Relational Database Views for Unstructured Data Extraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing computing systems face difficulties in efficiently querying and organizing unstructured data, as it lacks a formalized structure, making it harder for automated systems to retrieve specific information compared to structured data in relational databases.

Innovation Solution

A method is introduced to represent structured data extracted from unstructured data using relational database concepts, allowing querying through user-defined database views and extraction workflows, which apply techniques like phrase semantic analysis, entity recognition, and pattern recognition to organize unstructured data into structured formats such as tables and graphs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If unstructured data is stored and managed, then data flexibility and storage efficiency are improved, but data retrieval efficiency and querying capability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata flexibilityVSAvoiddata retrieval efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary layer between unstructured data storage and querying operations. This intermediary represents extracted structured data views that bridge the gap, allowing relational database concepts to operate on unstructured data without requiring the data itself to be pre-structured. The intermediary enables efficient querying while maintaining storage flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical data structure requirements with information extraction techniques. Instead of requiring data to be physically structured in databases, the system uses NLP and machine learning models to extract structure from unstructured text, substituting the mechanical need for pre-formatted data with intelligent parsing capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If information extraction techniques are applied to unstructured data, then data structure and queryability are improved, but processing complexity and computational resources increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata queryabilityVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal interface for data extraction that works across multiple data sources and extraction techniques. The same relational database concepts and querying mechanisms can be applied to different extraction methods (phrase semantic analysis, entity recognition, pattern recognition), providing multi-functionality that reduces operational complexity despite underlying processing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates virtual copies of unstructured data in the form of structured data views. These views are representations that can be queried using standard SQL and relational concepts, copying the queryability of structured data without requiring the original data to be structured. This allows complex extraction operations to be encapsulated in reusable view definitions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Productivity

If relational database concepts are used to represent extracted data, then querying capability and data management features are improved, but system integration and data format flexibility decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequerying capabilityVSAvoiddata format flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the data representation into two independent parts: the unstructured original data for storage and the extracted structured data views for querying. This segmentation allows the system to maintain flexibility in data storage formats while providing standardized relational querying capabilities through the extracted views, resolving the contradiction between querying capability and format flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS9064004B2Extensible surface for consuming information extraction services

Publication Date: 2015.06.23 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Representing structured data extracted from unstructured data in fashion allowing querying using relational database concepts. A method includes receiving user input specifying one or more database views. The method further includes receiving user input specifying an information extraction technique, such as an extraction workflow. The method further includes receiving user input specifying a corpus of data. The extraction technique is applied to the corpus of data to produce the one or more database views. These views can then be queried or operated on using database tools.