JPH10275158A - Database management system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain structure which is easy to design and alter by determining a data access means corresponding to a specified data item by referring to an item table means, actuating the determined data access means, and obtaining data on the specified item from an accessed database. SOLUTION: The data of the specified data item when not stored in a memory is obtained from a data management object part 35. This tag information is obtained and then the access routine specified by this tag information is determined. Then a data management object part 51 supplies this tag information and actuation control information to an access handler 52. Then the access handler 52 provides the actuation control information for the access routine. Consequently, the access routine is actuated to access a corresponding database and obtain respective data of records including the specified data item regarding a customer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a database management system, and more particularly, to a database management system for acquiring necessary data from various databases.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A database management system (software) is constructed in a terminal device capable of accessing various databases such as a database of a server on a LAN and a database of a host computer connected via a communication line. With this database management system, the user of the terminal device can acquire necessary data from any of variously distributed databases.

[0003]

Incidentally, the conventional database management system is constituted by a program which enables access to all databases to be managed. For this reason, the designer of this database management system needs to know the structure of all databases. In addition, when the target database is changed, when the target database is added, etc., the database management system (program)
Must be changed significantly.

[0004] Under the circumstances described above, the design of a conventional database management system and its change have not been easy. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a database management system for acquiring necessary data from any of various scattered databases, and a database management system having a structure that can be easily designed and changed. is there.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a database management system for acquiring necessary data from one of a plurality of databases. A data access means provided for each database, for accessing the corresponding database, and a correspondence relationship between each data item and the data access means for accessing each database from which data of the data item should be obtained are described. Item table means, determining means for determining the data access means corresponding to the designated data item with reference to the item table means, and access activating means for activating the data access means determined by the determining means. Specified from the database accessed by the activated data access means Configured to acquire the data of over data item.

According to such a database management system, when a necessary data item is designated, a data access means corresponding to the data item is determined. The determined data access means accesses the corresponding database, and the data of the specified data item is obtained from the accessed database. The data access means can be constituted by an independent program (access routine). Further, the determination means and the access activation means can be constituted by a program independent of the data access means.

Each data access means can be individually designed by a person familiar with the structure of the corresponding database. Further, once the correspondence between each data item and the data access means is determined, a program for implementing the determination means and the access activation means can be designed without particularly knowing the structure of each database. In the above-mentioned database management system, from the viewpoint of obtaining necessary data as quickly as possible, the present invention provides a method for storing data items specified from a database accessed by each data access means. And a storage unit for storing the data of the predetermined number of data items obtained from the database, and the data of the designated data item is already stored in the storage unit. Determining means for determining whether or not the data is stored; and data access means corresponding to the specified data item when the determining means determines that the data of the data item specified in the storing means is already stored. Control means for acquiring the data of the specified data item stored in the storage means without determining the Sea urchin can be configured.

According to such a system, when the data of the designated data item has already been stored in the storage means, it is not necessary to operate the determination means and the access activation means. That is, in the process of acquiring the specified data, the operation time of the determination unit and the access activation unit can be saved.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a telephone transaction support system to which a database management system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. This telephone transaction support system is a system for supporting transactions at a bank or the like performed via a telephone, and presents information on a customer of a telephone partner to an operator, inputs transaction contents, and inputs the inputted transaction. Processing such as approval of contents is performed.

In FIG. 1, a plurality of client terminals 1
0 (1),. . . , 10 (n), 12 and 13 (1),
13 (2) is connected to the LAN. Each client terminal 10 (1),. . . , 10 (n) are terminals for receiving telephone transactions from customers, and are hereinafter appropriately referred to as reception terminals. The client terminal 12 is a terminal for monitoring the system, and is hereinafter referred to as a monitoring terminal as appropriate. The client terminals 13 (1) and 13 (2) are terminals for approving the bank transaction accepted by each accepting terminal,
Hereinafter, it is called an approval terminal as appropriate.

