Patent Document ID: 7912871
Application ID: 11997115

Base Claim:
1. A method for updating an XML document in a computer and validating the update in an incremental fashion with respect to XML schema key and keyref constraints, said method comprising: (i) defining an XML schema comprising key and keyref constraints, wherein each keyref constraint refers to a key constraint in a scoping element, by specifying the key constraint's name; (ii) validating an XML document conforming to the XML schema and comprising a key element and a keyref element in accordance with the key and keyref constraints; (iii) building a data structure for capturing the state of the XML document with respect to key and keyref constraints to enable efficient monitoring as the XML document changes; (iv) specifying an update, including one or more operations, to be made to the XML document; (v) determining based on the data structure, specified update and relevant key or keyref constraints the parts of the XML document that may be affected by said update; (vi) verifying by scanning only the parts of the XML documents determined in step (v) that said update does not violate any key or keyref constraints; and (vii) performing said update only after the verification of (vi) is successful; and (viii) updating the data structure with the update information.

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Claim 7:
7. A method according to claim 1 , wherein data structures are maintained, said data structures designed to enable efficient monitoring as the XML document changes and holding information relevant to the validation of key, keyref and unique constraints.