System and method for query processing of structured documents

• US 6,263,332 B1
• Filed: 08/14/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Vignette Corporation (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Webber, Neil, Nasr, Roger I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Homere, Jean R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wassum, Luke S
• Application Number:
  US09/134,263
• Time in Patent Office: 1,068 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-4, 707/513, 707/523
• 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 method of processing a query for a textual document in a tagged-based language comprising:

providing an abstract machine for searching a tree representation of the document, wherein the abstract machine has an instruction set having an ability to produce at least a portion of results;

obtaining a code for a particular node, wherein the code has been assigned by;

determining a subtree depth for the particular node within the tree representation;

determining a parent-child relationship for the particular node and for each node, if any, within the tree representation that lies between the particular node and a root node; and

determining a code for the particular node, wherein;

if the subtree depth of the particular node is less than two, the code for the particular node is a code for its closest parent node having a subtree depth of at least two; and

if the subtree depth of the particular node is at least two, the code for the particular node is selected such that when bitwise binary ANDed with a code of a parent node yields the code of the parent node, wherein the codes for the particular node and the parent node are different from each other;

using the code as part of a query;

compiling the query in a language into instructions for the abstract engine;

running the instructions on the abstract machine, wherein running is performed on the tree representation; and

receiving the at least a portion of results from the instructions that have been run.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein running the instructions is performed on a first portion of an item selected from a group consisting of a memory and a database.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising running the instructions on a second portion of the item, wherein this act is performed after receiving the at least a portion of results.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the tree structure includes child nodes, wherein each child node is a descendant from only one parent node.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the subtree depth of the particular node is less than two.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the subtree depth of the particular node is least two.

7. A computer program product for performing a method of processing a query for a textual document in a tagged-based language, the method comprising:

providing an abstract machine for searching a tree representation of the document, wherein the abstract machine has an instruction set having an ability to produce at least a portion of results;

obtaining a code for a particular node, wherein the code has been assigned by;

determining a subtree depth for the particular node within the tree representation;

determining parent-child relationships for the particular node and for each node if any within the tree representation that lies between the particular node and a root node, and

using a code for the particular node, wherein;

if the subtree depth of the particular node is less than two, the code for the particular node is a code for its closest parent node having a subtree depth of at least two, and

if the subtree depth of the particular node is at least two, the code for the particular node is selected such that when bitwise binary ANDed with a code of a parent node vields the code of the parent node, wherein the codes for the particular node and the parent node are different from each other; and

using the code as part of a query;

compiling the query in a language into instructions for the abstract engine;

running the instructions on the abstract machine, wherein running is performed on the tree representation; and

receiving the at least a portion of results from the instructions that have been run.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein running the instructions is performed on a first portion of an item selected from a group consisting of a memory and a database.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises running the instructions on a second portion of the item, wherein this act is performed after receiving the at least a portion of results.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the tree structure includes child nodes, wherein each child node is a descendant from only one parent node.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the subtree depth of the particular node is less than two.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the subtree depth of the particular node is at least two.

13. A method of establishing codes for nodes of a tree representation of a document comprising:

determining a subtree depth for each node within the tree representation;

determining parent-child relationships for each node within the tree representation; and

assigning a code for each node, wherein the code includes at least the following;

for a root node, assigning a first code; and

for all other nodes;

having a subtree depth of at least two, assigning at least a second code that is different from the first code; and

having a subtree depth of less than two, assigning a code for such node such that its code is a code of its closest parent node having a subtree depth of at least two.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the tree representation includes a second node, a third node, and a fourth node, wherein;

the second node is an immediate parent of the third node; and

the third node is an immediate parent of the fourth node; and

the second node, the third node, and the fourth node have a same code.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the all other nodes include a second node having a subtree depth of at least two;

the root node is a parent of the second node;

a code for the second node when bitwise binary ANDed with the first code yields the first code; and

the code of the second node and the first code are different from each other.

16. A computer program product for performing a method of establishing codes for nodes of a tree representation of a document, the method comprising:

determining a subtree depth for each node within the tree representation;

determining parent-child relationships for each node within the tree representation; and

assigning a code for each node, wherein the code includes at least the following;

for a root node, assigning a first code; and

for all other nodes;

having a subtree depth of at least two, assigning at least a second code that is different from the first code; and

having a subtree depth of less than two, assigning a code for such node such that its code is a code of its closest parent node having a subtree depth of at least two.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein:

the tree representation includes a second node, a third node, and a fourth node, wherein;

the second node is an immediate parent of the third node; and

the third node is an immediate parent of the fourth node; and

the second node, the third node, and the fourth node have a same code.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein:

the all other nodes include a second node having a subtree depth of at least two;

the root node is a parent of the second node;

a code for the second node when bitwise binary ANDed with the first code yields the first code; and

the code of the second node and the first code are different from each other.

19. A method of processing a query of a tree representation of a document comprising:

obtaining a code for a particular node, wherein the code has been assigned by;

determining a subtree depth for the particular node within the tree representation;

determining parent-child relationships for the particular node and for each node, if any, within the tree representation that lies between the particular node and a root node; and

determining a code for the particular node, wherein;

if the subtree depth of the particular node is less than two, the code for the particular node is a code for its closest parent node having a subtree depth of at least two; and

if the subtree depth of the particular node is at least two, the code for the particular node is another code;

using the code as part of the query;

submitting the query; and

receiving at least a portion of results from the query.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the tree representation includes a second node and a third node, wherein;

the second node is a parent of the third node; and

the third node is a parent of the particular node; and

the second node, the third node, and the particular node have a same code.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein:

the particular node has a subtree depth of at least two;

the particular node has a parent node; and

the another code is selected such that a bitwise binary ANDing of the another code with a code of the parent node yields the code of the parent node.