Further, a database server 14, a printer unit 16, a communication server 18, and a voice response unit (VRU) 22 are connected to a LAN. The database server 14 manages a database (various files and the like) shared in the system. The printer unit 16 can be accessed by each client terminal and the data server 14, and prints out transaction journals, reports, contracts, and the like. The communication server 18 is connected to the host computer of the bank, and transfers the contents of the transaction approved in the system to the host computer. Further, information from the host computer is taken into the system via the communication server 18. The voice response device 22 has a function similar to each reception terminal, and performs a process related to a telephone transaction with a customer by an automatic response function.

The exchange 20 (P) connected to the public line 30
BX / ACD), each reception terminal 10 (1),. . . ,
10 (n) and the voice response device 22 are connected. The exchange 20 basically receives an external call from the voice response device 22.
Connect to The exchange 20 has an automatic call distribution function (ACD), and external calls (calls from customers) can be received at each reception terminal 10 according to a predetermined algorithm.
(1),. . . , 10 (n).

When an external call is connected, the voice response device 22 makes a voice response in accordance with a predetermined procedure. Each reception terminal 10 (1),. . . , 10 (n) have a telephone communication function. And each reception terminal 10
(1),. . . , 10 (n) of the telephone headsets 11 (1),. . . , 11 (n) to answer calls from customers.

Each of the receiving terminals 10 (1),. . . , 10
(N) is configured, for example, as shown in FIG.
2, a reception terminal includes a control unit 101 including a so-called CPU, a memory unit 102, a display unit 103, an input unit 104, and a disk unit 10.
5, LAN unit 106, built-in telephone unit (TAP
I: Telephony Application Program Interface) 10
7 and a CD-ROM drive unit 110. These units are connected via a system bus B. In addition, the built-in telephone unit 107 includes:
A sound board 108 and a sound source 109 are connected.

The control unit 101 controls the terminal as a whole, and executes processing related to acceptance in telephone transactions, as described later. The memory unit 102
M, including a memory such as a ROM, and stores a program to be executed by the control unit 101, necessary data obtained in the course of processing, and the like. The display unit 103 is a CRT or LC
D (liquid crystal display panel), etc., and displays various kinds of guidance and scripts for the operator, information on customers, and the like. The input unit 104 includes a keyboard, a mouse, and the like, and is used by a reception operator to input information to the reception terminal.

The LAN unit 106 is connected to the LAN, and performs data communication with the LAN. The built-in telephone unit (TAPI) 107 is connected to the exchange 20 (PBX).
/ ACD) and performs voice communication with the exchange 20. The operator answers a telephone call from a customer via the telephone headset 11 connected to the built-in telephone unit 107.

The CD-ROM 200 stores a program that describes processing related to reception in telephone transactions and a program that implements a database management system.
C set in the CD-ROM drive unit 110
The program is installed in the disk unit 105 from the D-ROM 200. Then, when the reception terminal is started, the program read from the disk unit 105 is stored in the memory unit 102. In this state, the control unit 101 (CPU)
Executes a process related to reception and a process related to database management according to a program stored in the memory unit 102.

The basic screen of the display unit 103 of the reception terminal is configured, for example, as shown in FIG. That is,
The display screen is divided into a customer basic information section, a basic attribute section, a customer detailed information section, and a script development section. The customer basic information section is an area for displaying basic information (address, name, gender, age, date of birth, etc.) of the customer.
The basic attribute section is an area for displaying icons corresponding to various processes, together with a start date of a transaction with a customer, an outline of a final transaction, and the like. The customer detailed information section is an area for displaying the history of transactions with customers and the like. The script developing unit is an area for displaying explanation information of various transactions and a recommended conversation sentence for recommending transactions.

The information to be displayed in each area of the display screen of the reception terminal is obtained as inquiry information from the database of the database server 14 or from the host computer under the control of the database management system. In the telephone transaction support system, particularly, a configuration related to management of each database is as shown in FIG.
That is, the database management system 50 (DM) built in the reception terminal 10 manages the database of the database server 14 connected to the LAN and the database of the host server 40 connected via the communication server 18 and the communication line. I have.

