Patent ID: 6910044
Filing Date: 2005-06-21
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. In a database system, a method for structuring families of data items comprising: obtaining a non-empty set of family items from a main table in a database wherein each family item selected from said non-empty set of family items represents at least one first field value found in a first field in at least one record of said main table in said database and wherein said family item is not accessed if said at least one first field value associated with said family item does not exist within said first field in any row of said main table in said database; assigning a family identifier to each of said non-empty set of family items wherein said family identifier does not comprise a one to one correspondence to a category identifier found in a category field of said main table in said database; building a hierarchy between said non-empty set of family items in a family table wherein said family table is separate from said main data table and wherein a child family is associated with an additional at least one second field having a second field value found in said main table and associated with said family identifier and wherein a parent family is not associated with said additional at least one second field value and wherein said family identifier and said at least one second field are stored in a family partition table; providing an indirect partition of data records of said main table via said family table wherein a family identifier is not stored in any field in any record of said main table in said database; and managing said set of family items and said hierarchy in said family table in response to a change in said data records in said main table by deleting any family items in said family table that no longer have associated field values in an associated field in any row of said main table of said database when a first record is deleted from said database and adding at least one new family item when a new record comprising a new field value is inserted into said main table of said database.