Patent ID: 7693900

Claim:
A method on a computer for processing queries for data from any of a plurality of different databases on a network coupled to the computer, each database having a respective logical/physical schema which is different from those of others of the plurality of databases, comprising: constructing a neutral ontology model of a query front end characterized by ontology schemata which subsume the plurality of different databases on the network in order to provide a common semantic interface for use in generating queries for data from any of the different databases; importing respective database metadata representing logical and physical structures of each database subscribed for receiving queries for data from the database using the query front end; constructing mappings of the database metadata, including database schemata representing the logical and physical structures of each subscribed database, to the ontology schemata of the query front end, wherein the mappings between the database schemata and the neutral ontology schemata connect each database schematic element with one or more corresponding ontology schemata concepts in the neutral ontology model based on semantic equivalence; and storing the constructed mappings for use by the query front end for queries through the common semantic interface of the neutral ontology model for data from any of the different databases, whereby said method provides user access to the different databases on the fly through a common semantic interface that provides users to query the different databases without knowledge of those databases.