Microsoft patents method to search multiple data stores as one graph
Microsoft describes a system that treats several separate databases as a single connected network, or graph, to make searching easier. It works by matching parts of a user's question to a shared structure, then figuring out which specific databases need to be checked to find the answer.
In the filing’s own words
Solutions are disclosed that enable efficient federated graph queries across multiple isolated data stores. Examples leverage the connectedness of the expected data that spans the data stores by defining the entities and relationships and inferring the intent of the queries. These are used to optimize data searches in the individual data stores. Examples map each of two or more variables of the input query to elements of a public schema and use the mapping to determining a storage tag (identifying a data store) for each of the variables of the input query. Store-specific queries are scheduled and performed based on at least the storage tags.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A system comprising: a processor; and a query service, the query service presenting a plurality of data stores as a federated graph using a public schema, the public schema indicating entities and relationships visible in the federated graph, the query service implemented on the processor and configured to: dynamically probe for metadata for elements of the public schema, wherein the metadata comprises data store latency; receive an input query, the input query comprising a plurality of variables; map each of the plurality of variables to the elements of the public schema; using the metadata comprising the data store latency and the mapping of the plurality of variables to the elements of the public schema, determine a storage tag for each of the plurality of variables, each storage tag identifying a data store of a minimal set of data stores, wherein the minimal set of data stores is selected from the plurality of data stores, and wherein the minimal set of data stores comprises a smallest count of data stores be searched to satisfy the input query; based on the storage tags, perform a first store-specific query; and return a query result based on the first store-specific query.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- Federated graph queries across heterogeneous data stores
- Patent number
- US12769740B2
- Application number
- 18991292
- Filed
- Dec 20, 2024
- Granted
- Oct 20, 2026
- Inventors
- 3
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06F 16/2455 Physics & computingG06F 16/24542 Physics & computingG06F 16/248 Physics & computingMore from Microsoft in AI & software
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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.