Graph Database Historical State Management via Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Graph databases lack effective methods for historical state management, which is crucial for efficiently retrieving and querying large amounts of interconnected data, especially in dynamic environments like communication networks.

Innovation Solution

A processing system maintains a graph database with element state information and generates an historical graph database that includes state version tracking information for each element, allowing for the creation of an historical representation of the graph state over time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If graph databases store large amounts of interconnected data, then data completeness and query capability are improved, but storage requirements and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata volumeVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the graph database into two distinct components: a current state graph database storing only the latest element states, and a historical graph database storing versioned historical states. This segmentation allows the system to manage large volumes of historical data without increasing the complexity of the active working database, as each component has a specialized function and storage structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts historical state information from the main graph database and stores it separately in a dedicated historical graph database. This extraction removes the burden of managing versioned historical data from the primary database system, reducing its complexity while preserving complete historical records in the specialized historical storage component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If graph databases maintain historical state information, then data integrity and troubleshooting capability are improved, but storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrityVSAvoidstorage requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by implementing version tracking specifically for historical elements in the historical graph database, while the current state graph database maintains only the latest version of each element. This selective versioning approach ensures data integrity for historical analysis without duplicating storage requirements across the entire system, as each element stores version information only where historically relevant.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If graph databases implement version tracking for each element, then historical query accuracy is improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequery accuracyVSAvoidprocessing overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of version tracking information that mediates between the current state database and historical queries. This intermediary layer provides the necessary version context for accurate historical queries without requiring the main graph database processing system to handle complex versioning logic, thereby maintaining query accuracy while managing processing overhead through specialized historical database operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11361027B2Historical state management in databases
Publication Date: 2022.06.14 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P
  • US11361027B2 patent drawing
  • US11361027B2 patent drawing
  • US11361027B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A processing system including at least one processor may maintain a graph database including graph state information for a set of elements of a graph, where the graph state information includes, for each element in the set of elements of the graph, respective element state information for the respective element. The processing system may further generate, from the graph database, an historical graph database including historical graph state information, where the historical graph state information includes, for each element in the set of elements of the graph, the respective element state information for the respective element and respective state version tracking information for the respective element.