In-place dynamically re-sizeable persistent historical database
The specification discloses a method of maintaining a historical database of information. The method describes up to eleven segments, each segment corresponding possibly to a different data logging rate in the historical database. Points, whether measured or calculated parameters, are grouped into segments based on which points may have their data logged at the same frequency. The points, in turn, contain pointers to logs, with entries in the log data corresponding to a time-stamp or tag of the segment to which the log belongs. Thus, points (and their corresponding logs) in different segments may be logged at different rates. The specification also discloses a method for dynamically resizing the historical database.
1. A system for maintaining a historical database of information comprising:
a microcontroller;
a read only memory (ROM) device coupled to the microcontroller, the ROM device storing programs executable by the microcontroller that stores data in the historical database;
a random access memory (RAM) device coupled to the microcontroller and containing the historical database, the RAM device comprising a set of continuously addressed memory locations, and wherein a first portion of the continuously addressed memory locations comprises a segment component, a second portion of the continuously addressed memory locations comprises a point component, a third portion of the continuously addressed memory locations comprises time-stamp data, and a fourth portion of the continuously addressed memory locations comprises log data; and
wherein the first portion is continuous with the second portion which is continuous with the third portion which is continuous with the fourth portion.
2. The system for maintaining a historical database of information as defined in claim 1 wherein the segment component in the first portion of the continuously addressed memory locations further comprises:
a plurality of segments, each segment comprising:
a list of points of the second portion of continuously addressed memory locations associated with the segment; and
a list of locations in the third portion of the continuously addressed memory locations associated with the segment.
3. The system for maintaining a historical database of information as defined in claim 1 wherein the point component the second portion of the continuously addressed memory locations further comprises a plurality of points, each point comprising a list of locations in the fourth portion of the continuously addressed memory locations where log data corresponding to the plurality of points are stored.
4. The system for maintaining a historical database of information as defined in claim 3 wherein the time-stamp data of the third portion of the continuously addressed memory locations further comprises a set of time-stamp data for each of the segments in the first portion of the continuously addressed memory locations.
5. The system for maintaining a historical database of information as defined in claim 4 wherein the point component of the second portion of the continuously addressed memory locations further comprises a plurality of points, each point comprising a list of locations in the fourth portion of the continuously addressed memory locations where log data corresponding to each point is stored.
6. The system for maintaining a historical database of information as defined in claim 5 wherein the point component of the second portion of the continuously addressed memory locations further comprises a plurality of points, each point comprising a list of locations in the fourth portion of the continuously addressed memory locations where log data corresponding to the plurality of points are stored.
7. The system for maintaining a historical database of information as defined in claim 6 wherein the segment component in the first portion of the continuously addressed memory locations further comprises:
a plurality of segments, each segment comprising:
a list of points of the second portion of continuously addressed memory locations associated with each segment; and
a list of locations in the third portion of the continuously addressed memory locations associated with each segment.
8. A computer comprising:
a microcontroller;
a read only memory (ROM) device coupled to the microcontroller and storing a software programs executable by the microcontroller that calculates natural gas volumetric flow; and
a historical database of volumetric flow data stored in a random access memory (RAM) device coupled to the microcontroller, the RAM device comprising a set of memory locations, and wherein a first portion of the memory locations comprises a segment component, a second portion of the memory locations comprises a point component, a third portion of the memory locations comprises a time-stamp, and a fourth portion of the memory locations comprises log data.
9. The computer as defined in claim 8 wherein the first portion is continuous with the second portion which is continuous with the third portion which is continuous with the fourth portion.
10. The computer as defined in claim 8 wherein the segment component in the first portion of the memory locations further comprises:
a plurality of segments, each segment comprising:
a list of points of the second portion of memory locations associated with each segment; and
a list of locations in the third portion of the memory locations associated with each segment.
11. The computer as defined in claim 8 wherein the point component of the second portion of the memory locations further comprises a plurality of points, each point comprising a list of locations in the fourth portion of the memory locations where log data corresponding to the plurality of points are stored.
12. The computer as defined in claim 8 wherein the time-stamp of the third portion of the memory locations further comprises a set of time-stamp data for each of the segments in the first portion of the memory locations.
13. The computer as defined in claim 12 wherein the point component of the second portion of the memory locations further comprises a plurality of points, each point comprising a list of locations in the third portion of the memory locations where log data corresponding to each point is stored.
14. The computer as defined in claim 13 wherein the point component of the second portion of the memory locations further comprises a plurality of points, each point comprising a list of locations in the fourth portion of the memory locations where log data corresponding to the plurality of points are stored.
15. The computer as defined in claim 14 wherein the segment component in the first portion of the memory locations further comprises:
a plurality of segments, each segment comprising:
a list of points of the second portion of memory locations associated with each segment; and
a list of locations in the third portion of the memory space associated with the each segment.
16. The computer as defined in claim 15 wherein the first portion is continuous with the second portion which is continuous with the third portion which is continuous with the fourth portion.