Automatic query and transformative process

• US 20020198874A1
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Vignette Corporation (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Nasr, Roger I., Webber, Neil
• Granted Patent: US 6,882,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of retrieving information in a first markup language through a query engine and presenting the information in any required markup language. A user inputs a query and may invoke a number of transformative sequences. These sequences contain a markup language pattern and an action, which may include transforming the tags in the first markup language to tags in a different markup language. The appropriate transformative sequence is selected and the pattern from the transformative sequence is compiled. The compiled pattern is used to perform rapid and efficient searches of documents in the database. A predicate check using the binary coding of the node as well as ancestor information confirms the node. The leaf information associated with a confirmed node is then stored. If necessary, the action from the transformative sequence is applied to change the markup language of the leaf information to that of the user.

Claims

1. A query engine for searching for an electronic document, comprising:

(a) means for accepting a query;

(b) means for compiling the query into query engine instructions, such instructions including tags and attributes instructions;

(c) means for conducting a partial search for nodes based on tags and attributes;

(d) means for conducting a predicate check on the nodes found by the partial search to ensure that the node conforms to the query; and

(e) means for generating an output based on the predicate check.

2. The query engine of claim 1 wherein the means for generating an output includes storing the search in a continuation state.

3. The query engine of claim 2 wherein the means for compiling is reactivating the continuation state.

4. The query engine of claim 1 wherein the predicate check comprises the analysis of at least the following:

(a) the identification of the immediate parent of each node;

(b) the absolute depth of each node; and

(c) binary encoding.

5. The query engine of claim 1 wherein, in response to at least one successful result obtained by the means for conducting a predicate check, the means for generating an output is activated.

6. The query engine of claim 5 wherein the means for conducting a predicate check is reactivated by the user after each output.

7. The query engine of claim 1 further comprising a means for the user to conduct another partial search after the predicate check through the means for conducting a partial search.

8. The query engine of claim 1 further comprising a means for the user to conduct another partial search after a generated output through the means for conducting a partial search.

9. The query engine of claim 1 further comprising a means for conducting a complete search of the nodes based on tags and attributes.

10. The query engine of claim 9 wherein, if the engine is searching a document in memory, the query engine implements the means for conducting a complete search of the nodes of document in-memory.

11. A method of searching, comprising:

accepting a query;

compiling the query into query engine instructions, such instructions including tags and attributes instructions;

conducting a partial search for nodes based on tags and attributes;

conducting a predicate check on the nodes found by the partial search; and

generating an output based on the predicate check.

12. The method of searching of claim 11 wherein the partial search is based on tags and attributes of the nodes.

13. The method of searching of claim 11 wherein the partial search is conducted on a document parse tree.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein during the step of conducting a predicate check if a result fulfilling the query is determined, said result is moved to the next step of generating an output.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein when said result is determined, the rest of the partial search is stored in a continuation state.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of reactivating the partial search in the continuation step after generating an output.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 wherein the means for generating an output comprises;

means for identifying data on the node;

means for identifying the correct compiler for the data;

means for compiling the data into the language of the query; and

means for providing the compiled data to the user.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the transformative sequence comprises:

the pattern; and

an action, wherein the action defines changing the leaf information from the first markup language to a second markup language.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein in presenting the leaf, the transformative sequence is applied to the leaf information changing it from the first markup language to the second markup language.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein performing the predicate check on the keyword comprises:

obtaining selected information of the keyword node; and

comparing selective information to confirm the keyword node with the search request.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the selected information is (i) the identification of the immediate parent of the keyword node, (ii) the depth of the keyword node, and (iii) the binary coding of the keyword node

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the binary coding is the binary code assigned to node clusters, including leaves with a depth of three nodes.

27. The product of claim 26 wherein to process the query requests comprises:

identifying the markup language format of the web browser;

if the web browser markup language is different from the document markup language, altering the query request to the document markup language; and

conducting the query request in the document markup language.

28. The product of claim 27 wherein to present the identified portions to the web browser comprises:

obtaining results to the query request in the document markup language;

if the document markup language is different from the document markup language, altering the results to the web browser markup format; and

presenting the results in the web browser markup format.

29. The product of claim 27 wherein the document markup language is XML.

30. The product of claim 27 wherein the web browser markup format is HTML.

17. A computer program product for conducting searches on a database, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for searching, said computer readable program code means comprising;

(a) means for accepting a search query

(b) means for compiling the query into query engine instructions;

said means for compiling the query comprising;

means for identifying the language of the query;

means for associating the language of the query with a correct compiler; and

means for using the correct compiler to generate the query engine instructions

(c) means for conducting a partial search for nodes based on tags and attributes;

(d) means for conducting a predicate check on the nodes found by the partial search; and

(e) means for generating an output.

19. A computer-implemented method of retrieving information in a first markup language through a query engine comprising:

a. receiving a query in a patterned format

b. determining an appropriate transformative sequence from the query

c. compiling a pattern from the transformative sequence

d. assigning the compiled pattern a keyword;

e. searching the databases for nodes with the keyword;

f performing a predicate check on a keyword node;

g. obtaining the leaf information associated with a checked keyword node; and

h. presenting the leaf information to the user.

25. A query and transformative engine for residing on a server comprising:

a. means for determining the browser format;

b. means for accepting query from the browser;

c. means for conducting query search;

d. means for transforming results from the query search into the browser format; and

e. means for delivering the transformed results to the browser.

26. A computer program product, for allowing query and transformative functions on a server, comprising:

a computer application processable by a computer for causing the server to;

receive a query request from a web browser;

process the query request to identify suitable portions of Web documents; and

present the identified portions to the web browser; and

apparatus from which the computer program is accessible by the computer.