Method and apparatus for storing semi-structured data in a structured manner

A method for generating a data structure for mapping between semi-structured data and structured data, the method comprising:

• identifying parent and child relationships in the semi-structured data;
• for each identified parent and child relationship,
• identifying a table in the structured data that corresponds to the identified parent and child relationship;
• and
• creating a mapping between the identified parent and child relationship and the identified table.

A method comprising:

• pre-processing semi-structured queries in an information page employing semi-structured data to identify the data to be selectively retrieved from the semi-structured data, and the storage locations of the data in a collection of structured data comprising the semi-structured data, referencing a description of how the semi-structured data are stored in the collection of structured data;
• generating equivalent structured queries to retrieve the data from the collection of structured data;
• and
• replacing the semi-structured queries with the equivalent structured queries.

An apparatus comprising:

• a storage medium having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions designed
• to pre-process semi-structured queries in an information page employing semi-structured data to identify the data to be selectively retrieved from the semi-structured data, and the storage locations of the data in a collection of structured data comprising the semi-structured data, referencing a description of how the semi-structured data are stored in the collection of structured data,
• to generate equivalent structured queries to retrieve the data from the collection of structured data, and
• to replace the semi-structured queries with the equivalent structured queries;
• and
• a processor coupled to the storage medium to execute the programming instructions.

An article of manufacture comprising:

• a recordable medium having recorded thereon a plurality of programming instructions for use to program a system having a processor for executing programming instructions, to enable the system
• to pre-process semi-structured queries in an information page employing semi-structured data to identify the data to be selectively retrieved from the semi-structured data, and the storage locations of the data in a collection of structured data comprising the semi-structured data, referencing a description of how the semi-structured data are stored in the collection of structured data,
• to generate equivalent structured queries to retrieve the data from the collection of structured data, and
• to replace the semi-structured queries with the equivalent structured queries.

A method comprising:

• storing pre-processed information pages formed with a language that provides for semi-structured queries, and employing semi-structured data, where the semi-structured queries have been pre-replaced with equivalent structured queries to retrieve the data to be retrieved by the semi-structured queries from the semi-structured data, from a collection of structured data comprising the semi-structured data instead;
• receiving a request for a selected one of the information pages;
• dynamically completing the information page, executing the replacement structured queries;
• and
• returning the dynamically completed information page.

An apparatus comprising:

• a network interface coupling the apparatus to a data network;
• a storage medium having stored therein pre-processed information pages formed with a language that provides for semi-structured queries, and employing semi-structured data, where the semi-structured queries have been pre-replaced with equivalent structured queries to retrieve the data to be retrieved by the semi-structured queries from the semi-structured data, from a collection of structured data comprising the semi-structured data instead;
• and
• a processor coupled to the network interface and the storage medium to receive a request from a client for a selected one of the information pages from the data network, and in response, dynamically completing the information page, executing the replacement structured queries, and returning the dynamically completed information page to the client through the data network.