Patent ID: 8745070

Claim:
A method for managing a data stream, comprising: a streaming relational database management server receiving a continuous query, wherein the continuous query is a request for an unbounded set of records over time; in response to receiving the continuous query, the streaming relational database management server generating a first stream-to-relation operator; the first stream-to-relation operator returning, to a second stream-to-relation operator, an unbounded set of windows over time, wherein a first window comprises a tuple comprising: a first control information that indicates a first edge, the first edge belonging to the first window; a second control information that indicates a second edge, the second edge belonging to a second window; using the second stream-to-relation operator, determining the first edge for the first window based on the first control information; using the second stream-to-relation operator, determining the second edge for the second window based on the second control information; based, at least in part, on the second control information, the second stream-to-relation operator returning a window before receiving the second window; wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.