Microsoft patents smarter way to search across split-up databases
Microsoft has filed a patent for a system that helps computers find information in databases that are split across different locations. It works by checking how complete each part of the database is before deciding the best order to search them, ensuring the final answer is accurate.
In the filing’s own words
Methods, systems, and computer storage media for programmatically retrieving data from a distributed data source by receiving a query to obtain data from the distributed data source that comprises one or more data sources and determining a completeness criteria corresponding to each data source of the distributed data source based on the query. The data is retrieved by generating a query plan comprising a plurality of sub-plans to satisfy the query based on the completeness criteria, generating a plurality of sub-queries corresponding to the sub-plans, submitting the plurality of sub-queries to the distributed data source, and providing a response to the query based on responses to the plurality of sub-queries.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A system comprising: at least one processor; and computer memory storing programming instructions for execution by the processor, the programming instructions, upon execution by the processor, causing the system to perform the following operations: receiving a query for a distributed graph database system that includes multiple distributed data sources, wherein data stored by a first one of the distributed data sources overlaps with data stored by a second one of the distributed data sources; determining completeness criteria corresponding to the first data source and the second data source after receiving the query; generating a query execution plan based at least on the completeness criteria corresponding to the first data source and the second data source, the query execution plan indicating an order for querying the distributed data sources during execution of the query by the distributed graph database system; executing, by the distributed graph database system, at least a portion of the query based on the query execution plan to obtain a response to the query; and outputting the response to the query following execution of the query.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- COMPLETENESS-AWARE DISTRIBUTED GRAPH QUERY PLANNING
- Publication number
- US20260300292A1
- Application number
- 19096562
- Filed
- Mar 31, 2025
- Published
- Oct 1, 2026
- Inventors
- 4
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06F 16/24542 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.