Method and apparatus for converting heterogeneous databases into standardized homogeneous databases

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a system for configuring, designing, and/or implementing database tables are detailed that provides a framework into which a remainder of database tables is developed. Also detailed is a method to develop this framework of database tables. This so developed framework provides a platform for converting multiple independent heterogeneous databases into standardized homogeneous databases.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a computer processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a first database stored therein and having instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to form a first summary database table that is derived from a first database table of a first plurality of database tables and stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium; and   wherein the first database is comprised of the first plurality of database tables and a first plurality of foreign key constraints;   wherein a second database table of the first plurality of database tables contains a first unique index;   wherein the second database table of the first plurality of database tables contains a first plurality of data records that represent a first level of data granularity for the second database table;   wherein the second database table of the first plurality of database tables also contains a second plurality of data records that represent a second level of data granularity for the second database table;   wherein the first database table of the first plurality of database tables contains a third plurality of data records that contain transactional data;   wherein the first database table of the first plurality of database tables contains a first foreign non-unique index that relates a first foreign key constraint from the first plurality of foreign key constraints with the first unique index of the second database table of the first plurality of database tables;   wherein the first foreign key constraint references only the first plurality of data records that represent a first level of data granularity in the second database table of the first plurality of database tables;   wherein the first summary database table contains a fourth plurality of data records that are mathematically derived from the third plurality of data records that contain transactional data from the first database table of the first plurality of database tables;   wherein the first summary database table contains a second foreign non-unique index that relates a second foreign key constraint from the first plurality of foreign key constraints with the first unique index of the second database table of the first plurality of database tables;   wherein the second foreign key constraint references only the second plurality of data records that represent a second level of data granularity in the second database table of the first plurality of database tables.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein
 one or more data records of the first plurality of data records from the second database table of the first plurality of database tables are related to one and only one data record of the second plurality of data records from the second database table of the first plurality of database tables. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein
 wherein the second database table of the first plurality of database tables also contains a fifth plurality of data records that represent a third level of data granularity for the second database table of the first plurality of database tables; 
 wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to form a second summary database table that is derived from the first database table of the first plurality of database tables and stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium; and 
 wherein the second summary database table contains a sixth plurality of data records that are mathematically derived from the third plurality of data records that contain transactional data from the first database table of the first plurality of database tables; 
 wherein the second summary database table contains a third foreign non-unique index that relates a third foreign key constraint from the first plurality of foreign key constraints with the first unique index of the second database table of the first plurality of database tables; 
 wherein the third foreign key constraint references only the fifth plurality of data records of the second database table of the first plurality of database tables and no other data records. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein
 one or more data records of the first plurality of data records from the second database table of the first plurality of database tables are related to one and only one data record of the fifth plurality of data records from the second database table of the first plurality of database tables. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein
 wherein the second database table of the first plurality of database tables also contains a fifth plurality of data records that represent a third level of data granularity for the second database table of the first plurality of database tables; 
 wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to form a second summary database table that is derived from the first summary database table and stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium; and 
 wherein the second summary database table contains a sixth plurality of data records that are mathematically derived from the fourth plurality of data records from the first summary database table; 
 wherein the second summary database table contains a third foreign non-unique index that relates a third foreign key constraint from the first plurality of foreign key constraints with the first unique index of the second database table of the first plurality of database tables; and 
 wherein the third foreign key constraint references only the fifth plurality of data records of the second database table of the first plurality of database tables and no other data records. 
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein
 one or more data records of the second plurality of data records from the second database table of the first plurality of database tables are related to one and only one data record of the fifth plurality of data records from the second database table of the first plurality of database tables. 
 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein
 the non-transitory computer-readable medium has a second database stored therein; 
 the second database is comprised of a second plurality of database tables and a second plurality of foreign key constraints; 
 wherein a first database table of the second plurality of database tables is a copy of the second database table of the first plurality of database tables; 
 wherein the first database table of the second plurality of database tables contains a first unique index which is a copy of the first unique index of the second database table of the first plurality of database tables; 
 wherein the first database table of the second plurality of database tables contains the first plurality of data records that represent a first level of data granularity for the first database table of the second plurality of database tables; 
 wherein a first database bridge is formed between the first unique index of the second database table of the first plurality of database tables and the first unique index of the first database table of the second plurality of database tables; and 
 wherein the first database bridge provides a bidirectional inter-database access path that allows for the combination of a first data set retrieved from the first database with a second data set retrieved from the second database. 