The database management system constructed in the reception terminal 10 is, for example, as shown in FIG. FIG.
, The database management system 50 includes a predetermined group of programs, and includes a data management object unit 51,
Access handlers 52, item code tables 53, and access routines ARi, A corresponding to each database
Rj and ARk. The access handler 52 and each of the access routines ARi, ARj, ARk are connected via a DLL interface for adjusting a difference between programming languages.

For example, the access routine ARi accesses a database of personal records, the access routine ARj accesses a database of negotiation history records, and the access routine ARk inquires the host computer 40 about a predetermined data item 1001. I do. The item code table 53 describes a correspondence between each data item and an access routine corresponding to a database to be accessed when acquiring data of the data item. The specific configuration of the item code table 53 is, for example, as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 6, this item code table 5
3 has items of “item name”, “attribute”, “data length”, and “tag information”. The "item name" describes the name of the data item (telephone number, name, address, date of birth, contract amount, bank transfer, etc.). In ", attribute", the attribute (character type, numeric type, etc.) of the data item is described, and in "data length", the data length of each data item is described.
The “tag information” describes the number of an access routine corresponding to a database to be accessed when acquiring data of each data item.

The data management object unit 51 has a function of determining an access routine corresponding to an item of data requested from another system (in this case, a system (software) relating to telephone transactions), and activation of the determined access routine. It has a control function, a function of storing data acquired from each database as an object, and the like.
The function of accumulating the acquired data is realized using, for example, a nonvolatile memory in the memory unit 102 of the reception terminal 10.

The access handler 52 supplies information relating to the designated data item and activation control information to the access routine determined by the data management object unit 51. Thus, the determined access routine accesses the corresponding database, and the data of the record including the specified data item is obtained from the database. The programs corresponding to the data management object unit 51, the access handler unit 52, and each access routine are as follows:
The program is installed in the disk unit 105 of the reception terminal 10 as a program for implementing the database management system.

Next, when personal information of a certain customer is requested from the telephone transaction support system, the data management object unit 51 executes a process for acquiring personal information from a database, for example, according to the procedure shown in FIG. . When the data management object unit 51 acquires a data item related to a specified customer from the telephone transaction support system (S1), the data management object unit 51 determines whether data of the specified data item is already stored in the memory as object information. (S2). If the data of the designated data item has not yet been stored in the memory, the data management object unit 5
1 acquires the tag information corresponding to the specified data item from the item code table 53 (see FIG. 6) (S3). By obtaining the tag information, the access routine specified by the tag information is determined.

Thereafter, the data management object unit 51
Transmits the tag information and the activation control information to the access handler 5.
1 (S4). Then, the access handler 51
Provides activation control information to the access routine specified by the acquired tag information. As a result, the access routine is activated, the access routine accesses the corresponding database, and each data of the record including the data item specified for the customer is acquired from the database.

The data management object unit 51
When each data is acquired as a response from the access routine (S5), each acquired data is stored in the memory (S6). Thereafter, the processing of the above steps is executed until the processing for all the data items specified by the telephone transaction support system is completed (S7, Yes).

When the processing for all the data items is completed, the data management object unit 51 transfers the data of the specified data item from the data stored in the memory to the telephone transaction support system that has made the request. In the telephone transaction support system, for example, the received information about the customer is displayed at a predetermined screen position (see FIG. 3).

If the data of the data item specified for the customer from the telephone transaction support system has already been stored in the memory (S2, Yes), the data management object unit 51 activates a corresponding access routine. The data of the designated item obtained from the memory is transferred to the telephone transaction support system without any change (so-called cache function). In this case, since the processing of steps S3 to S7 is omitted, the processing can be speeded up.

The above processing will be described more specifically with reference to FIGS. First, in FIG. 8, data items of "telephone number", "name", "address", "date of birth", "contract amount", and "transfer destination bank" are specified as information of a personal record of a certain customer. Then, each access routine is activated in accordance with the relationship (link relationship) between the data item described in the item code table and the access routine.

