Flattening Complex Structure Attributes in REST Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies struggle to accurately map and store complex structure attributes in REST objects, leading to data loss, corruption, or unmanageably large files due to the nested hierarchy of arrays and objects, especially when dealing with multiple array-type attributes.
Innovation Solution
A configuration capture component that performs hash type and array type conversions to flatten complex structure attributes into manageable data files, allowing for recursive handling of nested objects and arrays, and includes an expansion component to revert flattened data back to its original form without errors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If complex structure attributes are mapped using traditional methods, then data completeness is maintained, but file size grows unmanageably large and processing becomes impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments complex structure attributes into simple structure attributes and array attributes. Simple structure attributes are mapped directly to columns, while array attributes are handled separately by generating multiple rows with identical other attribute values. This segmentation prevents file size explosion while maintaining data completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts array attributes from the complex structure and handles them independently from simple structure attributes. By separating the handling of simple and array attributes, the system avoids the file size growth that would occur if all attributes were expanded into multiple rows, while still preserving the complete data representation.
2Loss of information
If array attributes are expanded to multiple rows, then data completeness is maintained, but processing speed decreases and memory usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the mapping process into two distinct operations: mapping simple structure attributes to columns and handling array attributes separately. This segmentation allows the system to process simple attributes efficiently without the overhead of row expansion, thereby improving processing speed while maintaining data completeness through separate array attribute handling.
3Ease of operation
If nested objects are ignored during mapping, then processing simplicity is maintained, but data loss occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts nested objects and arrays from the complex structure attributes and converts them into array attributes with structured data types. This extraction allows the mapping process to remain simple while ensuring that nested object data is not lost, as it is preserved in the array attribute representation.
4Quantity of substance
If complex structure attributes are flattened directly, then file manageability is improved, but data corruption occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments complex structure attributes into simple structure attributes and array attributes, mapping each type according to its characteristics. This segmentation enables direct flattening of simple attributes to improve file manageability while preserving array attributes in a structured format that prevents data corruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different mapping strategies to different parts of the data structure: simple structure attributes are mapped directly to columns with appropriate data types, while array attributes are handled with specialized processing that generates multiple rows. This local quality approach ensures that each attribute type is handled in the most appropriate manner, maintaining data integrity while improving file manageability.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples are generally directed towards converting complex structure attributes into flattened data. A configuration capture component analyzes a set of objects associated with a set of complex structure attributes. A complex structure attribute is an attribute of an object that is an array attribute or a nested object attribute. The configuration capture component performs a hash type conversion to convert nested object attributes into flattened data. The configuration capture component performs an array type conversion to convert nested array attributes into flattened data. The flattened data is stored or imported in a set of flattened data files. An expansion component converts the flattened data files back into the complex structure attributes without losing or corrupting the complex structure data.