Patent ID: 7171407
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for searching XML documents, wherein the XML documents comprise a tree structure comprising branches comprising a plurality of nodes, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph) query comprising at least one XPath expression and search criteria and wherein the criteria comprise a set of constraints that specify relations among nodes, such that the relations specified in the set of constraints are forward relations and backward relations; receiving at least a portion of a XML document to be searched, the XML document comprising a tree structure, each branch comprising a plurality of nodes, wherein a relation between any two nodes is a forward relation and a backward relation; modifying the search criteria automatically such that constraints, specifying a backward relation are reformulated into constraints specifying a forward relation, and constraints specifying a forward relation are reformulated into constraints specifying a backward relation; searching the at least a portion of a XML document using the modified criteria; and locating one or more nodes that satisfy the search criteria.