Using Static Data in a Markup Language

• US 20080183736A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Grealish, Kevin, Westerinen, Andrea, Chierotti, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 8,341,514 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]

Abstract

Described herein are techniques for specifying and utilizing static data in the environment of a tag-based or meta-markup document description language such as XML.

Claims

1. A method of associating static data with one or more instances of XML elements of a desired data type, the method comprising:

defining the desired data type with a static-specifying data type definition in an XML schema; and

embedding an instance of an XML element of a pre-defined data type within the static-specifying data type definition, wherein the embedded XML instance represents the static data, and wherein said one or more instances of XML elements of the desired data type are inherently associated with the embedded XML instance by virtue of the static-specifying data type definition.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

referencing the XML schema to obtain the static data associated with said one or more XML instances of elements of the desired data type.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

placing the embedded XML instance representing static data in a standardized location within the static-specifying data type definition.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

placing the embedded XML instance within annotation and appinfo elements of the static-specifying data type definition.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

specifying in the static-specifying data type definition whether the static data can be overridden and whether the static data is to be propagated to sub-types.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

placing the embedded XML element within annotation and appinfo elements of the static-specifying data type definition.

specifying in the static-specifying data type definition whether the static data can be overridden and whether the static data is to be propagated to sub-types.

7. One or more computer-readable media containing XML data, such XML data comprising:

one or more XML schemas;

a static-value data type definition within the one or more XML schemas;

a static-specifying data type definition within the one or more XML schemas; and

an instance of an element of the static-value data type embedded within the static-specifying data type definition, wherein the embedded instance represents static data to be inherently associated with any instances of elements of the static-specifying data type.

8. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

an XML document having an instance of an element of the static-specifying data type definition.

9. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 7, wherein the instance of the element of the static-value data type is placed in a standardized location within the static-specifying data type definition.

10. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 7, wherein the instance of the static-value data element is placed within the annotation and appinfo elements of the static-specifying type definition.

11. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 7, wherein the instance of the static-value data element is placed in a portion of the static-specifying type definition reserved for documentation.

12. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 7, wherein the static-specifying type definition specifies attributes of the static data indicating whether the static data can be overridden and whether the static data is to be propagated to sub types.

13. A method of processing an XML document having one or more instances of an XML element of a particular data type, the method comprising:

identifying an XML static-specifying type definition corresponding to the particular data type;

identifying an instance in the static-specifying type definition of a static-value element that represents static data; and

associating the one or more instances of the XML element with the static data.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

identifying said instance from within a standardized location of the static-specifying type definition.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

identifying said instance from within annotation and appinfo elements of the static-specifying data type definition.

16. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

identifying attributes of the static data from within the static-specifying type definition, wherein the attributes indicate whether the static data can be overridden and whether the static data is to be propagated to sub-types.

17. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

identifying said instance from a portion of the static-specifying type definition reserved for documentation.

18. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

referencing an XML schema to identify said instance.

19. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

identifying said instance from within an instance of an element that has been previously agreed upon to contain static data.