Referential Integrity Metadata Framework for Object Data Documents
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing relational database systems (RDBS) fail to effectively persist entire object data documents while maintaining referential integrity between objects, leading to potential data corruption and loss of high data quality.
Innovation Solution
A referential integrity metadata framework is used to identify and enforce relationships between object data documents by generating appropriate database structures, including tables, foreign keys, and triggers, ensuring that object data documents are stored intact and relationships are consistently maintained.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If object data documents are decomposed into table-columns for storage in relational database, then ACID principles and backup/recovery features can be utilized, but the integrity and completeness of object data documents are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the storage approach by separating the object data document storage (as complete JSON/XML documents) from the relationship enforcement mechanism (through foreign keys and triggers). This allows the document integrity to be maintained while still utilizing relational database features for reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (the framework that generates stored procedures, triggers, and foreign keys) that mediates between the object data document format and the relational database storage model. This intermediary automatically extracts relationships from documents and enforces them through database constraints.
2Loss of information
If object data documents are stored in their entirety without decomposition, then data completeness is maintained, but referential integrity between objects cannot be enforced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-generating database structures (foreign keys, triggers, stored procedures) based on the object model definitions before data is stored. These pre-configured structures automatically enforce referential integrity on complete object data documents without requiring decomposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through database triggers that automatically monitor and enforce referential integrity constraints on stored object data documents. When documents are inserted, updated, or deleted, triggers provide feedback to ensure relationship consistency.
3Reliability
If foreign key constraints are used to enforce relationships, then referential integrity is maintained, but polymorphic relationships cannot be supported
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the foreign key constraint generation adaptive and dynamic. The framework analyzes object model definitions to determine relationship types and dynamically generates appropriate database structures - using foreign keys for fixed relationships and triggers for polymorphic relationships where the target table may vary.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of relationship enforcement from static (fixed foreign keys) to dynamic (conditional trigger-based enforcement). The system adjusts the enforcement mechanism based on the relationship characteristics defined in the object model, enabling support for both standard and polymorphic relationships.
Data Source
AI summary
A metadata framework helps enforce referential integrity in object data documents. In one general aspect, a method includes generating a first data definition language statement, based on a class defined in a metadata framework, that creates a table in a relational database system to store an object data document. The table may include at least one column that corresponds to an identifying attribute in the object data document, at least one column that corresponds to a relationship attribute in the object data document, and a column that stores the object data document. The method may also include generating a second data definition language statement, based on the referential integrity metadata framework, that creates a foreign key constraint on the at least one column that corresponds to the relationship attribute when the relationship is not polymorphic, and issuing the first data definition language statement and the second data definition language statement.