Patent ID: 6233573
Filing Date: 2001-05-15
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
One or more computer memories collectively containing a dimensional database data structure for resolving temporal queries, comprising:a time dimension table whose rows each represent a time and are each uniquely identified by a time key;a second dimension table whose rows each represent one state of a time-variable attribute of a particular item, each row containing an item identifier for the item, a time-variable attribute value, and a time key identifying a row of the time dimension table representing a time at which the time-variable attribute value is effective for the item; anda fact table whose rows each contain an item identifier identifying an item to which the row relates, such that a temporal query specifying a condition of the time-variable attribute and effective time may be resolved by using the time dimension table to identify rows of the second dimension table satisfying the condition, generating an intermediate table whose rows each contain an item identifier from an identified row of the second dimension table, and joining the intermediate table and the fact table.