Time-Function Partition Pruning for Faster Query Execution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing query processing methods on partitioned database tables are inefficient, as they indiscriminately execute queries across all partitions, reducing speed and computational efficiency.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a query engine that evaluates time-based functions in queries and prunes partitions outside the defined time range, generating an execution plan that excludes unnecessary partitions, thereby optimizing query execution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If queries are executed across all partitions of a database table, then complete data coverage is ensured, but computational efficiency and query speed deteriorate due to processing unnecessary data

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequery execution speedVSAvoidcomputational resources wasted

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The database table is divided into multiple partitions based on time ranges, allowing the query processor to selectively access only relevant partitions rather than scanning the entire table. This segmentation enables parallel processing across partitions while avoiding unnecessary data access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts and evaluates time-based functions from queries to determine which partitions are relevant. By extracting the time range information from the query and comparing it with partition definitions, the system identifies and excludes irrelevant partitions from processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of operation

If the database table is divided into multiple partitions, then data organization and selective access are improved, but query processing complexity increases due to partition evaluation requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveselective data accessVSAvoidquery processing logic

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Partitions are pre-defined with specific time ranges before queries are executed. This preliminary organization allows the query processor to quickly determine relevance by comparing query time ranges with pre-established partition boundaries, avoiding complex runtime analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The partition pruning mechanism automatically evaluates time-based functions and determines relevant partitions without requiring manual intervention or complex configuration. The system self-manages the evaluation logic and partition selection based on query characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS12596750B2Partition pruning by function

Publication Date: 2026.04.07 SAP SE

AI summary

A method for processing a query may include evaluating a query on a database table to identify a time based function included in the query. One or more partitions of the database table may be pruned from the query based at least on the partitions being associated with a first time range that does not overlap with a second time range associated with the time based function. An execution plan for the query may be generated to include a sequence of operations that avoids accessing the one or more partitions pruned from the query. The query may be executed based at least on the execution plan by at least accessing a second partition of the database table but not the first partition of the database table pruned from the query. Related systems and articles of manufacture are also provided.