JPH03142639A - Data base control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the retrieving efficiency in a data base control system by using a key word including a special character including a special symbol that is not processed as a character as a medium which secures the relationship between records. CONSTITUTION:The record controlled by a relational data base device 15 is stored in a relational data base storage part 16. A key word including a special character including a special symbol like a control code, etc., that is not processed as a character is used in addition to a key word consisting of characters to secure the relationship between records. That is, the key word including a special character is identified and the retrieving conditions designat ed previously are generated and sent to a retrieval processing part 18 via a retrieving mechanism 19 for key word including a special character. Thus, the relationship is secured among the records in response to the request of a user with no breakage of a standard constitution, i.e., a relational data base. Then the related record can be directly taken out with no retrieving process taking much time required. As a result, the data base retrieving efficiency is improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a relational database management system, and particularly to relationships between records that are equal in nature.

This invention relates to improvements that improve the efficiency of users' searches by creating new relationships, such as upper and lower hierarchies and direct associations, regardless of the structure of the database, through simple user operations.

(Prior Art) One of the fundamental characteristics of computers is the ability to systematically manage large amounts of data.

This function is called a database, and it is one of the oldest applications of computers. There are many ways to implement a database.

In recent years, with the spread of personal computers, simple relational databases have become mainstream. What are the characteristics of relational databases?

This is to manage data in a tabular format, with each record as a row and the elements of each record as columns. and.

Desired records can be searched by extracting related items from multiple tables. Generally, the elements of each record include, in addition to information representing the contents of the data itself, a record number, a record name, and one or more keywords that can be specified as conditions during a search.

(Problem to be solved by the invention) Each record in such a relational database is.

They are on an equal footing and are related only through specific elements. For example, if we consider an employee database, if data on the element of affiliation is the same, it can be known that employees are in the same department, but it is difficult to express the relationship between superiors and subordinates. Of course, it is possible to express this by using a network-type database structure instead of a relational type, but this would impair the simple expressivity of the relational type. In other words, when using a relational database, there is a problem in that it is difficult to express the hierarchical relationship of each record.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention includes a processing device such as a microprocessor, a main memory for storing information such as programs and data, an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, and a display device such as a CRT. It is implemented on an information processing device consisting of a secondary storage device for storing and holding a large amount of data, and in order to systematically accumulate and manage records in a tabular format, each record is given a title, various attributes, In a relational database management system that assigns keywords during searches to create meaningful information sets, keywords with special characters that include special symbols that are not processed as separate characters from the keywords are used as a medium to associate records with each other. The association for use is characterized in that it comprises means.

The means for the above-mentioned association includes a keyword search mechanism with special characters that allows special characters having a meaning other than text information as the keyword, and registration/search by associating each record in the database with the above-mentioned special characters in a hierarchical relationship. It consists of a record link mechanism that can be used.

When viewed as a relational database as a whole, the above-mentioned association includes not only means but also input/output control means, storage means for storing records to be managed, and registering records,
It consists of operating means for updating or deleting registered records, and means for searching registered records for ones that match the keyword specified by the user.

(Example) Next, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, 10 is a processing device such as a microprocessor, and 11 is a main memory that stores programs and the like. Data input for operating the system is performed using the input device 12. Display of various information is displayed on the display device 14 by the display control unit 13.

15 is a relational database device which is a feature of the present invention. The internal configuration will be explained below. The records managed in this database are:

It is stored in the relational database storage section 16. The data operation unit 17 registers records in the database and updates and deletes already registered records. Similarly,
Among registered records.

The search processing unit 18 searches for items that match elements such as keywords specified by the user. In the present invention, in addition to keywords consisting of conventional characters, keywords with special characters that include special symbols such as control codes and escape codes that are not processed as single characters can be used not only as mere keywords but also for associating records with each other. . The special character keyword search mechanism 19 identifies the special character keyword, generates prespecified search conditions, and sends the generated search conditions to the search processing section 18. When a record to be registered is to be associated with another record, a keyword with special characters is written in the keyword field based on information from the record searched by the record link mechanism 20 and sent to the data manipulation section 17. The database input/output control section 21 controls the database control and data output as described above.

Next, the functions and operations of the embodiment will be described with reference to the example document database shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 shows the contents of the document database in a table format. Each record has 1 document number, 1 document name, 2 creators, 1 date of creation, 1 version number, and 5 keywords as elements. The documents included in this diagram include “
There are 2 technical documents and 1 estimate for ``X device'', 3 technical documents and 1 estimate for ``Y device'', and 1 document each to be submitted to both companies A and B. Here, Company A has “X equipment” and B
Since we are planning to deliver "Device Y" to a company, we would like to associate it when registering it in the database. Also, when technical documents from rABC-001J to rABC-005J are registered in advance.

When registering the rA B C-006J document, use the record link function to link this document to rABC-001J and r
Associated with ABC-002J. Then.

These document numbers are registered following the special symbol "0" (pronounced as control U) as a keyword.

Similarly, rABC-003 for rABC-007J.
From rABC-005J, rABC-008J has r
rABC for ABC-006J and rABC-009J
-007J is associated, and a related document number with a special symbol "0" is registered as a keyword for each. In such a state, when searching for submitted materials for Company A, for example, the database human output control unit 21 operates the keyword search mechanism with special characters and sends the document number following "0" to the search processing unit. You can directly search for quotations and technical materials for related "X equipment" without entering new keywords. In this example.

The special symbol "0" indicates the document number corresponding to the upper link. But besides this.

Various associations are possible, such as "b" being a lower link and "containing" being a link indicating records at the same level.

(Effect of the invention) As explained above, in the database according to the present invention,
Without compromising the standard structure of a relational database, each record can be associated based on a user's request, and when searching, associated records can be retrieved directly without time-consuming search processing.
Database search applications are much more efficient. In addition, it has the effect of easily realizing functions such as searching for all records related to a certain record.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a database management system representing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a document data beta. 10... Processing device, 11... Main memory, 12...
Human power device, 13...Display control unit, 14-'.
Display device, 15... Relational database device, 16.
. . . relational database storage device, 17 . . . data manipulation unit. 18...Search processing unit, 19...Keyword search mechanism with special characters, 20...Record link mechanism, 21.
...Data beta input/output control section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) A processing device such as a microprocessor, a main memory for storing information such as programs and data, an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, a display device such as a CRT, and a large amount of data. It is realized on an information processing device consisting of a secondary storage device for storing and holding records, and in order to systematically store and manage records in a tabular format, each record has a title, various attributes, keywords for searching, etc. In a relational database management system that provides a meaningful set of information by assigning keywords, keywords with special characters that include special symbols that are not processed as characters can be used as a medium for associating records with each other, in addition to the keywords. A database management system characterized by comprising an association means for. 2) The database management system according to claim 1, wherein the association means includes a keyword search mechanism with special characters that allows special characters having a meaning other than text information as the keyword, and a keyword search mechanism with special characters that allows each record in the database to be searched above and below using the special characters. A database management system comprising a record link mechanism that can be registered and searched in relation to each other. 3) In the database management system according to claim 2, the relational database includes, in addition to the association means, input/output control means, storage means for storing records to be managed, and registering records; A database management system characterized by having an operation means for updating or deleting registered records, and a means for searching registered records for those matching a keyword specified by a user.