Author: claimsbot

1. A fuel cell layer comprising:
a plurality of current collectors each having a first surface and a parallel second surface, wherein the first surfaces of the current collectors are coplanar and wherein the second surfaces of the current collectors are coplanar, wherein each current collector comprises an electron conducting component and an interface region;
a plurality of ion conducting components, each having a first surface and a second surface and wherein each ion conducting component is positioned between two of the current collectors;
a plurality of anode electrode coatings each contacting the first surface of one of the ion conducting components and the first surface of one of the two current collectors; and
a plurality of cathode electrode coatings each contacting the second surface of one of the ion conducting components and the second surface of the other one of the two current collectors;
wherein the current collectors and the ion conducting components form a layer, the ion conducting components are geometrically asymmetric in one or more dimensions, and wherein at least one of the first and second surfaces of the ion conducting components is coplanar with the first surfaces or second surfaces of the current collectors.
2. The fuel cell layer of claim 1, wherein:
the layer formed by the current collectors and the ion conducting components has a thickness and at least two surfaces;
each of the ion conducting components define an ion conducting passage from one surface of the layer formed by the current collectors and the ion conducting components to the other; and
each of the electron conducting components define an electron conducting passage from one surface of the layer formed by the current collectors and the ion conducting components to the other.
3. The fuel cell layer of claim 1, wherein at least one of the ion conducting components is asymmetric.
4. The fuel cell layer of claim 1, wherein the first and second surfaces of at least one of the ion conducting components are asymmetric with respect to surface area, surface shape, position with respect to the center of the layer formed by the current collectors and the ion conducting components, or a combination thereof.
5. The fuel cell layer of claim 1,
wherein the ion conducting components are formed by casting an ion conducting material into spaces between current collectors.
6. The fuel cell layer of claim 1, wherein the first and second surfaces of at least one of the ion conducting components have different surface areas.
7. The fuel cell layer of claim 1, wherein the first and second surfaces of at least one of the ion conducting components have different positions with respect to the center of the layer formed by the current collectors and the ion conducting components.
8. The fuel cell layer of claim 7, wherein one of the first and second surfaces of the at least one ion conducting component is recessed with respect to the corresponding surface of the adjacent electron conducting component.
9. The fuel cell layer of claim 7, wherein one of the first and second surfaces of the at least one ion conducting component is raised with respect to the corresponding surface of the adjacent electron conducting component.
10. The fuel cell layer of claim 1, wherein the first and second surfaces of at least one of the ion conducting components have different shapes.
11. The fuel cell layer of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second surfaces of at least one of the ion conducting components is convex.
12. The fuel cell layer of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second surfaces of at least one of the ion conducting components is concave.
13. The fuel cell layer of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second surfaces of at least one of the ion conducting components is trough-shaped.
14. The fuel cell layer of claim 1,
wherein at least one of the current collectors is asymmetric.
15. The fuel cell layer of claim 14, wherein the at least one asymmetric current collector comprises an electron conducting component that is asymmetric.
16. The fuel cell layer of claim 14, wherein two opposing surfaces of the at least one asymmetric electron conducting component have different surface areas.
17. A fuel cell, comprising:
two current collectors, each having a first surface and a parallel second surface, wherein the first surfaces of the current collectors are coplanar and wherein the second surfaces of the current collectors are coplanar, wherein each current collector comprises an electron conducting component and an interface region;
an ion conducting component, having a first surface and a second surface and wherein the ion conducting component is positioned between two of the current collectors;
an anode electrode coating contacting the first surface of the ion conducting component and the first surface of the current collector; and
a cathode electrode coating contacting the second surface of the ion conducting component and the second surface of the other one of the two current collectors;
wherein the two current collectors and the ion conducting component form a layer, the ion conducting component is geometrically asymmetric in one or more dimensions, and wherein at least one of the first and second surfaces of the ion conducting component is coplanar with the first surfaces or second surfaces of the current collectors.
18. The fuel cell of claim 17, wherein the anode coating and the cathode coating are asymmetric with respect to surface area, surface shape, position with respect to the center of the layer formed by the two current collectors and the ion conducting component, or a combination thereof.
19. The fuel cell of claim 17, wherein the anode coating and the cathode coating have different surface areas.
20. The fuel cell of claim 17,
wherein the ion conducting component is formed by casting an ion conducting material into spaces between the current collectors.
21. The fuel cell of claim 17, wherein the anode coating and the cathode coating have different shapes.
22. The fuel cell of claim 17, wherein the anode coating or the cathode coating is convex.
23. The fuel cell of claim 17, wherein the anode coating or the cathode coating is concave.
24. The fuel cell of claim 17, wherein the anode coating is concave and defines a void into which a fluid may be introduced.
25. The fuel cell of claim 17, wherein the anode coating or the cathode coating is trough-shaped.
26. The fuel cell of claim 17, wherein the anode coating is trough-shaped and defines a void into which a fluid may be introduced.
