Claims
- 1. A method to retrieve data from information structures, said method comprising:
generating a template containing at least one query unit, wherein both of an information structure being queried by said template and said template are based on an entity/relation paradigm and are characterized as having a self-similar hypergraph (“fractal”) format, said self-similar hypergraph format representing a graph in said information structure which comprises one or more nodes and each said node selectively comprises an entire subgraph.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
comparing said template against an information unit in said information structure to determine whether said information unit matches said at least one query unit.
- 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
returning data of said information structure matching said at least one query unit.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said information structure comprises a plurality of information units, each said information unit comprises at least one node and at least one relation in a hypergraph structure, said template comprises a subgraph, and each node in said template subgraph comprises at least one predefined target, said at least one predefined target comprising at least one of a target node and a target relation, and said template subgraph further comprises an anchor node used to start an evaluation of said comparing.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein said comparing comprises, for each said information unit in said information structure:
initially comparing said template anchor node with a node in said information unit; and if said template anchor node matches a node in said information unit, systematically comparing each element of said template subgraph against any of a corresponding element of said information unit.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said returning data comprises:
returning all of said at least one predefined target extracted from each said information unit that matches said template subgraph.
- 7. A middleware module executing a template-based method to retrieve data from information structures, said middleware module comprising:
a template constructor for creating a template that matches a self-similar hypergraph format of said information structure, said template containing at least one query unit, wherein said information structure is based on an entity/relation paradigm and is characterized as having a self-similar hypergraph (“fractal”) format, said self-similar hypergraph format representing a graph in said information structure which comprises one or more nodes and each said node selectively comprises an entire subgraph.
- 8. The middleware module of claim 7, further comprising:
a comparator to compare said template against an information unit in said information structure to determine whether said information unit matches said at least one query unit; and a data transfer unit to return data in said information structure matching said at least one query unit.
- 9. The middleware module of claim 8, wherein said information structure comprises a plurality of said information units, each said information unit comprises at least one node and at least one relation in a hypergraph structure, said template comprises a subgraph, and each node in said template subgraph comprises at least one predefined target, said at least one predefined target comprising at least one of a target node and a target relation, and said template subgraph further comprises an anchor node used to start an evaluation.
- 10. The middleware module of claim 9, wherein said comparator comprises:
a population module including an initial comparison module that initially compares said template anchor node with a node in one of said information unit under evaluation.
- 11. The middleware module of claim 10, said population module further comprising a subsequent comparison module that, if said template anchor node matches a node in said information unit, systematically compares each element of said template subgraph against any of a corresponding element of said information unit under evaluation.
- 12. The middleware module of claim 8, wherein said data transfer unit includes:
an extraction module that returns said at least one predefined target extracted from each said information unit that matches said template subgraph.
- 13. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform a template-based method to retrieve data from information structures, said method comprising:
creating a template containing at least one query unit, wherein an information structure being queried by said template and said template are each based on an entity/relation paradigm and are each characterized as having a self-similar hypergraph (“fractal”) format, said self-similar hypergraph format representing a graph in said information structure or template which comprises one or more nodes and each said node selectively comprises an entire subgraph.
- 14. The signal-bearing medium of claim 13, said method further comprising:
comparing said template against an information unit in said information structure to determine whether said information unit matches said at least one query unit.
- 15. The signal-bearing medium of claim 14, said method farther comprising:
returning data in said information structure matching said at least one query unit.
- 16. An apparatus executing a template-based method to retrieve data from information structures, said apparatus comprising:
a template constructor for creating a template that matches a self-similar hypergraph format of an information structure, said template containing at least one query unit, wherein said information structure is based on an entity/relation paradigm and is characterized as having a self-similar hypergraph (“fractal”) format, said self-similar hypergraph format representing a graph in said information structure which comprises one or more nodes and each said node selectively comprises an entire subgraph.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:
a comparator to compare said template against an information unit in said information structure to determine whether said information unit matches said at least one query unit; and a data transfer unit to return data in said information unit matching said at least one query unit.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said information structure comprises a plurality of said information units, each said information unit comprises at least one node and at least one relation in a hypergraph structure, said template comprises a subgraph, and each node in said template subgraph comprises at least one predefined target, said at least one predefined target comprising at least one of a target node and a target relation, and said template subgraph further comprises an anchor node used to start an evaluation.
- 19. A network executing a template-based method to retrieve data from information structures, said network comprising:
a first computer having a middleware module executing a template-based method to retrieve data from information structures based on an entity/relation paradigm and characterized as being a self-similar hypergraph, said middleware module comprising: a template constructor for creating a template that matches a self-similar hypergraph format of said information structure, said template containing at least one query unit, wherein said information structure is based on an entity/relation paradigm and is characterized as having a self-similar hypergraph (“fractal”) format, said self-similar hypergraph format representing a graph in said information structure which comprises one or more nodes and each said node selectively comprises an entire subgraph.
- 20. The network of claim 19, wherein said middleware module in said first computer further comprises:
a comparator to compare said template against an information unit in said information structure to determine whether said information unit matches said at least one query unit; and a data transfer unit to return data in said information structure matching said at least one query unit.
- 21. The network of claim 19, further comprising:
a second computer having stored therein an information structure corresponding to a self-similar hypergraph format matching said template.
- 22. The network of claim 21, wherein said second computer includes a middleware module comprising:
a comparator to compare a template received from said first computer against an information unit in said information structure to determine whether said information unit matches said at least one query unit; and a data transfer unit to return data in said information unit matching said at least one query unit, thereby allowing a comparator and a data transfer unit in said middleware module of said second computer to process a query in said received template.
- 23. A node in a computer system, said node comprising:
a receiver for receiving data retrieved from a query of an information structure, said retrieved data being data that matches a template query, said information structure being based on an entity/relation paradigm and characterized as having a self-similar hypergraph (“fractal”) format, said self-similar hypergraph format representing a graph in said information structure which comprises one or more data-unit-nodes, wherein each said data-unit-node selectively comprises an entire subgraph, said matched data resulting from a comparison of a template that matches a self-similar hypergraph format of said information structure, and said template containing at least one query unit.
- 24. A node in a computer system, said node comprising:
a generator for generating a query template for an information structure having a self-similar hypergraph (“fractal”) format, said template containing at least one query unit, said self-similar hypergraph format representing a graph in said information structure which comprises one or more data-unit-nodes, wherein each said data-unit-node selectively comprises an entire subgraph.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present Application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed on ______, to Rosario Uceda-Sosa, entitled “METHOD AND STRUCTURE FOR UNSTRUCTURED DOMAIN-INDEPENDENT OBJECT-ORIENTED INFORMATION MIDDLEWARE”, having IBM Docket YOR920020216US1, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, filed on ______, to Rosario Uceda-Sosa, entitled “METHOD AND STRUCTURE FOR DOMAIN-INDEPENDENT MODULAR REASONING AND RELATION REPRESENTATION FOR ENTITY-RELATION BASED INFORMATION STRUCTURES”, having IBM Docket YOR920020217US1, both assigned to the present assignee, and both incorporated herein by reference.