Incremental bottom-up construction of data documents

• US 20030028557A1
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tabatabai, Ali, Rising, Hawley K. III, Visharam, Mohammed Z., Walker, Toby
• Granted Patent: US 7,231,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/500
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/71 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/131 Fragmentation of text files, e.g. creating reusable text-blocks; Linking to fragments, e.g. using XInclude; Namespaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A data document is constructed by attaching a set of child nodes, selected from nodes in an existing data document or a document fragment, at an update location, which is a node in the existing data document or the document fragment that is identified by a navigation path. When the update command is a merge, one or mode nodes (“merge nodes”) in the document fragment are identified as update locations, and the nodes in the existing data document are merged as child nodes of the merge nodes in the document fragment. When the update command is a join, a node (“join node”) in the existing data document is identified as the update location, and an ordered list specifies which nodes in the existing data document and which nodes in the document fragment are to be joined as the set of child nodes for the join node. The join and merge update commands, navigation paths, and document fragments may transmitted as a series of fragment update units to construct the data document.

Claims

1. A computerized method of constructing a data document represented as a tree from an existing data document and a document fragment comprising:

identifying an update location using a navigation path, wherein the update location is a node in one of the existing data document and the document fragment; and

attaching a set of child nodes at the update location in accordance with an update command, wherein the set of child nodes is selected from at least one of the existing data document and the document fragment.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein, when the update command is a merge command, the update location is a merge node in the document fragment and attaching the set of child nodes comprises:

selecting the set of child nodes from the existing data document; and

merging the set of child nodes at the merge node.

3. The computerized method of claim 2, wherein selecting the set of child nodes from the existing data document comprises selecting all nodes in the existing data document.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein, when the update command is a join command, the update location is a join node in the existing data document and attaching the set of child nodes comprises:

selecting the set of child nodes from the document fragment and the existing data document using an ordered list; and

joining the set of child nodes at the join node.

5. The computerized method of claim 4, wherein the set of child nodes are joined in an order specified by the ordered list.

6. The computerized method of claim 4, wherein the ordered list comprises a plurality of element pairs and each element pair comprises:

a source element that specifies one of the document fragment and the existing data document as a source; and

a join path that specifies a node in the source to be included in the set of child nodes.

7. The computerized method of claim 4, wherein the ordered list is a default ordered list.

8. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the navigation path is an address that identifies the update location relative to a context node.

9. The computerized method of claim 8, wherein the address is expressed as an XML XPath location path when the data documents are coded in XML (extensible markup language).

10. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the data documents and document fragment contain content descriptions.

11. The computerized method of claim 10, wherein the content descriptions are compliant with MPEG-7 standards.

12. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the data documents and document fragment are coded in XML.

13. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein the data documents and document fragment conform to an XML schema document associated with the data documents and document fragment.

14. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving the navigation path, the update command, and the document fragment.

15. The computerized method of claim 14, wherein the navigation path and the update command are received in a fragment update unit, the fragment update unit further comprising:

a fragment payload identifying the document fragment.

16. The computerized method of claim 15, wherein the fragment payload is selected from the group consisting of a document fragment and a document fragment reference.

17. The computerized method of claim 15, wherein, when the update command is a join command, the fragment update unit further comprises:

an ordered list that specifies the set of child nodes.

18. The computerized method of claim 15 further comprising:

sending the fragment update unit as part of an access unit.

19. The computerized method of claim 18 further comprising:

selecting the update command;

formatting the fragment payload;

calculating the navigation path;

creating an ordered list of source and join path elements when the update command is a join; and

creating the fragment update unit from the navigation path, the update command, the fragment payload, and the ordered list if required.

20. The computerized method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving an ordered list that specifies the set of child nodes when the update command is a join command.

21. The computerized method of claim 14 further comprising:

sending the navigation path, the update command, and the document fragment.

22. The computerized method of claim 21 further comprising:

sending an ordered list that specifies the set of child nodes when the update command is a join command.

23. A computerized method of constructing a data document represented as a tree from an existing data document and a document fragment comprising:

sending a navigation path, an update command, and a document fragment, wherein the navigation path identifies an update location that is a node in one of the existing data document and the document fragment at which to attach a set of child nodes selected from at least one of the existing data document and the document fragment in accordance with the update command.

24. The computerized method of claim 23 further comprising:

sending an ordered list that specifies the set of child nodes when the update command is a join command.

25. The computerized method of claim 23 further comprising:

selecting the update command;

formatting a fragment payload to identify the document fragment;

calculating the navigation path;

creating an ordered list of source and join path elements when the update command is a join; and

creating a fragment update unit from the navigation path, the update command, the fragment payload, and the ordered list if required.

