at least one of said first group of entities by said second relation; and  
 storing said first group of entities in abbreviated results gathering means.