公开(公告)号：US07693845B2

公开(公告)日：2010-04-06

申请号：US09942787

申请日：2001-08-29

Applicant: Henry Scanzano ,  Lin Yu ,  Alaaeldin A. Aly ,  Sameh Yamany

Inventor： Henry Scanzano ,  Lin Yu ,  Alaaeldin A. Aly ,  Sameh Yamany

IPC: G06F7/00 ,  G06F17/00

CPC classification number: G06F17/30595

Abstract: Database systems, methods and/or computer program products provide for multiple but exclusive relationships between tables in a relational database. The multiple but exclusive relationship may be enforced based on a type associated with a record in a relating table. The multiple but exclusive relationship may be a one-to-many or a many-to-many relationship. A foreign key value of a record in a relating table may be selectively associated with a specific one of a plurality of related tables based on at least one attribute of the record containing the foreign key in the relating table. In particular embodiments of the present invention, the foreign key values of a record in the relating table are selectively associated with one of the plurality of related tables by defining a foreign key of records of the relating table and defining a plurality of types of foreign key associations, each of the types corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of related tables. One of the related tables having a type corresponding to a type value associated with a record of the relating table is selected and a record in the selected related table identified based on a foreign key value of the foreign key of the record in the relating table.

Abstract translation: 数据库系统，方法和/或计算机程序产品提供关系数据库中的表之间的多个但是排他的关系。 可以基于与相关表中的记录相关联的类型来强制执行多个但是排他的关系。 多重但唯一的关系可能是一对多或多对多的关系。 基于在相关表中包含外键的记录的至少一个属性，相关表中的记录的外键值可以与多个相关表中的特定的一个有选择地相关联。 在本发明的特定实施例中，通过定义相关表的记录的外键并定义多种类型的外键，相关表中的记录的外键值选择性地与多个相关表之一相关联 关联，每个类型对应于多个相关表中的相应一个。 选择对应于与相关表的记录相关联的类型值的类型的相关表中的一个，并且基于相关表中记录的外键的外键值标识所选择的相关表中的记录。