Patent ID: 7162469
Filing Date: 2007-01-09
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method of querying a database system, comprising: receiving an object query that identifies at least one entity of interest and properties, of the entity of interest, to be returned, wherein the properties are a partial set of properties of the entity; identifying tables and columns in a relational database portion of the database system that correspond to the properties to be returned, wherein identifying comprises accessing a mapping that maps between entities stored in the relational database portion and tables and columns that contain data associated with the entities; obtaining data from the identified columns of the relational database portion, wherein obtaining comprises generating a relational database query identifying the tables and columns that contain data associated with the properties to be returned, and providing the relational database query to the relational database portion of the database system; and returning data from the identified columns, wherein the returned data is less than all data associated with the entity, and wherein returning further comprises determining how data is to be returned based on the object query and arranging the data as indicated by the object query, and wherein returning comprises locating metadata identifying entities from which data is returned.