26. The computerized method of claim 25 further comprising:

sending the fragment update unit as part of an access unit.

27. The computerized method of claim 25, wherein the fragment payload is selected from the group consisting of a document fragment and a document fragment reference.

28. The computerized method of claim 23, wherein the navigation path is an address that identifies the update location relative to a context node.

29. The computerized method of claim 28, wherein the address is expressed as an XML XPath location path when the data documents are coded in XML (extensible markup language).

30. The computerized method of claim 23, wherein the data documents and document fragment contain content descriptions.

31. The computerized method of claim 30, wherein the content descriptions are compliant with MPEG-7 standards.

32. The computerized method of claim 23, wherein the data documents and document fragment are coded in XML.

33. The computerized method of claim 32, wherein the data documents and document fragment conform to an XML schema document associated with the data documents and document fragment.

34. A computer-readable medium having executable instruction to cause a computer to perform a method of constructing a data document represented as a tree from an existing data document and a document fragment, the method comprising:

identifying an update location using a navigation path, wherein the update location is a node in one of the existing data document and the document fragment; and

attaching a set of child nodes at the update location in accordance with an update command, wherein the set of child nodes is selected from at least one of the existing data document and the document fragment.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein, when the update command is a merge command, the update location is a merge node in the document fragment and attaching the set of child nodes comprises:

selecting the set of child nodes from the existing data document; and

merging the set of child nodes at the merge node.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein selecting the set of child nodes from the existing data document comprises selecting all nodes in the existing data document.

37. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein, when the update command is a join command, the update location is a join node in the existing data document and attaching the set of child nodes comprises:

selecting the set of child nodes from the document fragment and the existing data document using an ordered list; and

joining the set of child nodes at the join node.

38. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the set of child nodes are joined in an order specified by the ordered list.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the ordered list comprises a plurality of element pairs and each element pair comprises:

a source element that specifies one of the document fragment and the existing data document as a source; and

a join path that specifies a node in the source to be included in the set of child nodes.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 37, wherein the ordered list is a default ordered list.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the navigation path is an address that identifies the update location relative to a node context.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the address is expressed as an XML XPath location path when the data documents are coded in XML (extensible markup language).

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the data documents and document fragment contain content descriptions.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the data documents and document fragment are coded in XML.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 44, wherein the data documents and document fragment conform to an XML schema document associated with the data documents and document fragment.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 43, wherein the content descriptions are compliant with MPEG-32 standards.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving the navigation path, the update command, and the document fragment.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the navigation path and the update command are received in a fragment update unit, the fragment update unit further comprising:

a fragment payload identifying the document fragment.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein the fragment payload is selected from the group consisting of a document fragment and a document fragment reference.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein, when the update command is a join command, the fragment update unit further comprises:

an ordered list that specifies the set of child nodes.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 48, wherein the method further comprises:

sending the fragment update unit as part of an access unit.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 51, wherein the method further comprises:

selecting the update command;

formatting the fragment payload;

calculating the navigation path;

creating an ordered list of source and join path elements when the update command is a join; and

creating the fragment update unit from the navigation path, the update command, the fragment payload, and the ordered list if required.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an ordered list that specifies the set of child nodes when the update command is a join command.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 47, wherein the method further comprises:

sending the navigation path, the update command, and the document fragment.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, wherein the method further comprises:

sending an ordered list that specifies the set of child nodes when the update command is a join command.

56. A computer-readable medium having executable instructions to cause a computer to perform a method of constructing a data document represented as a tree from an existing data document and a document fragment, the method comprising:

sending a navigation path, an update command, and a document fragment, wherein the navigation path identifies an update location that is a node in one of the existing data document and the document fragment at which to attach a set of child nodes selected from at least one of the existing data document and the document fragment in accordance with the update command.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the method further comprises:

sending an ordered list that specifies the set of child nodes when the update command is a join command.

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the method further comprises:

selecting the update command;

formatting a fragment payload to identify the document fragment;

calculating the navigation path;

creating an ordered list of source and join path elements when the update command is a join; and

creating a fragment update unit from the navigation path, the update command, the fragment payload, and the ordered list if required.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 58, wherein the method further comprises:

sending the fragment update unit as part of an access unit.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 58, wherein the fragment payload is selected from the group consisting of a document fragment and a document fragment reference.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the navigation path is an address that identifies the update location relative to a context node.

