Oracle International Corporation

Jayant Sharma

Siva Ravada

Jayanta Banerjee

Ravi Kothuri

Liujian Qian

Ping Wang

Ravi Kanth V Kothuri

Ambuj Kumar Singh

Ji Yang

A geographic data relational database and a spatial library of routines that access and analyze spatial data are used to convert an identified location to a set of geographic coordinate pairs. A geocoder engine applies the spatial library routines to the geographic data in the relational database, and based on the identified location and a set of matching rules, produces the set of geographic coordinates. The geographic data may be derived from multiple sources. The rules may specify, for example, that only geographic coordinates corresponding to an exact match of the identified location are to be returned, or that matching of certain attributes may be relaxed. The identified location may be, for example, the intersection of two streets, an address, a postal area code such as a zip code.

Geocoding using a relational database

Business directory services allow definitions of custom category hierarchies and different search methods, such as, for example, search by location, distance from an addressable location, partial or complete business name, and category. A stepwise refinement search interface provides capability for searching within search results using different search methods or categories. Thus, a user does not have to refine and re-enter search criteria in order to get a progressively selective search. This is particularly useful for mobile phone or hand-held device users who would prefer not to have to re-enter the criteria on each search but rather incrementally refine the search criteria.

Contextual search interface for business directory services

A method for locating neighbor objects of a query object in a database. A query tile set is defined including a plurality of tiles that define an initial query radius that the query object is grouped within. Neighbor objects are located within the initial query radius. A number of neighbor objects within the initial query radius is determined. The query radius is expanded beyond the initial query radius by defining an expanded query tile set beyond the query tile set if the number of neighbor objects is less than a target number. Neighbor objects are located within the expanded query radius. It is determined whether a number of neighbor objects within the expanded radius corresponds to a target number. The query radius is expanded and neighbor objects located within the expanded radius until the number of neighbor objects equals or exceeds the target number.

Nearest neighbor query processing in a linear quadtree spatial index

A system and method for indexing and storing multi-dimensional or multi-attribute data. Data items are recursively sorted in a selected dimension (e.g., the dimension having the greatest variance) and divided until each subdivision fits into a leaf node having a specified fanout. Intermediate nodes and a root node are constructed to complete the index. Each node of the index is stored in a database as a separate object or record and may include a node identifier of the unique, an identifier of a parent and/or a sibling node and an entry for each child of the node, which may be data items or other nodes. Each record entry for a child includes an associated bounding area encompassing descendant data items. Another database table or module may store information about the index, such as the dimensionality of the data, the index fanout and an identifier of a root of the index.

Relational database system for storing nodes of a hierarchical index of multi-dimensional data in a first module and metadata regarding the index in a second module

Methods are provided for buffering nodes of a hierarchical index (e.g., R-tree, bang file, hB-tree) during operations on multi-dimensional data represented by the index. The methods are particularly suited for query operations, and a different method may be more suitable for one pattern of queries than another. Where queries are distributed in a relatively uniform manner across the domain or dataspace of an index, a node-area buffering method is provided. In this method nodes are cached or buffered in order of their respective areas (e.g., their minimum bounding areas), and a node having a smaller area will be replaced in cache before a node having a larger area. When, however, queries are not uniformly distributed, then a least frequently accessed buffering technique may be applied. According to this method statistics are maintained concerning the frequency with which individual index nodes are accessed. Those accessed less frequently are replaced in cache before those accessed more frequently. Yet another, generic, buffering strategy is provided that is suitable for all patterns of query distribution. In accordance with this method, whenever a node must be removed from cache in order to make room for a newly accessed node, cached nodes are compared to each other to determine which provides the least caching benefit and may therefore be ejected. A comparison may involve three factors&mdash;the difference in the nodes' areas, the difference in the frequency with which they have been accessed and the difference between their latest access times. These factors may be weighted to give them more or less effect in relation to each other.

Growing community of inventors

Nashua, NH, United States of America

Jayant Sharma