Patents by Inventor Robert W. Lyle

Robert W. Lyle has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11042544
    Abstract: A database-management system evaluates a query that retrieves and transforms encoded symbols stored in a database. If the stored symbols assume a relatively small set of distinct values, the system initially performs the transformation on every value in the set. During execution of subsequent queries, rather than performing the transformation upon every stored symbol fetched from the database, the system merely returns the previously derived encoded transformation results that correspond to the decoded value of each fetched symbol. If the symbols stored in the database span a relatively large set of distinct values, the system does not initially perform the transformation upon every value in the set. Instead, the first time the system fetches a symbol that has a particular value, it saves that symbol's encoded transformation result and reuses that result the next time it fetches an encoded symbol with the same value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ian R. Finlay, Robert W. Lyle
  • Patent number: 10931302
    Abstract: Evaluating LIKE predicates against compressed data. An alphabet, a LIKE predicate, a compressed string, and a compression dictionary for the compressed string are received. Entries in the compression dictionary include a character string and an associated token. The LIKE predicate is converted to an equivalent pattern matching form, involving a search pattern of length m. For each character of the alphabet that appears in a string associated with a token, a mask of predetermined length k is created. For each entry in the compression dictionary a cumulative mask of length k is computed. A bit vector of length k is initialized, based on the search pattern. Successive tokens in the compressed string are processed using a logical shift of the bit vector and a bitwise operation of the bit vector with the cumulative mask associated with the token.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle
  • Publication number: 20210006262
    Abstract: Evaluating LIKE predicates against compressed data. An alphabet, a LIKE predicate, a compressed string, and a compression dictionary for the compressed string are received. Entries in the compression dictionary include a character string and an associated token. The LIKE predicate is converted to an equivalent pattern matching form, involving a search pattern of length m. For each character of the alphabet that appears in a string associated with a token, a mask of predetermined length k is created. For each entry in the compression dictionary a cumulative mask of length k is computed. A bit vector of length k is initialized, based on the search pattern. Successive tokens in the compressed string are processed using a logical shift of the bit vector and a bitwise operation of the bit vector with the cumulative mask associated with the token.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle
  • Patent number: 10747626
    Abstract: In a high insert throughput in a database system, the database management system (DBMS) caches, asynchronously from data insert transactions, a list of storage location identifiers for storage locations in a table space in the database system. When a request for an insert transaction with an insert size is received from an agent, the DBMS identifies a storage location on the list with an amount of free space meeting the insert size. The DBMS removes the storage location identifier from the list and returns the storage location identifier for the storage location. When the insert transaction completes, the DBMS determines a remaining free space at the storage location and adds the storage location identifier to the list according to the remaining free space. By removing storage location identifiers from the list, another agent cannot receive the same storage location identifier for a parallel task. Thus, space contention is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Oliver Draese, Robert W. Lyle, Kalpana Shyam, George F. Wang, Julie A. Watts, Shirley Zhou
  • Patent number: 10747627
    Abstract: In a high insert throughput in a database system, the database management system (DBMS) caches, asynchronously from data insert transactions, a list of storage location identifiers for storage locations in a table space in the database system. When a request for an insert transaction with an insert size is received from an agent, the DBMS identifies a storage location on the list with an amount of free space meeting the insert size. The DBMS removes the storage location identifier from the list and returns the storage location identifier for the storage location. When the insert transaction completes, the DBMS determines a remaining free space at the storage location and adds the storage location identifier to the list according to the remaining free space. By removing storage location identifiers from the list, another agent cannot receive the same storage location identifier for a parallel task. Thus, space contention is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Oliver Draese, Robert W. Lyle, Kalpana Shyam, George F. Wang, Julie A. Watts, Shirley Zhou
  • Publication number: 20200183933
    Abstract: A database-management system evaluates a query that retrieves and transforms encoded symbols stored in a database. If the stored symbols assume a relatively small set of distinct values, the system initially performs the transformation on each value in the set. During subsequent query execution, rather than performing the transformation upon every stored symbol fetched from the database, the system merely returns the previously derived result that corresponds to the value of each fetched symbol. If the symbols stored in the database span a relatively large set of distinct values, the system does not initially perform the transformation upon every value in the set. Instead, the first time the system fetches a symbol that has a particular value, it saves the transformation result and reuses that result the next time it fetches a symbol with the same value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Ian R. Finlay, Robert W. Lyle
  • Patent number: 10437827
