Processing structured documents stored in a database

• US 9,600,597 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2011
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Loeser, Henrik, Van der Linden, Robbert C., Vickery, Brian S.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, SHAHID AL
• Application Number:
  US13/239,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20120011136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,007 Days
• Field of Search: 707/769, 707/770, 707/802, 707/756, 715/201
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

A method, computer readable medium, and system for processing a structured document are disclosed. The method, computer readable medium, and system include identifying a plurality of strings processed by a database, assigning an identifier to each of the plurality of strings, storing each of the plurality of strings and its assigned identifier in a table in the database, and utilizing the table during document processing.

Claims

1. A method for processing a structured document, the method comprising:

identifying a plurality of strings processed by a database;

assigning an identifier to each of the plurality of strings;

storing each of the plurality of strings and its assigned identifier in a table in the database, wherein at least one string of the plurality of strings in the table in the database is derived from a source other than the structured documents stored in the database, and wherein at least another string of the plurality of strings in the table in the database is derived from the one or more structured documents stored in the database; and

utilizing the table during document processing at least by;

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

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

requesting an identifier for one of the plurality of element, attribute, and namespace strings in the structured document;

performing a lookup on the table for the one string;

returning the identifier assigned to the one string when the one string is located in the table; and

assigning a new identifier to the one string, storing the one string and the new identifier in the table, designating a status of the one string as permanent, and returning the new identifier when the one string is not located in the table; and

storing the transformed structured document in the database.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

designating a status for each of the plurality of strings, wherein the status is one of a temporary status or a permanent status;

storing the status in the table; and

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

3. The method of claim 1, wherein transforming the structured document further comprises:

checking a current status of the one string when it is located in the table; and

changing the status of the one string to permanent when the current status is temporary.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein utilizing the table during document processing comprises:

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

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

processing the transformed query.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein transforming the query comprises:

requesting an identifier for one of the plurality of element, attribute, and namespace strings in the query;

checking the cache for the one string;

returning an identifier assigned to the one string when the one string is located in the cache;

performing a lookup on the table for the one string when the one string is not located in the cache;

returning the identifier assigned to the one string when the one string is located in the table; and

assigning a new identifier to the one string, storing the one string and the new identifier in the table, designating a status of the one string as temporary, and returning the new identifier when the one string is not located in the table.

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

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one string is derived from a query to the database.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing a computer program for processing a structured document stored thereon, the computer program comprising instructions for:

identifying a plurality of strings processed by a database;

assigning an identifier to each of the plurality of strings;

storing each of the plurality of strings and its assigned identifier in a table in the database, wherein at least one string of the plurality of strings in the table in the database is derived from a source other than the structured documents stored in the database, and wherein at least another string of the plurality of strings in the table in the database is derived from the one or more structured documents stored in the database; and

utilizing the table during document processing at least by;

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

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

requesting an identifier for one of the plurality of element, attribute, and namespace strings in the structured document;

performing a lookup on the table for the one string;

returning the identifier assigned to the one string when the one string is located in the table; and

assigning a new identifier to the one string, storing the one string and the new identifier in the table, designating a status of the one string as permanent, and returning the new identifier when the one string is not located in the table; and

storing the transformed structured document in the database.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions for:

designating a status for each of the plurality of strings, wherein the status is one of a temporary status or a permanent status;

storing the status in the table; and

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

10. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein transforming the structured document further comprises:

checking a current status of the one string when it is located in the table; and

changing the status of the one string to permanent when the current status is temporary.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein utilizing the table during document processing comprises:

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

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

processing the transformed query.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein transforming the query comprises:

requesting an identifier for one of the plurality of element, attribute, and namespace strings in the query;

checking the cache for the one string;

returning an identifier assigned to the one string when the one string is located in the cache;

performing a lookup on the table for the one string when the one string is not located in the cache;

returning the identifier assigned to the one string when the one string is located in the table; and

assigning a new identifier to the one string, storing the one string and the new identifier in the table, designating a status of the one string as temporary, and returning the new identifier when the one string is not located in the table.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the identifier is a fixed-sized integer.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one string is derived from a query to the database.

15. A system for processing a structured document, the system comprising:

a string identifier generator operable to;

identify a plurality of strings processed by the database, and

assign an identifier to each of the plurality of strings;

a database in communication with the string identifier generator, the database including a table operable to store each of the plurality of strings and its assigned identifier, wherein at least one string of the plurality of strings in the table in the database is derived from a source other than the structured documents stored in the database, and wherein at least another string of the plurality of strings in the table in the database is derived from the one or more structured documents stored in the database; and

a cache in communication with the string identifier generator and the database, the cache being operable to store a portion of the table,

wherein the table and the cache are utilized during document processing at least by;

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

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

requesting an identifier for one of the plurality of element, attribute, and namespace strings in the structured document;

performing a lookup on the table for the one string;

returning the identifier assigned to the one string when the one string is located in the table; and

assigning a new identifier to the one string, storing the one string and the new identifier in the table, designating a status of the one string as permanent, and returning the new identifier when the one string is not located in the table; and

storing the transformed structured document in the database.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the string identifier generator is further operable 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

store the status in the table.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a storage mechanism in communication with the string identifier generator, the database, and the cache, the storage mechanism being operable to receive and store a structured document in the database.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the string identifier generator is further operable to:

check a current status of the string when it is located in the table and

change the status of the string to permanent when the current status is temporary.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a compiler in communication with the string identifier generator, the database, and the cache, the compiler being operable to receive and process a query to the database.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the string identifier generator is further operable to:

receive a request for an identifier for a string from the compiler,

check the cache for the string,

return an identifier assigned to the string when the string is located in the cache,

perform a lookup on the table for the string when the string is not located in the cache,

return the identifier assigned to the string when the string is located in the table, and

assign a new identifier to the string, store the string and the new identifier in the table, designate a status of the string as temporary, and return the new identifier when the string is not located in the table.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the identifier is a fixed-sized integer.

22. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one string is derived from a query to the database.