Patent ID: 8086597

Claim:
A computer-implemented method using a computer having a processor and memory, comprising: receiving, by said computer, a query of at least one mark-up language document, said query having a path expression comprising a conjunction and a plurality of singleton filters having a first filter and a second filter, said first filter having a first filter-compare expression, a first comparison operator and a first probe, said second filter having a second filter-compare expression, a second comparison operator and a second probe, said first probe being different from said second probe; determining, by said computer, that said first filter-compare expression and said second filter-compare expression are equivalent; identifying, by said computer, that said first filter and said second filter form a between filter having a start value and a stop value, said start value being specified by said first probe, said stop value being specified by said second probe; and generating, by said computer, a plan to process said query based on, at least in part, a range defined by said start value and said stop value; wherein an index of mark-up language documents is defined by another path expression, said index comprising values of said mark-up language documents that satisfy said another path expression, said values being key values of said index; wherein said plan is to perform a single scan of said key values of said index from said start value to said stop value to identify at least one key value of said index that satisfies said between filter.