27. The fuel cell of claim 17, wherein the first surface and the second surface of the electron conducting components have different surface areas.
28. The fuel cell of claim 17,
wherein at least one of the current collectors is asymmetric.
29. The fuel cell of claim 28, wherein the at least one asymmetric current collector comprises an electron conducting component that is asymmetric.
30. The fuel cell of claim 28, wherein the first surface and the second surface of the at least one asymmetric electron conducting component have different surface areas.
31. The fuel cell of claim 28, wherein the at least one asymmetric current collector comprises an interface region that is asymmetric.
32. A fuel cell layer, comprising:
two or more fuel cells of claim 17, adjacently arranged so as to form a substantially planar layer.
33. The fuel cell of claim 17, further comprising a support structure.
34. A fuel cell system, comprising:
a fuel cell comprising:
two current collectors each having a first surface and a parallel second surface, wherein the first surfaces of the current collectors are coplanar and wherein the second surfaces of the current collectors are coplanar, wherein each current collector comprises an electron conducting component and an interface region
an ion conducting component, having a first surface and a second surface and wherein the ion conducting component is positioned between two of the current collectors;
an anode electrode coating contacting the first surface of the ion conducting component and the first surface of the current collector; and
a cathode electrode coating contacting the second surface of the ion conducting component and the second surface of the other one of the two current collectors;
wherein the current collectors and the ion conducting component form a layer, the ion conducting component is geometrically asymmetric in one or more dimensions, and wherein at least one of the first and second surfaces of the ion conducting component is coplanar with the first surfaces or second surfaces of the current collectors; and
a support structure bonded to:
at least one of the two electrode coatings,
one or more of the electron conducting components,
a fluidic or fuel distribution manifold, or
a combination thereof.
35. The fuel cell system of claim 34, wherein the support structure is disposed proximate to the layer formed by the current collectors and the ion conducting component and a fluidic or fuel distribution manifold.
36. The fuel cell system of claim 34, wherein the support structure is a dimensionally stable porous material, a mesh, a woven or non-woven fabric, expanded sheets, or discrete threads composed of inert materials.
37. The fuel cell system of claim 34, wherein the support structure acts as a tension member.
38. The fuel cell system of claim 34, wherein the support structure is applied with a pre-stress tension.
39. The fuel cell system of claim 34, wherein the support structure is conductive.
40. The fuel cell system of claim 34, wherein the support structure is non-conductive.
41. The fuel cell system of claim 34, wherein the support structure is symmetric.
42. The fuel cell system of claim 34, wherein the support structure is asymmetric.
43. A method of making a fuel cell layer having an asymmetric architecture, the method comprising:
forming a composite, comprising
casting ion conducting material between current collectors, each comprising an electron conducting component and an interface region, wherein the first surfaces of the current collectors are coplanar and wherein the second surfaces of the current collectors are coplanar and curing the ion conducting material, to give a composite comprising
a plurality of the electron conducting components and an interface region; and
a plurality of ion conducting components comprising the cured ion conducting material, each having a first surface and a second surface and wherein each ion conducting component is positioned between two of the current collectors, wherein the electron conducting components and the ion conducting components form a layer, wherein at least one of the first and second surfaces of the ion conducting components is coplanar with the first surfaces or second surfaces of the current collectors and at least one of the ion conducting components or the electron conducting components is geometrically asymmetric in one or more dimensions; and
applying anode electrode coatings each contacting the first surface of one of the ion conducting components and the first surface of one of the two current collectors, and applying cathode electrode coatings each contacting the second surface of one of the ion conducting components and the second surface of the other one of the two current collectors, to give a fuel cell layer having an asymmetric architecture.
44. The method of claim 43, further comprising:
bonding a support structure to:
at least one of the two electrode coatings,
one or more of the electron conducting components,
a fluidic or fuel distribution manifold, or
a combination thereof.
45. A fuel cell system comprising the fuel cell layer having an asymmetric architecture of claim 43.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method for processing multi-aperture image data, comprising:
capturing image data associated with one or more objects by simultaneously exposing an image sensor in an imaging system to spectral energy associated with at least a first part of the electromagnetic spectrum using at least a first aperture and to spectral energy associated with at least a second part of the electromagnetic spectrum using at least a second and third aperture;
generating first image data associated with said first part of the electromagnetic spectrum and second image data associated with said second part of the electromagnetic spectrum; and,
generating depth information associated with said captured image on the basis displacement information in said second image data.
2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said at least second and third apertures are positioned with respect to each other such that high-frequency information in said second image data is displaced according to a function of the distance between an object and said imaging system.
3. Method according to claim 1, further comprising:
identifying one or more peaks in one or more areas of said auto-correlated second high-frequency image data, said one or more peaks being associated with edges of imaged objects;
on the basis of said one or more identified peaks determining a distance between said imaging system and at least one of said objects.
