Patent ID: 6772164
Filing Date: 2004-08-03
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for performing operations in a database system having a plurality of data sets that are stored into a storage of a computer, including the steps of:Forming each data set to include an arbitrary number of fields, with each data set further including a field description in the form of metadata and an arbitrary number of field contents, with the metadata for each data set containing information regarding the structure of that data set that is not dependent on a structured data model for the database, wherein each field content comprises user data or a descriptor for the field content assigned to the descriptor, with the metadata of each data set defining the structure of the corresponding data set at least with respect to the field contends, and also with respect to the field description or parts of the field description, and further the metadata may include administrative information about the field contents; and Storing each data set in the storage of the computer so that the field contents are stored together with the corresponding metadata stored as a data set.