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for decompressing data in a database system. A query is received, which pertains to a subset of data within a compressed set of data. One or more decompression strategies are evaluated using a cost model. The cost model includes an estimated filter factor. A low cost decompression strategy is selected based on the results of the evaluation of the one or more decompression strategies. One or more bytes representing the requested subset of data are located within the compressed set of data. Only a portion of the compressed data that corresponds to the subset of data is decompressed, using the selected decompression strategy, while leaving the remaining set of data in a compressed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle
  • Patent number: 10437826
    Abstract: Techniques for decompressing data in a database system. A query is received, which pertains to a subset of data within a compressed set of data. One or more decompression strategies are evaluated using a cost model. The cost model includes an estimated filter factor. A low cost decompression strategy is selected based on the results of the evaluation of the one or more decompression strategies. One or more bytes representing the requested subset of data are located within the compressed set of data. Only a portion of the compressed data that corresponds to the subset of data is decompressed, using the selected decompression strategy, while leaving the remaining set of data in a compressed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle
  • Patent number: 10382056
    Abstract: Evaluating LIKE predicates against compressed data. An alphabet, a LIKE predicate, a compressed string, and a compression dictionary for the compressed string are received. Entries in the compression dictionary include a character string and an associated token. The LIKE predicate is converted to an equivalent pattern matching form, involving a search pattern of length m. For each character of the alphabet that appears in a string associated with a token, a mask of predetermined length k is created. For each entry in the compression dictionary a cumulative mask of length k is computed. A bit vector of length k is initialized, based on the search pattern. Successive tokens in the compressed string are processed using a logical shift of the bit vector and a bitwise operation of the bit vector with the cumulative mask associated with the token.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle
  • Patent number: 10311033
    Abstract: In a remote index operation, a first system in a datasharing group performs an operation on a data object in a database, determines a second system in the datasharing group has exclusive access to an index page to be updated according to the operation, and sends to the second system a remote request to change the index page according to the operation. In response, the second system changes the index page with an index entry referencing the data object and marks a key in the index entry as a provisional key. When a third system in the datasharing group reads the index entry, it determines that the key in the index entry is the provisional key. In response, the third system determines whether the data object exists in the database and a committed state of the transaction, and accordingly determines a current state of the data object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle
  • Patent number: 10262025
    Abstract: Embodiments provide an approach for efficiently searching a temporal key index as well as enforcing key distinctiveness property in a database table corresponding to the index. For example, by addressing time range overlaps in an index having a sort order for temporal keys, a database management tool of a server system may efficiently process client requests while enforcing a temporal key property in the database table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Balakrishna R. Iyer, Robert W. Lyle, Jerry Mukai
  • Patent number: 10223404
    Abstract: Optimizing approximation of an earliest access time of objects in a datasharing environment by maintaining a global exception list for objects that are accessed by transactions that commit infrequently. The global exception list comprises a time value representing the earliest access time for each object in the global exception list, and an object identifier. The system references the global exception list to determine whether the object is in the global exception list. If the object is in the global exception list, the system uses the time value associated with the object when determining the earliest access time for the object. If not, the system approximates the earliest access time of the object by selecting the most recent access time value from the global exception list, providing more recent access times for objects accessed by transactions that commit frequently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle
  • Patent number: 9996570
    Abstract: In searching an index in an original search structure for a database, portion(s) of the index are determined to be stored in a memory in an alternate search structure. The alternate search structure with the portion(s) is created and stored in the memory. The index is searched by traversing the alternate search structure and possibly the original search structure. The alternate search structure may be traversed more efficiently than the original search structure. The number of portions of the index may be a tunable parameter or selected based on a performance improvement/expense ratio. The search of the index begins at the alternate search structure. During traversal of the one or more portions in the alternate search structure, if traversal is to continue at a portion in the original search structure, the identity of this portion is obtained. The traversal is continued at this identified portion in the original search structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle
  • Patent number: 9996569
