Method and system for processing structured documents in a native database

• US 20050050467A1
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Loeser, Henrik, Vickery, Brian S., Van der Linden, Robbert C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,171,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/86 Mapping to a database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

An improved method and system for processing a structured document stored in a database is disclosed. The method includes identifying strings that are processed by the database, assigning an identifier to each of the strings, storing each of the strings and the assigned identifier in a table in the database, where the table is a global database table, and utilizing the table to replace the strings with their assigned identifiers throughout the database, where the identifiers are used during document processing.

Claims

1. A method for processing a structured document stored in a database comprising the steps of:

a) identifying a plurality of strings that are processed by the database;

b) assigning an identifier to each of the plurality of strings;

c) storing each of the plurality of strings and the assigned identifier in a table in the database, wherein the table is a global database table; and

d) utilizing the table to replace the plurality of strings with their assigned identifiers throughout the database, wherein the identifiers are used during document processing.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

e) designating a status for each of the plurality of strings, wherein the status is one of a temporary status or a permanent status, and storing the status in the table; and

f) providing a cache in the database for storing a portion of the table.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of strings is one of an element name, an attribute name, and a namespace.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier is a fixed-sized integer.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the utilizing step (d) further comprising:

d1) receiving a request to store a structured document in the database, wherein the structured document comprises a plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings;

d2) transforming the structured document by replacing the plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings with their respective identifiers; and

d3) storing the transformed structured document.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the transforming step (d2) further comprising:

d2i) requesting an identifier for one of the plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings;

d2ii) checking the cache for the one string; and

d2iii) returning the respective identifier if the one string is located in the cache;

d2iv) performing a lookup on the table for the one string if the one string is not located in the cache; and

d2v) returning the respective identifier if the one string is located in the table; and

d2vi) assigning a new identifier for the one string, storing the one string and the new identifier in the table, setting the string status to permanent and returning the new identifier if the one string is not located in the table.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the transforming step (d2) further comprising:

d2vii) checking a current status of the one string if it is located in the table;

d2viii) changing the status to permanent if the current status is temporary; and

d2vix) repeating steps (d2i) through (d2viii) for each of the plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings in the document.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the utilizing step (d) further comprising:

d1) receiving a query, wherein the query comprises a plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings;

d2) transforming the query by replacing the plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings with their respective identifiers; and

d3) processing the transformed query.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the transforming step (d2further comprising:

d2i) requesting an identifier for one of the plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings;

d2ii) checking the cache for the one string; and

d2iii) returning the respective identifier if the one string is located in the cache;

d2iv) performing a lookup on the table for the one string if the one string is not located in the cache; and

d2v) returning the respective identifier if the one string is located in the table; and

d2vi) assigning a new identifier for the one string, storing the one string and the new identifier in the table, setting the string status to temporary and returning the new identifier if the one string is not located in the table.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the transforming step (d2 further comprising:

d2vii) repeating steps (d2i) through (d2vi) for each of the plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings.

11. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for processing a structured document stored in a database, the instructions for:

a) identifying a plurality of strings that are processed by the database;

b) assigning an identifier to each of the plurality of strings;

c) storing each of the plurality of strings and the assigned identifier in a table in the database, wherein the table is a global database table; and

d) utilizing the table to replace the plurality of strings with their assigned identifiers throughout the database, wherein the identifiers are used during document processing.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 further comprising instructions for:

e) designating a status for each of the plurality of strings, wherein the status is one of a temporary status or a permanent status, and storing the status in the table

f) providing a cache in the database for storing a portion of the table.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of strings is one of an element name, an attribute name, and a namespace.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the identifier is a fixed-sized integer.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the utilizing instruction (d) further comprising:

d1) receiving a request to store a structured document in the database, wherein the structured document comprises a plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings;

d2transforming the structured document by replacing the plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings with their respective identifiers; and

d3) storing the transformed structured document.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the transforming instruction (d2) further comprising:

d2i) requesting an identifier for one of the plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings;

d2ii) checking the cache for the one string; and

d2iii) returning the respective identifier if the one string is located in the cache;

d2iv) performing a lookup on the table for the one string if the one string is not located in the cache; and

d2v) returning the respective identifier if the one string is located in the table; and

d2vi) assigning a new identifier for the one string, storing the one string and the new identifier in the table, setting the string status to permanent and returning the new identifier if the one string is not located in the table.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the transforming instruction (d2) further comprising:

d2vii) checking a current status of the one string if it is located in the table;

d2viii) changing the status to permanent if the current status is temporary; and

d2vix) repeating steps (d2i) through (d2viii) for each of the plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings in the document.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the utilizing instruction (d) further comprising:

d1) receiving a query, wherein the query comprises a plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings;

d2) transforming the query by replacing the plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings with their respective identifiers; and

d3) processing the transformed query.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the transforming instruction (d2) further comprising:

d2i) requesting an identifier for one of the plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings;

d2ii) checking the cache for the one string; and

d2iii) returning the respective identifier if the one string is located in the cache;

d2iv) performing a lookup on the table for the one string if the one string is not located in the cache; and

d2v) returning the respective identifier if the one string is located in the table; and

d2vi) assigning a new identifier for the one string, storing the one string and the new identifier in the table, setting the string status to temporary and returning the new identifier if the one string is not located in the table.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the transforming instruction (d2) further comprising:

d2vii) repeating steps (d2i) through (d2vi) for each of the plurality of element, attribute and namespace strings.

21. A system for processing a structured document stored in a database comprising:

a string identifier generator in the database, wherein the generator is configured to identify a plurality of strings processed by the database and to assign an identifier to each of the plurality of strings;

a table in the database for storing each of the plurality of strings and the assigned identifier, wherein the table is a global database table; and

a cache in the database for storing a portion of the table,

wherein the generator utilizes the cache and the table to replace the plurality of strings with their assigned identifiers throughout the database and the identifiers are used to perform document processing.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the generator is configured to designate a status for each of the plurality of strings, wherein the status is one of a temporary status or a permanent status, and to store the status in the table.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of strings is one of an element name, an attribute name, and a namespace.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the identifier is a fixed-sized integer.

25. The system of claim 22 further comprising a Storage mechanism in the database for receiving and storing a structured document in its native format in the database.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the generator is configured to receive a request for an identifier for a string from the Storage mechanism, check the cache for the string, return the identifier if the string is located in the cache, perform a lookup on the table for the string if the string is not located in the cache, return the identifier if the string is located in the table, and assign a new identifier for the string, store the string and the new identifier in the table, set the string status to permanent and return the new identifier if the one string is not located in the table.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the generator is configured to check the current status of the string if it is located in the table and change the status to permanent if the current status is temporary.

28. The system of claim 22 further comprising a compiler for receiving and processing a query.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the generator is configured to receive a request for an identifier for a string from the compiler, check the cache for the string, return the identifier if the string is located in the cache, perform a lookup on the table for the string if the string is not located in the cache, return the identifier if the string is located in the table, and assign a new identifier for the string, store the string and the new identifier in the table, set the string status to temporary and return the new identifier if the one string is not located in the table.

30. A method for storing a structured document in a database comprising the steps of:

a) identifying a plurality of strings that are processed by the database;

b) assigning an identifier to each of the plurality of strings;

c) storing each of the plurality of strings and the assigned identifier in a table in the database, wherein the table is a global database table; and

d) utilizing the table to replace the plurality of strings with their assigned identifiers throughout the database.

31. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for storing a structured document in a database, the program instructions for:

a) identifying a plurality of strings that are processed by the database;

b) assigning an identifier to each of the plurality of strings;

c) storing each of the plurality of strings and the assigned identifier in a table in the database, wherein the table is a global database table; and

d) utilizing the table to replace the plurality of strings with their assigned identifiers throughout the database.