Patent ID: 6775682
Filing Date: 2004-08-10
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for evaluating a database query that includes an aggregate function specifying aggregation of data in a field, specified by an aggregation argument, from distinct records and that includes a rollup operator specifying one or more grouping field keys for grouping of results, wherein a result group consisting of data grouped by all fields specified by the grouping field keys is the lowest level of grouping and a result group consisting of data grouped by no fields specified by the grouping field keys is the highest level of grouping, the method comprising the steps of:for the lowest level of grouping, generating output by performing the aggregation on data retrieved from one or more base tables; and for each level of grouping other than the lowest level, generating output by performing the aggregation on a distinct sorted set of records from the previous level, wherein the distinct sorted set of records includes only unique records.