    Abstract: In searching an index in an original search structure for a database, portion(s) of the index are determined to be stored in a memory in an alternate search structure. The alternate search structure with the portion(s) is created and stored in the memory. The index is searched by traversing the alternate search structure and possibly the original search structure. The alternate search structure may be traversed more efficiently than the original search structure. The number of portions of the index may be a tunable parameter or selected based on a performance improvement/expense ratio. The search of the index begins at the alternate search structure. During traversal of the one or more portions in the alternate search structure, if traversal is to continue at a portion in the original search structure, the identity of this portion is obtained. The traversal is continued at this identified portion in the original search structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle
  • Publication number: 20180129677
    Abstract: In a high insert throughput in a database system, the database management system (DBMS) caches, asynchronously from data insert transactions, a list of storage location identifiers for storage locations in a table space in the database system. When a request for an insert transaction with an insert size is received from an agent, the DBMS identifies a storage location on the list with an amount of free space meeting the insert size. The DBMS removes the storage location identifier from the list and returns the storage location identifier for the storage location. When the insert transaction completes, the DBMS determines a remaining free space at the storage location and adds the storage location identifier to the list according to the remaining free space. By removing storage location identifiers from the list, another agent cannot receive the same storage location identifier for a parallel task. Thus, space contention is avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Oliver Draese, Robert W. Lyle, Kalpana Shyam, George F. Wang, Julie A. Watts, Shirley Zhou
  • Patent number: 9959303
    Abstract: In a remote index operation, a first system in a datasharing group performs an operation on a data object in a database, determines a second system in the datasharing group has exclusive access to an index page to be updated according to the operation, and sends to the second system a remote request to change the index page according to the operation. In response, the second system changes the index page with an index entry referencing the data object and marks a key in the index entry as a provisional key. When a third system in the datasharing group reads the index entry, it determines that the key in the index entry is the provisional key. In response, the third system determines whether the data object exists in the database and a committed state of the transaction, and accordingly determines a current state of the data object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle
  • Publication number: 20180107677
    Abstract: In a high insert throughput in a database system, the database management system (DBMS) caches, asynchronously from data insert transactions, a list of storage location identifiers for storage locations in a table space in the database system. When a request for an insert transaction with an insert size is received from an agent, the DBMS identifies a storage location on the list with an amount of free space meeting the insert size. The DBMS removes the storage location identifier from the list and returns the storage location identifier for the storage location. When the insert transaction completes, the DBMS determines a remaining free space at the storage location and adds the storage location identifier to the list according to the remaining free space. By removing storage location identifiers from the list, another agent cannot receive the same storage location identifier for a parallel task. Thus, space contention is avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Oliver DRAESE, Robert W. LYLE, Kalpana SHYAM, George F. WANG, Julie A. WATTS, Shirley ZHOU
  • Patent number: 9916343
    Abstract: Optimizing approximation of an earliest access time of objects in a datasharing environment by maintaining a global exception list for objects that are accessed by transactions that commit infrequently. The global exception list comprises a time value representing the earliest access time for each object in the global exception list, and an object identifier. The system references the global exception list to determine whether the object is in the global exception list. If the object is in the global exception list, the system uses the time value associated with the object when determining the earliest access time for the object. If not, the system approximates the earliest access time of the object by selecting the most recent access time value from the global exception list, providing more recent access times for objects accessed by transactions that commit frequently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle
  • Publication number: 20170255678
    Abstract: Techniques for decompressing data in a database system. A query is received, which pertains to a subset of data within a compressed set of data. One or more decompression strategies are evaluated using a cost model. The cost model includes an estimated filter factor. A low cost decompression strategy is selected based on the results of the evaluation of the one or more decompression strategies. One or more bytes representing the requested subset of data are located within the compressed set of data. Only a portion of the compressed data that corresponds to the subset of data is decompressed, using the selected decompression strategy, while leaving the remaining set of data in a compressed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle
  • Publication number: 20170255679
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for decompressing data in a database system. A query is received, which pertains to a subset of data within a compressed set of data. One or more decompression strategies are evaluated using a cost model. The cost model includes an estimated filter factor. A low cost decompression strategy is selected based on the results of the evaluation of the one or more decompression strategies. One or more bytes representing the requested subset of data are located within the compressed set of data. Only a portion of the compressed data that corresponds to the subset of data is decompressed, using the selected decompression strategy, while leaving the remaining set of data in a compressed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventor: Robert W. Lyle