More specifically, an access routine AR1 for accessing the database of the database server 14 is started in order to acquire data of each data item of "telephone number" and "name". As a result, each data of the record related to the customer in the telephone number file in the database is read. Then, the respective data are provided to the data management object unit 51 via the access routine AR1.

Further, an access routine AR2 for inquiring 1001 (transaction) to the host computer 40 is started in order to obtain data of each data item of "address", "birth date", "contract amount". . The access routine AR2 transmits a message (uplink message) of the inquiry 1001 to the host computer 40 via the communication server 18. The access routine AR2 receives the downstream message of the “name”, “date of birth”, “contract amount” and “address” of the customer returned from the host computer 40 in response to the upstream message. Then, the data of each data item received by the access routine AR2 is provided to the data management object unit 51.

Further, in order to obtain the data of the data item of "bank to which the money is to be transferred", the host computer 40 is queried 1
An access routine AR3 for performing 002 is started. The access routine AR3 transmits the message (uplink message) of the inquiry 1002 to the host computer 40 via the communication server 18. The access routine AR3 receives the customer's “name” and “downward bank” down message sent from the host computer 40 in response to the up message. Then, the data item “transfer destination bank data” received by the access routine AR3 is provided to the data management object unit 51.

In the above-mentioned inquiries 1001 and 1002, since the “name” of the customer returned from the host computer 40 has already been obtained from the personal telephone number file of the database server 14, the data management object unit 51 The “name” will not be newly stored. Next, a process when a telephone address is requested from the telephone transaction system will be described with reference to FIGS.
It will be described according to.

As shown in FIG. 9, if the "address" of the customer is not stored in the memory yet, and the "address" of the customer is obtained from the telephone transaction system (), the "address" is obtained.
An access routine AR2 for accessing a database from which is to be acquired is started (). The activated access routine AR2 issues an upstream message of the inquiry 1001 to the host computer 40 (). The host computer 40 returns all the data of the items of “name”, “date of birth”, “contract amount” and “address” of the inquiry information corresponding to the inquiry 1001.

The access routine AR2 uses the data of each data item returned as described above as a downward message, and
As shown in (1), when the data is received (), each of the received data is provided to the data management object unit 51 (). Then, each of the data is stored in the memory. The data of the data item "address" requested by the telephone transaction support system is read from the memory in which each data is stored, and delivered to the telephone transaction system ().

In the system as described above, the program corresponding to the data management object unit 51 and the access handler 52 and each access routine can be designed independently. Therefore, a program corresponding to the data management object unit 51 and the access handler 52 can be designed without knowledge of each database. Further, since each access routine is also independent, it is possible to design without knowledge of other databases as long as there is knowledge of the corresponding database.

Further, when the number of target databases increases, an access routine for accessing the added database is added, and the correspondence between the access routine and the data items is simply described in the item code table 53. No changes to other programs are required. In the above example, the database management system (including the data management object 51) of the reception terminal 10 manages the database of the database server 14 on the LAN and the database of the host computer 40 connected via the communication line. As a configuration of the entire system, for example, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the database management system 50 (1) of the terminal device 10 can manage a database of a plurality of layers.

In the case of the example shown in FIG. 11, the database management system 50 (1) of the terminal device 10 communicates with the database management system 50 (2) provided in the televan server 14 (1) on the LAN via a communication line. The database of the connected host computer 40 is managed by the same method as in the above-described example. Televan server 14
Database management system 50 provided in (1)
(2) manages the database of the televan server 14 (1) and the database of the database server 14 (2) connected to the televan server 14 (1) via LAN.

With the above-described configuration, the database management system 50 (1) of the terminal device 10 communicates with the televan server 14 (1) via the database management system 50 (2) of the televan server 14 (1). And the database of the database server 14 (2) can be managed. In the case of the example illustrated in FIG. 12, similarly to the example illustrated in FIG. 11, the database management system 50 (1) of the terminal device 10 uses the televan server 14 (1) on the LAN.
Manages the database of the host computer 40 connected to the database management system 50 (2) provided through the communication line. Televan server 14
Database management system 50 provided in (1)
(2) manages the database of the televan server 14 (1) and the database management system 50 (3) of the database server 14 (2) connected to the televan server 14 (1) via a LAN. Further, the database management system 50 of the database server 14 (2)
(3) manages the database of the database server 14 (2) and the database of the branch server 14 (3).