4. Method according to claim 1, further comprising:
identifying a single peak associated with an edge of an imaged object that is in focus andor identifying double or multiple peaks associated with an imaged object that is out-of-focus;
relating said single peaks andor the distance between peaks in said double or multiple peaks to a distance between said imaging system and at least one of said objects by using a predetermined depth function.
5. Method according to claim 1, wherein said first part of the electromagnetic spectrum is associated with at least part of the visible spectrum andor wherein said second part of the electromagnetic spectrum is associated with at least part of the invisible spectrum.
6. Method according to claim 1, further comprising:
determining said high-frequency second image data by subjecting said second image data to a high-pass filter; andor
eliminating displacements in said high-frequency second image data generated by said second and third apertures.
7. Method according to claim 1, comprising:
generating a depth map associated with at least part of said captured image by associating displacement information in said second image data with a distance between said imaging system and at least one of said objects.
8. Method according to claim 1, comprising:
generating at least one image for use in stereoscopic viewing by shifting pixels in said first image data on the basis of said depth information.
9. Method according to claim 1, further comprising:
providing at least one threshold distance or at least one distance range;
on the basis of said depth information, identifying in said high-frequency second image data one or more areas associated with distances larger or smaller than said threshold distance or identifying in said high-frequency second image data one or more areas associated with distances within said at least one distance range;
setting the high-frequency components in said identified one or more areas of said second high-frequency image data to zero or to one or more predetermined values;
adding said second high-frequency image data to said first image data.
10. Method according to claim 1, comprising:
providing at least one focus distance;
on the basis of said depth information, identifying in said high-frequency second image data one or more areas associated with a distance substantially equal to said at least one focus distance;
setting the high-frequency second image data in areas other than said identified one or more areas to zero or to one or more predetermined values;
adding said high-frequency second image data to said first image data.
11. Method according to claim 1, comprising:
processing said captured image using an image processing function, wherein one or more image process function parameters are depending on said depth information.
12. A multi-aperture system, comprising:
at least a first aperture for controlling exposure of an image sensor to at least a first part of the electromagnetic spectrum;
at least a second and third aperture for controlling exposure of an image sensor in an imaging system to at least a second part of the electromagnetic spectrum; second image data associated with said second part of the electromagnetic spectrum
wherein said second and third apertures are positioned with respect to each other such that high-frequency information in said second image data is displaced as a function of the distance between an object and said imaging system.
13. A multi-aperture imaging system, comprising:
an image sensor;
an optical lens system;
a wavelength-selective multi-aperture configured for simultaneously exposing said image sensor to spectral energy associated with at least a first part of the electromagnetic spectrum using at least a first aperture and to spectral energy associated with at least a second part of the electromagnetic spectrum using at least a second and third aperture;
a first processing module for generating first image data associated with said first part of the electromagnetic spectrum and second image data associated with said second part of the electromagnetic spectrum; and,
a second processing module for generating depth information associated with said captured image on the basis displacement information in said second image data.
14. (canceled)
15. Method according to claim 1, wherein generating the depth information is performed on the basis of displacement information in an auto-correlation function of the high-frequency image data associated with said second image data.
16. Method according to claim 5, wherein the invisible spectrum is the infrared spectrum.
17. Method according to claim 7, wherein the displacement information is in an auto-correlation function of the high-frequency image data associated with said second image data.
18. Method according to claim 11, wherein processing said captured image using an image processing function comprises processing said second image data by applying a filter, wherein one or more filter parameters vary in accordance with said depth information.
19. Multi-aperture system according to claim 12, wherein the multi-aperture system is a wavelength-selective multi-aperture system.
20. Multi-aperture system according to claim 12, wherein the multi-aperture system is a diaphragm comprising a wavelength-selective multi-aperture system.
21. Multi-aperture imaging system according to claim 13, wherein the generation of depth information by the second processing module is performed on the basis of displacement information in an auto-correlation function of the high-frequency image data associated with said second image data.

1. A lubrication installation for a tilting power box (13\u201317), intended to rotate at least a driven body (22) driven about an axis of rotation (A\u2014A) that is itself designed to swivel about a tilting axis (B\u2014B), more or less perpendicular to said axis of rotation (A\u2014A) of said driven body (22), said power box including a tilting crankcase (23) mounted to tilt about said tilting axis (B\u2014B) on a non-tilting rigid support (30), the installation comprising:
at least one lubricating circuit (37a, 37b) under pressure for at least one device to be lubricated that is housed in the tilting crankcase (23), said lubricating circuit comprising a radial transfer stage (47a, 47b) for liquid lubricant under pressure, between two cylindrical journals (56, 57) facing each other, approximately coaxial about the tilting axis (B\u2014B), and of which one is a fixed journal (56) arranged on a fixed part (31) integral with said non-tilting support (30), and the other is a swiveling journal (57) mounted on a swiveling part (58) integral with the tilting crankcase (23),
said radial transfer stage (47a, 47b) comprising two annular seals (62a, 63a, 62b and 63b) having a prone U-shaped cross-section, with the concavity of each turned to face the other and spaced from one another along the tilting axis (B\u2014B), so that an annular chamber (64a, 64b) of pressurized liquid lubricant is contained between said two annular seals (62a, 63a, 62b and 63b) and the two journals (56, 57), said annular chamber (64a, 64b) being fed with liquid lubricant under pressure by an inlet hole (70a, 70b) emerging in the fixed journal (56) between said two annular seals (62a, 63a, 62b and 63b) and with the downstream end of at least one supply duct (46e, 46b) integrated into said fixed part (31) and whose upstream end is connected to at least one source (34a, 34b) of pressurized lubricant, and also, feeding the tilting crankcase (23) in liquid lubricant under pressure through an outlet hole (71a, 71b) emerging in the swiveling journal (57) between said two annular seals (62a, 63a, 62b and 63b) and at the upstream end at least one distribution pipe (48a, 48b) extending into the swiveling part (58) and emerging in the tilting crankcase (23).
2. An installation according to claim 1, wherein at least one said inlet hole (70a, 70b) and outlet hole (71a, 71b) opens into an area (69a, 69b) forming a circular arc centered on the tilting axis (B\u2014B), arranged between the two annular seals (62a, 63a; 62b, 63b) in corresponding said fixed journal (56) and said swiveling journal (57) with the angle of said circular arc corresponding to a swiveling arc of said tilting crankcase.
3. An installation according to claim 1, wherein each of the two annular seals (62a, 63a, 62b, 63b) is retained axially between said two journals (56, 57) and against the pressure in said annular chamber (64a, 64b) by a radial shoulder (66, 67) arranged on one of said two journals (56, 57) or by a shouldered ring (65) attached to one of the two journals (56, 57).
4. An installation according to claim 1, further comprising a drain circuit (52), ensuring the return of the liquid lubricant from the tilting crankcase (23) into the fixed part (31) through a facial transfer bearing (54) for the liquid lubricant between two radial faces (77, 78), with respect to the tilting axis (B\u2014B), and of which one is a swiveling radial face (77) arranged on said swiveling part (58) and the other is a fixed radial face (78), arranged in said fixed part (31), at least one drain channel (53a, 53b), arranged in said swiveling part (58), opening into a facial opening (79) forming a circle arc centered on the tilting axis (B\u2014B) and arranged in said swiveling radial face (77), opposite a drain orifice (80) opening into said fixed radial face (78) and the upstream end of a return pipe (55) integrated into said fixed part (31) to conduct the liquid lubricant into a tank (36).
5. An installation according to claim 4, wherein said facial opening (79) extends into said swiveling radial face (77) between two other annular seals (81, 82), more or less coaxial around said tilting axis (B\u2014B) and situated radially one (82) on the outside and the other (81) on the inside of said radial opening (79), each of the two other seals (81, 82) having a prone transversal U-shaped concave face turned towards said fixed part (31) and being mounted between said two cylindrical journals (56, 57; 83, 84) more or less coaxial about the tilting axis (B\u2014B) and of which one is a swiveling journal (57, 84) arranged on said swiveling part (58), and the other a fixed journal (56, 83) arranged on said fixed part (31), so that each said other seal (81, 82) delimit with said fixed part (31) an annular chamber (85, 86) offering radial sealing and communicating between the two radial faces (77, 78), with the facial opening (79) and drain hole (80), and filled with liquid lubricant.
6. An installation according to claim 5, further comprising at least one leak detector (90, 90\u2032), sensitive to the presence of liquid lubricant in a volume (91) formed between a first seal (81) associated with the facial transfer journal (54) and a second seal (63b) on the radial transfer journal (47b) of a lubricating circuit (27b), the first and second seals (81, 63b) being mounted between the cylindrical journals (56, 57).
7. An installation according to claim 4, wherein the drain circuit (52) includes a first drain channel (53a), emerging downstream into said facial opening (79), and, upstream, into a bottom (24) of said tilting crankcase (23) in which the liquid lubricant is collected by gravity in at least a first position of said tilting crankcase (23) about the tilting axis (B\u2014B), and a second drain channel (53b), emerging into said facial opening (79) by its downstream end and channeling pressurized liquid lubricant through at least one pressurization stage (93) for the lubricant collected in at least one part of said tilting crankcase (23), in at least a second position of the tilting crankcase (23) about the tilting axis (B\u2014B).
8. An installation according to claim 7, wherein said at least one pressurization stage (93) is a drain pump, driven in rotation in part of said tilting crankcase (23) in which the liquid lubricant is collected in at least said second position of tilting crankcase (23) about said tilting axis (B\u2014B), said drain pump feeding the second drain channel (53b).
9. An installation according to claim 7, wherein said at least one pressurization stage (93) is an Archimedean screw, driven in rotation in a chute (94) extending inside and along a wall of said tilting crankcase (23), said chute (94) being drilled with holes (95) to collect the liquid lubricant at various levels in said tilting crankcase (23), in at least said second position of the latter about the tilting axis (B\u2014B), said Archimedean screw feeding second drain channel (53b).
10. An installation according to claim 1, comprising two of said lubricating circuits, including a main circuit (37a) and an emergency circuit (37b), arranged so that their radial transfer journals (47a, 47b), have much the same radius about the tilting axis (B\u2014B), and are offset with respect to one another about the tilting axis (B\u2014B), and in a circumferential direction about the tilting axis (B\u2014B) for their inlet (70a, 70b) and outlet (71a, 71b) openings and, if necessary, their arc of a circle opening (69a, 69b), and the draining (52) of the lubricant is ensured by a drain circuit common to both said lubricating circuits (37a, 37b).
11. An installation according to claim 10, further comprising at least one leak detector (75), sensitive to the presence of pressurized liquid lubricant (47a, 47b) in the volume formed between the radial transfer bearings of the two lubricating circuits (37a, 37b), said radial transfer bearings (47a, 47b) being axially offset between these fixed (56) and swiveling (57) cylindrical journals.
12. An installation according to claim 10, further comprising at least one supply duct (46a, 46b) that is integrated into said fixed part (31) of each of said lubricating circuits (37a, 37b) and is fed from a tank (36) of liquid lubricant in which at least one lubricating pump (34a, 34b) is immersed for each said lubricating circuit (37a, 37b).
13. An installation according to claim 12, wherein each said lubricating pump (34a, 34b) is driven by a driving gear (11) of a first reducing unit (1\u20135) housed at least partly in a non-tilting crankcase (32) integral with said support (30), said first reducing unit (1\u20135) meshing through a driving gear (8) mounted to rotate about said tilting axis (B\u2014B), with a second reducing unit (13\u201317) housed in said tilting crankcase (23) and swiveling with it.
14. An installation according to claim 1, wherein said lubricating circuit (37a, 37b) comprises at least one annular distribution channel (49a, 49b), approximately centered on said axis of rotation (A\u2014A) of the driven device (22) and connected to said annular chamber (64a, 64b) of the corresponding said radial transfer stage (47a, 47b) by said distribution pipe (48a, 48b).
15. An installation according to claim 14, wherein said annular distribution channel (49a, 49b) is arranged within a diaphragm (72) more or less transversal with respect to said tilting crankcase (23) and supporting similarly a guide roller (29) of at least one shaft (16) of at least one driving gear (15, 18) of the power box (13\u201317) andor said driven device (22) driving in rotation, each said annular distribution channel (49a, 49b) feeding liquid lubricant to lubricating pipes (50a, 50b) ending in lubricating jets (51a, 51b) turned towards the devices to be lubricated.
16. A convertible aircraft comprising said lubricating installation according to claim 1.
17. An installation according to claim 2, wherein each of the two seals (62a, 63a, 62b, 63b) is retained axially between two journals (56, 57) and against the pressure in said annular chamber (64a, 64b) by a radial shoulder (66, 67) arranged on one of two journals (56, 57) or by a shouldered ring (65) attached to one of the two journals (56, 57).

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A computer system for manipulating data in an object relational source database, the source database having data tables and a defined table type hierarchy with an associated tree structure, the system comprising,
means for transforming data from the source database into a flat file data transfer file, comprising rows and columns, the means for transforming the source database comprising
means for traversing the tree structure of the table type hierarchy using a tree traversal order,
means for defining the columns in the data transfer file to correspond to the type definitions in the table type hierarchy for the source database,
the means for defining the columns further comprising means for defining subcolumns corresponding to attributes defined in a respective type definition for a given column,
the means for defining the columns further comprising means for defining a type identifier column corresponding to a type identifier determined during the traversal of the tree structure, the type identifier column values corresponding to defined types in the table type hierarchy and determined by the tree traversal order,
the means for transforming data from the source database into the data transfer file further comprising means for copying rows of data from the tables in the source database into the data transfer file, each row in the data transfer file having a type identifier column value corresponding to the table in the table type hierarchy of the source database which is the source of the data in the row in the data transfer file.
2. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising input means for transforming data in the data transfer file to a target object relational database, the target object relational database having a table type hierarchy corresponding to the table type hierarchy of the source database, the input means comprising means for copying each row of data in the data transfer file to a target table in the target database, the target table being identified by the type identifier column value for the row of data in the data transfer file, the data for each column in the row of data in the data transfer file being copied to the column in the target table as defined by the tree traversal order.
3. The computer system of claim 1 in which the tree traversal order is user-definable and is constrained to be a pre-order, depth-first traversal.
4. The computer system of claim 1 in which the default tree traversal order is a pre-order, depth-first traversal in which sibling selection is based on creation time of the type for the node in the tree.
5. The computer system of claim of claim 1 in which characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database are stored in the data transfer file.
6. The computer system of claim 5 in which the characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database comprise a type identifier control table.
7. The computer system of claim 2 in which hierarchy characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database are stored in the data transfer file and which further comprises means for creating the table type hierarchy for the target database from the hierarchy characteristics.
8. The computer system of claim 7 in which the hierarchy characteristics comprise a type identifier control table.
9. The computer system of claim 2 in which the input means further comprises means for accepting an attribute list from a user, the attribute list corresponding to specified columns in the data transfer file and means for inputting only the specified columns of data from the data transfer file to the target database.
10. The computer system of claim 1 in which the data transfer file has a format selected from one of PCIXF, worksheet, delimited ASCII and non-delimited ASCII, formats.
11. A computer program product for use with a computer comprising a central processing unit and random access memory, said computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable code means embodied in said medium for manipulating data in an object relational source, the source database having data tables and a defined table type hierarchy with an associate tree structure, said computer program product comprising:
computer readable program code means for causing a computer to transform data from the source database into a flat file data transfer file having rows and columns, comprising
means for traversing the tree structure of the table type hierarchy using a tree traversal order,
means for defining the columns in the data transfer file to correspond to the type definitions in the table type hierarchy for the source database,
the means for defining the columns further comprising means for defining subcolumns corresponding to attributes defined in a respective type definition for a given column,
the means for defining the columns further comprising means for defining a type identifier column corresponding to a type identifier determined during the traversal of the tree structure, the type identifier column values corresponding to defined types in the table type hierarchy and determined by the tree traversal order,
the computer readable program code means for causing a computer to transform data from the source database into the data transfer file further comprising means for copying rows of data from the tables in the source database into the data transfer file, each row in the data transfer file having a type identifier column value corresponding to the table in the table type hierarchy of the source database which is the source of the data in the row in the data transfer file.
12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising input means for transforming data in the data transfer file to a target object relational database, the target object relational database having a table type hierarchy corresponding to the table type hierarchy of the source database, the input means comprising means for copying each row of data in the data transfer file to a target table in the target database, the target table being identified by the type identifier column value for the row of data in the data transfer file, the data for each column in the row of data in the data transfer file being copied to the column in the target table as defined by the tree traversal order.
13. A method for manipulating data in an object relational source database, the source database having data tables and a defined table type hierarchy with an associated tree structure, the method comprising the steps of
transforming data from the source database into a flat file data transfer file, comprising rows and columns, step of transforming the source database comprising the further steps of
traversing the tree structure of the table type hierarchy using a tree traversal order,
defining the columns in the data transfer file to correspond to the type definitions in the table type hierarchy for the source database,
defining subcolumns corresponding to attributes defined in a respective type definition for a given column,
defining a type identifier column corresponding to a type identifier determined during the traversal of the tree structure, the type identifier column values corresponding to defined types in the table type hierarchy and determined by the tree traversal order,
copying rows of data from the tables in the source database into the data transfer file, each row in the data transfer file having a type identifier column value corresponding to the table in the table type hierarchy of the source database which is the source of the data in the row in the data transfer file.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising input steps for transforming data in the data transfer file to a target object relational database, the target object relational database having a table type hierarchy corresponding to the table type hierarchy of the source database, the input steps comprising copying each row of data in the data transfer file to a target table in the target database, the target table being identified by the type identifier column value for the row of data in the data transfer file, the data for each column in the row of data in the data transfer file being copied to the column in the target table as defined by the tree traversal order.
15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of accepting from the user a the tree traversal order definition and constraining the traversal order to be a depth-first, pre-order traversal.
16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of storing characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database in the data transfer file.
17. The method of claim 16 in which the characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database comprise a type identifier control table.
18. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of storing hierarchy characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database in the data transfer file and which further comprises the step of creating the table type hierarchy for the target database from the hierarchy characteristics.
19. The method of claim 18 in which the hierarchy characteristics comprise a type identifier control table.
20. The method of claim 14 in which the input step further comprises the step of accepting an attribute list from a user, the attribute list corresponding to specified columns in the data transfer file and inputting only the specified columns of data from the data transfer file to the target database.
21. A computer program product tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform the method steps of claim 13.
22. A computer program product tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform the method steps of claim 14.
23. A computer program product tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform the method steps of claim 19.
24. A computer system for manipulating data in an object relational source database, the source database having data tables and a defined table type hierarchy with an associated tree structure, the system comprising,
means for transforming data from the source database into a flat file data transfer file, comprising rows and columns, the means for transforming the source database comprising
means for traversing the tree structure of the table type hierarchy using a tree traversal order, and
means for defining the columns in the data transfer file to correspond to the type definitions in the table type hierarchy for the source database.
25. The computer system of claim 24, wherein the means for defining the columns further comprises means for defining subcolumns corresponding to attributes defined in a respective type definition for a given column, and wherein the means for defining the columns further comprises means for defining a type identifier column corresponding to a type identifier determined during the traversal of the tree structure, the type identifier column values corresponding to defined types in the table type hierarchy and determined by the tree traversal order.
26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the means for transforming data from the source database into the data transfer file further comprises means for copying rows of data from the tables in the source database into the data transfer file, each row in the data transfer file having a type identifier column value corresponding to the table in the table type hierarchy of the source database which is the source of the data in the row in the data transfer file.
27. The computer system of claim 24, further comprising input means for transforming data in the data transfer file to a target object relational database, the target object relational database having a table type hierarchy corresponding to the table type hierarchy of the source database, the input means comprising means for copying each row of data in the data transfer file to a target table in the target database, the data for each column in the row of data in the data transfer file being copied to the column in the target table as defined by the tree traversal order.
28. The system of claim 27, wherein the means for defining the columns further comprises means for defining a type identifier column corresponding to a type identifier determined during the traversal of the tree structure, wherein each row in the data transfer file having a type identifier column value corresponding to the table in the table type hierarchy of the source database which is the source of the data in the row in the data transfer file, and wherein the target table is identified by the type identifier column value for the row of data in the data transfer file.
29. The computer system of claim 24 in which the tree traversal order is user-definable and is constrained to be a pre-order, depth-first traversal.
30. The computer system of claim 24 in which the default tree traversal order is a pre-order, depth-first traversal in which sibling selection is based on creation time of the type for the node in the tree.
31. The computer system of claim of claim 24 in which characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database are stored in the data transfer file.
32. The computer system of claim 31 in which the characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database comprise a type identifier control table.
33. The computer system of claim 27 in which hierarchy characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database are stored in the data transfer file and which further comprises means for creating the table type hierarchy for the target database from the hierarchy characteristics.
34. The computer system of claim 33 in which the hierarchy characteristics comprise a type identifier control table.
35. The computer system of claim 27 in which the input means further comprises means for accepting an attribute list from a user, the attribute list corresponding to specified columns in the data transfer file and means for inputting only the specified columns of data from the data transfer file to the target database.
36. The computer system of claim 24 in which the data transfer file has a format selected from one of PCIXF, worksheet, delimited ASCII and non-delimited ASCII, formats.
37. A computer program product for use with a computer comprising a central processing unit and random access memory, said computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable code means embodied in said medium for manipulating data in an object relational source, the source database having data tables and a defined table type hierarchy with an associate tree structure, said computer program product comprising:
computer readable program code means for causing a computer to transform data from the source database into a flat file data transfer file having rows and columns, comprising
means for traversing the tree structure of the table type hierarchy using a tree traversal order, and
means for defining the columns in the data transfer file to correspond to the type definitions in the table type hierarchy for the source database.
38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein the means for defining the columns further comprise means for defining subcolumns corresponding to attributes defined in a respective type definition for a given column, and the means for defining the columns further comprise means for defining a type identifier column corresponding to a type identifier determined during the traversal of the tree structure, the type identifier column values corresponding to defined types in the table type hierarchy and determined by the tree traversal order.
39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the computer readable program code means for causing a computer to transform data from the source database into the data transfer file further comprises means for copying rows of data from the tables in the source database into the data transfer file, each row in the data transfer file having a type identifier column value corresponding to the table in the table type hierarchy of the source database which is the source of the data in the row in the data transfer file.
40. The computer program product of claim 37, further comprising input means for transforming data in the data transfer file to a target object relational database, the target object relational database having a table type hierarchy corresponding to the table type hierarchy of the source database, the input means comprising means for copying each row of data in the data transfer file to a target table in the target database, the data for each column in the row of data in the data transfer file being copied to the column in the target table as defined by the tree traversal order.
41. The computer program product of claim 40, wherein the means for defining the columns further comprises means for defining a type identifier column corresponding to a type identifier determined during the traversal of the tree structure, wherein each row in the data transfer file having a type identifier column value corresponding to the table in the table type hierarchy of the source database which is the source of the data in the row in the data transfer file, and wherein the target table is identified by the type identifier column value for the row of data in the data transfer file.
42. A method for manipulating data in an object relational source database, the source database having data tables and a defined table type hierarchy with an associated tree structure, the method comprising the steps of
transforming data from the source database into a flat file data transfer file, comprising rows and columns, step of transforming the source database comprising the further steps of
traversing the tree structure of the table type hierarchy using a tree traversal order, and
defining the columns in the data transfer file to correspond to the type definitions in the table type hierarchy for the source database.
