Patent ID: 8745031

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: computing a query against a collection of XML documents stored in one or more tables of a database by, at least in part, executing a plurality of row sources of a query execution plan, each row source of said plurality of row sources generating one or more output rows; wherein said plurality of row sources includes a path-based row source based on a path expression; wherein said query comprises a row predicate condition that specifies one or more conditions that output rows of said path-based row source must satisfy; wherein executing the path-based row source causes: (a) identifying, based on said path expression, XML data from one or more input rows to said path-based row source; (b) filtering, based on said row predicate condition, said XML data from said one or more input rows to said path-based row source; (c) generating output rows that contain XML data based on said (a) identifying, based on said path expression, XML data from one or more input rows to said path-based row source and said (b) filtering, based on said row predicate condition, said XML data from said one or more input rows to said path-based row source.