Microsoft patents database queries that split work between main and helper chips
Microsoft has been granted a patent for a method that speeds up database searches by splitting the work between a computer's main processor and a secondary helper chip. The system checks if the helper chip has enough memory to handle a specific part of the search and assigns that task to it if possible.
In the filing’s own words
A disclosed method provides for distributing portions of a database query among different processors of a same host device. The method includes determining query fragments collectively executable to implement the database query; identifying one or more subplans for executing the query fragments; accessing capabilities of a hardware coprocessor of the host device; determining, based on the capabilities stored for the hardware coprocessor, whether a select subplan of the one or more subplans is viable for implementation by the hardware coprocessor; and in response to determining that the select subplan is viable for implementation by the hardware coprocessor, selecting and executing a first distributed execution plan that includes the select subplan and that delegates execution of the select subplan to the hardware coprocessor.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A database management system including: a host device that includes a central processing system and a hardware coprocessor; and a database optimizer stored in memory and executable by a processor to: identify one or more subplans for executing query fragments of a database query, each of the one or more subplans defining at least one query fragment and a table that is operated on by the at least one query fragment; determine, based on capabilities stored for the hardware coprocessor, whether a select subplan of the one or more subplans is viable for implementation by the hardware coprocessor, the capabilities including at least a size of memory accessible to the hardware coprocessor; and in response to determining that the select subplan is viable for implementation by the hardware coprocessor, select for execution a distributed execution plan for distributing the query fragments of the database query among the central processing system of the host device and the hardware coprocessor of the host device, the distributed execution plan delegating execution of the select subplan to the hardware coprocessor.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- Coprocessor utilization in database hosts for expedited query processing
- Patent number
- US12754913B2
- Application number
- 19038349
- Filed
- Jan 27, 2025
- Granted
- Oct 6, 2026
- Inventors
- 2
- Claims
- 19
Classified under
G06F 16/24542 Physics & computingG06F 16/2282 Physics & computingG06F 16/2425 Physics & computingMore from Microsoft in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.