43. The method of claim 42, further comprising the steps of:
defining subcolumns corresponding to attributes defined in a respective type definition for a given column, and
defining a type identifier column corresponding to a type identifier determined during the traversal of the tree structure, the type identifier column values corresponding to defined types in the table type hierarchy and determined by the tree traversal order.
44. The method of claim 43, further comprising the step of copying rows of data from the tables in the source database into the data transfer file, each row in the data transfer file having a type identifier column value corresponding to the table in the table type hierarchy of the source database which is the source of the data in the row in the data transfer file.
45. The method of claim 42, further comprising input steps for transforming data in the data transfer file to a target object relational database, the target object relational database having a table type hierarchy corresponding to the table type hierarchy of the source database, the input steps comprising copying each row of data in the data transfer file to a target table in the target database, the data for each column in the row of data in the data transfer file being copied to the column in the target table as defined by the tree traversal order.
46. The method of claim 45, further comprising the step of:
defining a type identifier column corresponding to a type identifier determined during the traversal of the tree structure, the type identifier column values corresponding to defined types in the table type hierarchy and determined by the tree traversal order, wherein each row in the data transfer file has a type identifier column value corresponding to the table in the table type hierarchy of the source database which is the source of the data in the row in the data transfer file, and wherein the target table is identified by the type identifier column value for the row of data in the data transfer file.
47. The method of claim 42 further comprising the step of accepting from the user a the tree traversal order definition and constraining the traversal order to be a depth-first, pre-order traversal.
48. The method of claim 42 further comprising the step of storing characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database in the data transfer file.
49. The method of claim 48 in which the characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database comprise a type identifier control table.
50. The method of claim 45 further comprising the step of storing hierarchy characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database in the data transfer file and which further comprises the step of creating the table type hierarchy for the target database from the hierarchy characteristics.
51. The method of claim 50 in which the hierarchy characteristics comprise a type identifier control table.
52. The method of claim 45 in which the input step further comprises the step of accepting an attribute list from a user, the attribute list corresponding to specified columns in the data transfer file and inputting only the specified columns of data from the data transfer file to the target database.
53. A computer program product tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a computer to perform a method for manipulating data in an object relational source database, the source database having data tables and a defined table type hierarchy with an associated tree structure, the method comprising the steps of
transforming data from the source database into a flat file data transfer file, comprising rows and columns, step of transforming the source database comprising the further steps of
traversing the tree structure of the table type hierarchy using a tree traversal order, and
defining the columns in the data transfer file to correspond to the type definitions in the table type hierarchy for the source database.
54. The method of claim 53, further comprising the steps of:
defining subcolumns corresponding to attributes defined in a respective type definition for a given column, and
defining a type identifier column corresponding to a type identifier determined during the traversal of the tree structure, the type identifier column values corresponding to defined types in the table type hierarchy and determined by the tree traversal order.
55. The method of claim 54, further comprising the step of copying rows of data from the tables in the source database into the data transfer file, each row in the data transfer file having a type identifier column value corresponding to the table in the table type hierarchy of the source database which is the source of the data in the row in the data transfer file.
56. The method of claim 53, further comprising input steps for transforming data in the data transfer file to a target object relational database, the target object relational database having a table type hierarchy corresponding to the table type hierarchy of the source database, the input steps comprising copying each row of data in the data transfer file to a target table in the target database, the data for each column in the row of data in the data transfer file being copied to the column in the target table as defined by the tree traversal order.
57. The method of claim 56, further comprising the step of:
defining a type identifier column corresponding to a type identifier determined during the traversal of the tree structure, the type identifier column values corresponding to defined types in the table type hierarchy and determined by the tree traversal order, wherein each row in the data transfer file has a type identifier column value corresponding to the table in the table type hierarchy of the source database which is the source of the data in the row in the data transfer file, and wherein the target table is identified by the type identifier column value for the row of data in the data transfer file.
58. The method of claim 53 further comprising the step of accepting from the user a the tree traversal order definition and constraining the traversal order to be a depth-first, pre-order traversal.
59. The method of claim 53 further comprising the step of storing characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database in the data transfer file.
60. The method of claim 59 in which the characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database comprise a type identifier control table.
61. The method of claim 56 further comprising the step of storing hierarchy characteristics defining the table type hierarchy for the source database in the data transfer file and which further comprises the step of creating the table type hierarchy for the target database from the hierarchy characteristics.
62. The method of claim 61 in which the hierarchy characteristics comprise a type identifier control table.
63. The method of claim 56 in which the input step further comprises the step of accepting an attribute list from a user, the attribute list corresponding to specified columns in the data transfer file and inputting only the specified columns of data from the data transfer file to the target database.