Patent ID: 7925658
Filing Date: 2011-04-12
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of generating a report, comprising: obtaining a query via a graphical user interface using a virtual relational database such that data in a data source appears to be stored in a relational database, the data source including one or more files having a hierarchical file format, the virtual relational database including one or more virtual tables, each of the virtual tables including one or more virtual columns, wherein the query identifies at least one of the virtual tables and at least one of the virtual columns of the virtual relational database, wherein a mapping maps the virtual relational database to at least a portion of the data in the data source, wherein the virtual relational database does not store data; obtaining data corresponding to the query using the mapping, wherein the data is not obtained from a relational database, wherein the data is not stored in a relational database; generating a report including the obtained data; wherein the hierarchical file format includes a plurality of data elements, each of the plurality of data elements having an element name; wherein each of the virtual columns corresponds to one of the plurality of data elements, wherein generating a mapping comprises: