Apparatus and method for pre-processing mapping information for efficient decomposition of xml documents

Abstract

Pre-processing mapping information for efficient decomposition of an XML document for storage in a database. A mapping document is received that describes how all of (or a portion of) an XML document is to decomposed, the mapping document is transformed into a data structure for decomposing an XML document, and the data is made persistent for use with a subsequent decomposition operation that decomposes an XML document.

1 . A method for decomposing an XML document for storage in a relational database, the method comprising:
 receiving a mapping document, the mapping document describing how components of the XML document are to be decomposed, the mapping document being in the form of a set of related XML schema documents augmented with one or more annotations that describe a mapping of the decomposed components to specified relational tables and columns in the relational database;   transforming the mapping document into a data structure for decomposing the XML document; and   making the data structure persistent for use with a subsequent decomposition operation that decomposes the XML document, by storing the data structure in the relational database, such that the data structure is retrieved and used with the subsequent decomposition operation and need not be transformed from the mapping document for the subsequent decomposition operation.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein storing the data structure comprises assigning a unique identifier to the data structure, and using the unique identifier to later retrieve the data structure from the database on a subsequent decomposition of the XML document. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further wherein storing the data structure comprises storing the data structure as metadata in the database. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 transforming the mapping document comprises parsing the set of related XML schema documents to produce a representation of a data model associated with the set of related XML schema documents, wherein the data structure represents the data model.   
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the data structure comprises one or more nodes that represent schema components including model groups, particles, or element or attribute declarations, and comprises one or more edges that connect the one or more nodes according to relationships defined in the set of related XML schema documents. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein transforming the mapping document further comprises parsing the one or more annotations to obtain mapping information that maps XML data to the database, and the method further includes:
 creating one or more second data structures for each mapped table in the database based on the mapping information.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising assigning the unique identifier to the one or more second data structures and storing the one or more second data structures as metadata in the database using the unique identifier for use with a subsequent decomposition operation that decomposes the XML document. 
   
   
       8 . A computer program product, tangibly stored on a physical computer-readable storage medium, for decomposing an XML document for storage in a relational database, the product comprising instructions executed by and causing a programmable processor to:
 receive a mapping document, the mapping document describing how components of the XML document are to be decomposed, the mapping document being in the form of a set of related XML schema documents augmented with one or more annotations that describe a mapping of the decomposed components to specified relational tables and columns in the relational database;   transform the mapping document into a data structure for decomposing the XML document; and   make the data structure persistent for use with a subsequent decomposition operation that decomposes the XML document, by storing the data structure in the relational database, such that the data structure is retrieved and used with the subsequent decomposition operation and need not be transformed from the mapping document for the subsequent decomposition operation.   
   
   
       9 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions to store the data structure includes instructions to assign a unique identifier to the data structure, and use the unique identifier to later retrieve the data structure from the database on a subsequent decomposition of the XML document. 
   
   
       10 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions to store the data structure includes instructions to store the data structure as metadata in the database. 
   
   
       11 . The product of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the instructions to transform the mapping document includes instructions to parse the set of related XML schema documents to produce a representation of a data model associated with the set of related XML schema documents, wherein the data structure represents the data model.   
   
   
       12 . The product of  claim 11 , wherein the data structure comprises one or more nodes that represent schema components including model groups, particles, or element or attribute declarations, and comprises one or more edges that connect the one or more nodes according to relationships defined in the set of related XML schema documents. 
   
   
       13 . The product of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions to transform the mapping document further includes instructions to parse the one or more annotations to obtain mapping information that maps XML data to the database, and the product further comprises instructions executed by and causing a programmable processor to:
 create one or more second data structures for each mapped table in the database based on the mapping information.   
   
   
       14 . The product of  claim 13 , further comprising instructions executed by and causing a programmable processor to assign the unique identifier to the one or more second data structures and store the one or more second data structures as metadata in the database using the unique identifier for use with a subsequent decomposition operation that decomposes the XML document. 
   
   
       15 . A decomposition module for decomposing an XML document for storage in a relational database, the decomposition module comprising:
 an engine operable to receive a mapping document describing how portions of an XML document are to be decomposed, the mapping document describing how components of the XML document are to be decomposed, the mapping document being in the form of a set of related XML schema documents augmented with one or more annotations that describe a mapping of the decomposed components to specified relational tables and columns in the relational database;   wherein the engine is operable to transform the mapping document into a data structure for decomposing an XML document, and make the data structure persistent for use with a subsequent decomposition operation that decomposes any XML document that conforms to the set of related XML schema documents, by storing the data structure in the relational database, such that the data structure is retrieved and used with the subsequent decomposition operation and need not be transformed from the mapping document for the subsequent decomposition operation.   
   
   
       16 . The decomposition module of  claim 15 , wherein the engine is further operable to assign a unique identifier to the data structure, and use the unique identifier to later retrieve the data structure from the database on a subsequent decomposition of the XML document. 
   
   
       17 . The decomposition module of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the engine transforming the mapping document includes parsing the set of related XML schema documents to produce a representation of a data model associated with the set of related XML schema documents, wherein the data structure represents the data model.   
   
   
       18 . The decomposition module of  claim 17 , wherein the data structure comprises one or more nodes that represent schema components including model groups, particles, or element or attribute declarations, and comprises one or more edges that connect the one or more nodes according to relationships defined in the set of related XML schema documents. 
   
   
       19 . The decomposition module of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions to transform the mapping document further includes instructions to parse the one or more annotations to obtain mapping information that maps XML data to the database, and the product further comprises instructions to cause a programmable processor to:
 create one or more second data structures for each mapped table in the database based on the mapping information.   
   
   
       20 . The decomposition module of  claim 19 , further comprising instructions to cause a programmable processor to assign the unique identifier to the one or more second data structures and store the one or more second data structures as metadata in the database using the unique identifier for use with a subsequent decomposition operation that decomposes the XML document.