Patent ID: 7092933

Claim:
A computer implemented method, comprising: receiving a request associated with a user-defined datatype, wherein the user-defined datatype is associated with a plurality of data elements, creating an instance of the user-defined datatype; and storing the instance of the user-defined datatype in one column of a row in a database table, the column including at least one value associated with at least one of the plurality of data elements, wherein the instance comprises: an identifier operable to uniquely identify the user-defined datatype; a count operable to identify a number of data elements associated with the user-defined datatype; a plurality of type identifiers each operable to identify a type associated with one of the plurality of data elements; a plurality of pointers each operable to identify a value associated with one of the plurality of data elements; and a plurality of flags each operable to identify whether the pointer associated with one of the plurality of data elements has a null value.