62. The computer-readable medium of claim 61, wherein the address is expressed as an XML XPath location path when the data documents are coded in XML (extensible markup language).

63. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the data documents and document fragment contain content descriptions.

64. The computer-readable medium of claim 63, wherein the content descriptions are compliant with MPEG-7 standards.

65. The computer-readable medium of claim 56, wherein the data documents and document fragment are coded in XML.

66. The computer-readable medium of claim 65, wherein the data documents and document fragment conform to an XML schema document associated with the data documents and document fragment.

67. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory through a bus; and

a decode process executed by the processor from the memory to cause the processor to identify an update location using a navigation path, wherein the update location is a node in one of an existing data document and a document fragment, and to attach a set of child nodes at the update location in accordance with an update command, wherein the set of child nodes is selected from at least one of the existing data document and the document fragment.

68. The system of claim 67, wherein, when the update command is a merge command, the update location is a merge node in the document fragment, and the decode process further causes the processor to select the set of child nodes from the existing data document, and to merge the set of child nodes at the merge node when attaching the set of child nodes.

69. The system of claim 68, wherein the decode process further causes the processor to select all nodes in the existing data document.

70. The system of claim 67, wherein, when the update command is a join command, the update location is a join node in the existing data document, and the decode process further causes the processor to select the set of child nodes from the document fragment and the existing data document using an ordered list and to join the set of child nodes at the join node when attaching the set of child nodes.

71. The system of claim 70, wherein the decode process further causes the processor to join the set of child nodes in an order specified by the ordered list.

72. The system of claim 70, wherein the ordered list comprises a plurality of element pairs and each element pair comprises:

a source element that specifies one of the document fragment and the existing data document as a source; and

a join path that specifies a node in the source to be included in the set of child nodes.

73. The system of claim 70, wherein the ordered list is a default ordered list.

74. The system of claim 67, wherein the navigation path is an address that identifies the update location relative to a context node.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein the address is expressed as an XML XPath location path when the data documents are coded in XML (extensible markup language).

76. The system of claim 67, wherein the data documents and document fragment contain content descriptions.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein the content descriptions are compliant with MPEG-7 standards.

78. The system of claim 67, wherein the data documents and document fragment are coded in XML.

79. The system of claim 78, wherein the data documents and document fragment conform to an XML schema document associated with the data documents and document fragment.

80. The system of claim 67 further comprising a network interface coupled to the processor through the bus and the decode process further causes the processor to receive the navigation path, the update command, and the document fragment through the network interface.

81. The system of claim 80, wherein the navigation path and the update command are received in a fragment update unit, the fragment update unit further comprising:

a fragment payload identifying the document fragment.

82. The system of claim 81, wherein the fragment payload is selected from the group consisting of a document fragment and a document fragment reference.

83. The system of claim 81, wherein, when the update command is a join command, the fragment update unit further comprises:

an ordered list that specifies the set of child nodes.

84. The system of claim 81, wherein the decode process further cause the processor to receive an ordered list that specifies the set of child nodes through the bus when the update command is a join command.

85. A system comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory through a bus;

a network interface coupled to the processor through the bus; and

an encode process executed by the processor from the memory to cause the processor to send a navigation path, an update command, and a document fragment through the network interface, wherein the navigation path identifies an update location that is a node in one of the existing data document and the document fragment at which to attach a set of child nodes selected from at least one of the existing data document and the document fragment in accordance with the update command.

86. The system of claim 85, wherein the decode process further causes the processor to send an ordered list that specifies the set of child nodes through the network interface when the update command is a join command.

87. The system of claim 85, wherein the decode process further causes the processor to select the update command, format a fragment payload to identify the document fragment, calculate the navigation path, create an ordered list of source and join path elements when the update command is a join, and create a fragment update unit from the navigation path, the update command, the fragment payload, and the ordered list if required.

88. The system of claim 87, wherein the decode process further causes the processor to send the fragment update unit through the network interface as part of an access unit.

89. The system of claim 87, wherein the fragment payload is selected from the group consisting of a document fragment and a document fragment reference.

90. The system of claim 85, wherein the navigation path is an address that identifies the update location relative to a context node.

91. The system of claim 90, wherein the address is expressed as an XML XPath location path when the data documents are coded in XML (extensible markup language).

92. The system of claim 85, wherein the data documents and document fragment contain content descriptions.

93. The system of claim 92, wherein the content descriptions are compliant with MPEG-7 standards.

94. The system of claim 85, wherein the data documents and document fragment are coded in XML.

95. The system of claim 94, wherein the data documents and document fragment conform to an XML schema document associated with the data documents and document fragment.