 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus comprising:
 a computer processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a first data model that is comprised of a first entity-relationship diagram stored therein and having instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to form a first summary data entity that is derived from a first plurality of data entities and stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium; and   wherein the first entity-relationship diagram is comprised of the first plurality of data entities and a first plurality of data entity relationships;   wherein each data entity relationship of the first plurality of data entity relationships relates to at most two data entities of the first plurality of data entities;   wherein each data entity of the first plurality of data entities is comprised of one or more data attributes;   wherein the instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium include instructions which cause the first summary data entity to be added to the first entity-relationship diagram; and   wherein one or more data attributes of the first summary data entity are mathematically derived from the one or more of the one or more data attributes of at least one data entity of the first plurality of data entities.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8   wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to add a first further data entity to the first entity-relationship diagram;   wherein the first further data entity contains a first unique key;   wherein a first further data entity relationship is added to the first entity-relationship diagram;   wherein the first further data entity relationship relates the first unique key of the first further data entity to a first non-unique foreign key of a first data entity from the first plurality of data entities;   wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to add a second further data entity relationship to the first entity-relationship diagram;   wherein the second further data entity relationship relates the first unique key of the first further data entity to a second non-unique foreign key of the first summary data entity.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9   wherein the first further data entity added to the first entity-relationship diagram is also comprised of a first data attribute to represent multiple discrete levels of data granularity; and   wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to assign each data instance of the first further data entity one discrete level of data granularity in the first data attribute.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9   wherein the first further data entity is a unified boundary data entity.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9   wherein the first further data entity is configured to include data instances of a first data registry.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9   wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to add a second further data entity to the first entity-relationship diagram;   wherein the second further data entity contains a second unique key;   wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to add a third further data entity relationship to the first entity-relationship diagram;   wherein the third further data entity relationship relates the second unique key of the second further data entity to a third non-unique foreign key of a second data entity from the first plurality of data entities;   wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to add a fourth further data entity relationship to the first entity-relationship diagram; and   wherein the fourth further data entity relationship relates the second unique key of the second further data entity to a fourth non-unique foreign key of the first summary data entity.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has a second data model that is comprised of a second entity-relationship diagram stored therein and having instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to form the second data model into a homogenous data model and
 wherein the second entity-relationship diagram is comprised of the second plurality of data entities and a second plurality of data entity relationships; 
 wherein each data entity relationship of the second plurality of data entity relationships relates to at most two data entities of the second plurality of data entities; 
 wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to add a copy of the first further data entity to the second entity-relationship diagram. 
 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising:
 a computer processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium having a first data model that is comprised of a first entity-relationship diagram and a second data model comprised of a second entity-relationship diagram stored therein and having instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to form first and second standardized homogeneous data models from the first data model and the second data model, respectively; and   wherein the first entity-relationship diagram of the first data model is comprised of a first plurality of data entities and a first plurality of data entity relationships;   wherein each data entity relationship of the first plurality of data entity relationships relates to at most two data entities of the first plurality of data entities;   wherein the second entity-relationship diagram of the second data model is comprised of a second plurality of data entities and a second plurality of data entity relationships;   wherein the each data entity relationship of the second plurality of data entity relationships relates to at most two data entities of the second plurality of data entities;   wherein the first data model and the second data model are independent heterogeneous data models;   wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to: add a further data entity to the first entity-relationship diagram of the first data model; and to add a copy of further data entity to the second entity-relationship diagram of the second data model.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15   wherein the further data entity and the copy of the further data entity are unified boundary data entities.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15   wherein the further data entity contains a first unique key;   wherein the copy of the further data entity contains the first unique key;   wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to add a first further data entity relationship to the first entity-relationship diagram of the first data model;   wherein first further data entity relationship relates the first unique key of the further data entity to a first non-unique foreign key of a first data entity from the first plurality of data entities;   wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to add a second further data entity relationship to the second entity-relationship diagram of the second data model;   wherein second further data entity relationship relates the first unique key of the copy of the first further data entity to a second non-unique foreign key of a first data entity from the second plurality of data entities.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17   wherein the further data entity and the copy of the further data entity are unified boundary data entities.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15   wherein each of the further data entity and the copy of the further data entity is configured to include data instances of a first data registry.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15   wherein each of the further data entity and the copy of the further data entity is also comprised of a first data attribute to represent multiple discrete levels of data granularity; and   wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to assign each data instance of the further data entity one discrete level of data granularity in the first data attribute and each data instance of the copy of the further data entity one discrete level of data granularity.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 17   wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium has instructions stored therein for programming the computer processor to:   add a second further data entity to the first entity-relationship diagram of the first data model, wherein the second further data entity contains a second unique key;   add a third further entity relationship to the first entity-relationship of the first data model, wherein third further data entity relationship relates the second unique key of the second further data entity to a third non-unique foreign key of a second data entity from the first plurality of data entities;   add a copy of the second further data entity to the second entity-relationship of the second data model, and wherein the copy of the second further data entity contains the second unique key;   add a fourth further entity relationship to the second entity-relationship of the second data model, wherein fourth further data entity relationship relates the second unique key of the copy of the second further data entity to a fourth non-unique foreign key of a second data entity from the second plurality of data entities; and   wherein each of the second further data entity and the copy of the second further data entity is a second unified boundary data entity.