How Software Automatically Translates Database Queries for Different Storage Systems
A system that intercepts database queries written for traditional relational databases and automatically translates them to work with non-relational databases, allowing developers to switch storage systems without rewriting their application code.
Original patent title: “Data access statement translation”
A system that intercepts database queries written for traditional relational databases and automatically translates them to work with non-relational databases, allowing developers to switch storage systems without rewriting their application code. Granted to Amazon Technologies Inc in 2017 with 23 claims and 11 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a middleware layer that sits between an application and its database. When the application sends a query in a language like SQL, the system intercepts it, parses it into a structural tree, and translates it into a different query language supported by a non-relational database. After executing the new query, the system monitors the application to see if it crashes or reports errors, effectively testing if the new database can successfully replace the old one. This allows engineers to migrate data from rigid relational tables to more flexible formats without manually updating every line of their application's code.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover manual database migration scripts or manual code refactoring.
- Does not cover query translation that happens at compile-time rather than during runtime execution.
- Does not cover systems that do not perform error monitoring or failure detection after the translation occurs.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The system doesn't just translate the query; it treats the translation as a live experiment by monitoring the application's response to the new database output to ensure it doesn't trigger errors or exceptions.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Cloud database migration tools
Database abstraction layers
Legacy application modernization platforms
Why it matters
The bigger picture
As companies scale, they often outgrow traditional relational databases (like MySQL) and move to NoSQL or key-value stores for better performance. Rewriting legacy code to support new database languages is expensive and risky. This patent provides a way to automate that transition, reducing the downtime and human error associated with massive infrastructure migrations.
Filed
December 16, 2013
Granted
January 3, 2017
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the primary developer, using this technology to help customers migrate legacy on-premises databases to their cloud-native storage solutions like DynamoDB. Other major cloud providers like Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure utilize similar automated migration strategies to lower the barrier for enterprise customers moving to their platforms.
Market impact
This technology has helped accelerate the industry-wide shift from monolithic relational databases to distributed, non-relational storage systems. By lowering the cost and risk of migration, it has enabled companies to modernize legacy software stacks much faster than traditional manual porting would allow.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a middleware layer that sits between an application and its database. When the application sends a query in a language like SQL, the system intercepts it, parses it into a structural tree, and translates it into a different query language supported by a non-relational database. After executing the new query, the system monitors the application to see if it crashes or reports errors, effectively testing if the new database can successfully replace the old one. This allows engineers to migrate data from rigid relational tables to more flexible formats without manually updating every line of their application's code.
The clever bit
The system doesn't just translate the query; it treats the translation as a live experiment by monitoring the application's response to the new database output to ensure it doesn't trigger errors or exceptions.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover manual database migration scripts or manual code refactoring.
- Does not cover query translation that happens at compile-time rather than during runtime execution.
- Does not cover systems that do not perform error monitoring or failure detection after the translation occurs.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
22/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$83K – $266K
Midpoint $166K · 7.5 yr remaining · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
23 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Cuthbert, D. A., & Li, S. (2017). How Software Automatically Translates Database Queries for Different Storage Systems (U.S. Patent No. 9,535,948). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9535948/facebook-watch
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Software Automatically Translates Database Queries for Different Storage Systems cover?
A system that intercepts database queries written for traditional relational databases and automatically translates them to work with non-relational databases, allowing developers to switch storage systems without rewriting their application code.
Who owns patent US 9535948?
Amazon Technologies Inc owns this patent, granted in 2017.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on January 3, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 9535948 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 11 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
As companies scale, they often outgrow traditional relational databases (like MySQL) and move to NoSQL or key-value stores for better performance. Rewriting legacy code to support new database languages is expensive and risky. This patent provides a way to automate that transition, reducing the downtime and human error associated with massive infrastructure migrations.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover manual database migration scripts or manual code refactoring.
Same assignee
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