22. A computer program product for performing a method of processing a query for a document, the method comprising:

obtaining a code for a particular node, wherein the code has been assigned by;

determining a subtree depth for the particular node within the tree representation; and

determining a code for the particular node, wherein;

if the subtree depth of the particular node is less than two, the code for the particular node is a code for its closest parent node having a subtree depth of at least two; and

if the subtree depth of the particular node is at least two, the code for the particular node is another code;

using the code as part of the query; and

submitting the query.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein:

the tree representation includes a second node and a third node, wherein;

the second node is a parent of the third node; and

the third node is a parent of the particular node; and

the second node, the third node, and the particular node have a same code.

24. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein:

the particular node has a subtree depth of at least two;

the particular node has a parent node;

the another code is selected such that a bitwise binary ANDing of the another code with a code of the parent node yields the code of the parent node; and

the second node with the code of the root note yields the code of the root node.

25. A method of establishing codes for nodes of a tree representation of a document comprising:

determining parent-child relationships for each node within the tree representation; and

assigning a code for each node, wherein the code includes at least the following;

for a root node, assigning a first code; and

for all other nodes, assigning other codes, wherein;

if the each node has only one parent node, a code for the each node is selected such that when bitwise binary ANDed with a code for the parent node, yields the code for the parent node; and

if the each node has more than one parent node, a code for the each node is selected such that when bitwise binary ANDed with a code from each of codes for the parent nodes, yields the code from the each of codes for the parent nodes.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the method further comprises determining subtree depths for the all other nodes; and

for each node of the all other nodes having a subtree depth of less than two, assigning a code of its closest parent node having a subtree depth of at least two as its code.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein:

the tree representation includes a first node, a second node, and a third node, wherein;

the first node is an immediate parent of the second node; and

the second node is an immediate parent of the third node; and

the first node, the second node, and the third node have a same code.

28. A computer program product for performing a method of establishing codes for nodes of a tree representation of a document, the method comprising:

determining parent-child relationships for each node within the tree representation; and

assigning a code for each node, wherein the code includes at least the following;

for a root node, assigning a first code; and

for all other nodes, assigning other codes, wherein;

if the each node has only one parent node, a code for the each node is selected such that when bitwise binary ANDed with a code for the parent node, yields the code for the parent node; and

if the each node has more than one parent node, a code for the each node is selected such that when bitwise binary ANDed with a code from each of codes for the parent nodes, yields the code from the each of codes for the parent nodes.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein:

the method further comprises determining subtree depths for the all other nodes; and

for each node of the all other nodes having a subtree depth of less than two, assigning a code of its closest parent node having a subtree depth of at least two as its code.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein:

the tree representation includes a first node, a second node, and a third node, wherein;

the first node is an immediate parent of the second node; and

the second node is an immediate parent of the third node; and

the first node, the second node, and the third node have a same code.

31. A method of processing a query of a tree representation of a document comprising:

obtaining a code for a particular node, wherein the code has been assigned by;

determining parent-child relationships for the particular node and for each node, if any, within the tree representation that lies between the particular node and a root node; and

determining a code for the particular node, wherein;

if the particular node has only one parent node, a code for the particular node when bitwise binary ANDed with a code for the parent node, yields the code for the parent node; and

if the particular node has more than one parent node, a code for the particular node is selected such that when bitwise binary ANDed with a code from each of codes for the parent nodes, yields the code from the each of codes for the parent nodes;

using the code as part of the query;

submitting the query; and

receiving at least a portion of results from the query.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein:

the method further comprises determining a subtree depth of the particular node; and

determining the code for the particular node, wherein;

if the subtree depth of the particular node is less than two, the code for the particular node is a code the particular node'"'"'s closest parent node having a subtree depth of at least two;

if the subtree depth of the particular node is at least two, the code for the particular node is different from a code of its immediate parent node.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein:

the tree representation includes a second node and a third node, wherein;

the second node is a parent of the third node; and

the third node is a parent of the particular node; and

the second node, the third node, and the particular node have a same code.

34. A computer program product for performing a method of processing a query for a document, the method comprising:

obtaining a code for a particular node, wherein the code has been assigned by;

determining parent-child relationships for the particular node and for each node, if any, within the tree representation that lies between the particular node and a root node; and

determining a code for the particular node, wherein;

if the particular node has only one parent node, a code for the particular node when bitwise binary ANDed with a code for the parent node, yields the code for the parent node; and

if the particular node has more than one parent node, a code for the particular node is selected such that when bitwise binary ANDed with a code from each of codes for the parent nodes, yields the code from the each of codes for the parent nodes;

using the code as part of the query;

submitting the query; and

receiving at least a portion of results from the query.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein:

the method further comprises determining a subtree depth of the particular node; and

determining the code for the particular node, wherein;

if the subtree depth of the particular node is less than two, the code for the particular node is a code the particular node'"'"'s closest parent node having a subtree depth of at least two; and

if the subtree depth of the particular node is at least two, the code for the particular node is different from a code of its immediate parent node.

36. The computer program product of claim 34, wherein:

the tree representation includes a second node and a third node, wherein;

the second node is a parent of the third node; and

the third node is a parent of the particular node; and

the second node, the third node, and the particular node have a same code.