With the above-described configuration, the database management system 50 (1) of the terminal device 10 is provided with the database management system 50 (2) of the televan server 14 (1) and the database management system 50 (2) of the database server 14 (2). (3) via the data server 14
The database of (2) and the database of the branch server 14 (3) can be managed.

In each of the above examples, each access routine corresponds to the data access means, and the item code table 53
Corresponds to the item table means. Further, the function of step S3 (see FIG. 7) of the data management object unit 51 corresponds to a determination unit for determining a data access unit,
Step S4 (see FIG. 7) of the data management object unit 51 and the function of the access handler 52 correspond to an access activation unit.

Further, the memory unit 10 of the reception terminal 10
2, the non-volatile memory corresponds to a storage unit for storing data acquired from the database, for example, steps 2 and S9 of the data management object unit 51.
The function (see FIG. 7) corresponds to the control means.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention described in each claim, the data access means, the decision means and the access activation means can be constituted by independent programs. Therefore, each data access means can be individually designed by a person who knows only the structure of the corresponding database, and the program for realizing the decision means and the access starting means has a special knowledge of the structure of each database. You can design without it.

Further, even when a target database is added, a data access means corresponding to the added database is added, and the correspondence between the data access means and the data item is added to the item table means. By doing so, a new database management system can be constructed. Therefore, it is possible to realize a database management system having a structure that can be easily designed and changed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a telephone transaction support system to which a database management system according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of a transaction terminal of the telephone transaction support system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of each reception terminal.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration related to database management.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of each database management system.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a configuration of each record of an item code table of the database management system.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of processing in a data management object unit.

FIG. 8 is a diagram (part 1) schematically showing processing in the data management system.

FIG. 9 is a diagram (part 2) schematically illustrating a process in the data management system;

FIG. 10 is a diagram (part 3) schematically showing processing in the data management system.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing another example of a configuration related to database management.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing still another example of a configuration relating to database management.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 (1),. . . , 10 (n) reception terminals 11 (1),. . . , 11 (n) Telephone headset 12 Monitoring terminal 13 (1), 13 (2) Approval terminal 14 Database server 16 Printer unit 18 Communication server 20 Switch 30 Public line 40 Host computer 50 Database management system 51 Data management object unit 52 Access Handler 101 control unit 102 memory unit 103 display unit 104 input unit 105 disk unit 106 LAN unit 107 built-in telephone unit 108 CD-ROM drive unit 200 CD-ROM

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Hisashi Fujita 4-1-1, Kamidadanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Fujitsu Limited (72) Inventor Shigeru Shigeshi 4-1-1 Kamiodanaka, Nakahara-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa No. 1 Inside Fujitsu Limited

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A database management system for acquiring necessary data from one of a plurality of databases, a data access means provided corresponding to each database, and a data access means for accessing the corresponding database; An item table means describing the correspondence between the data item and the data access means for accessing each database from which the data of the data item is to be obtained. The data access means corresponding to the specified data item is referred to by referring to the item table means. Determining means for deciding, and access activating means for activating the data access means determined by the deciding means, and acquiring data of the designated data item from the database accessed by the activated data access means A database management system that makes you want to. 2. The database management system according to claim 1, wherein data of a predetermined number of data items including a designated data item is obtained from a database accessed by each data access means, and the data is accessed from the database. Storage means for storing the acquired data of the predetermined number of data items; determining means for determining whether or not the data of the designated data item has already been stored in the storage means; When it is determined that the data of the specified data item has already been stored, the data of the specified data item stored in the storage unit without determining the data access unit corresponding to the specified data item And a control means for acquiring the information.