System and method for non-programmers to dynamically manage multiple sets of xml document data

Abstract

A system and method for dynamically retrieving, manipulating, updating, creating, and displaying data from sources of Extensible Markup Language (XML) documents. The program memory comprises system-user entered data definitions and business rules. The system imports XML document data into the system data definitions, processes the data using the business rules definitions and exports XML documents. The system can automatically create XML document formats from its data definitions and can automatically create its data definitions from XML document formats. The system-user can also define the mapping between XML document formats and the system data definitions. The system data definition is the combination of a Relational data model, an Object data model, and an XML data model.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of integrating Extensible Markup Language (XML) with relational data, the method comprising:
 managing an integrated data set comprising a combination of relational-model data type definitions and XML definitions, wherein managing the integrated data set facilitates storage and retrieval of relational-model data type definitions, XML definitions, data attributes, and documents;   receiving, from a plurality of sources, data in XML format, wherein at least a portion of the received data is stored as part of the integrated data set, wherein the plurality of sources comprise a first source and a second source, and wherein the first source and the second source, respectively, comprise at least one of: (i) an XML document, (ii) a relational database, or (iii) an object oriented input;   decomposing at least a subset of the data provided by the plurality of sources into data attributes, wherein the decomposing is based, at least in part, on decomposing rules associated with the managed integrated data set;   receiving a query for data requesting data from the managed integrated data set; and   providing a response to the received query, wherein the response comprises at least one result generated, based at least in part, on composing rules associated with the managed integrated data set, wherein the composing rules are for composing the at least one result included in the integrated data set, and wherein the at least one result includes data attributes from the decomposed data.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the data is stored in a database. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the database comprises at least one of a relational database or an object-oriented database. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the database is located in a web server. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 receiving a request to create a new data attribute for inclusion in the integrated data set; and   creating a new rule for decomposing data provided by the plurality of sources into the new data attribute in the integrated data set based at least in part on the request.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising adding the at least one result to the plurality of sources. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one result is associated with performing hierarchical-style analytics. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one result is associated with performing XML data mining. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one result is associated with performing statistical analysis. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one result is associated with filtering data. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one result is associated with an application for integrating services across at least two enterprises. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the integrated data set comprises primary record types, management record definitions, and document data definitions. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising generating instance data structures for storing data obtained from a source, the instance data structures comprising:
 one or more primary record instances,   one or more management record instances, and   one or more document data instances.   
     
     
         34 . A system for integrating Extensible Markup Language (XML) with relational data, the system comprising:
 means for managing an integrated data set comprising a combination of relational-model data type definitions and XML definitions;   means for receiving, from a plurality of sources, data in XML format, wherein at least some of the received data is managed as part of the integrated data set, wherein the plurality of sources comprise a first source and a second source, and wherein the first source and the second source, respectively, comprise at least one of: (i) an XML document, (ii) a relational database, or (iii) an object oriented input;   means for decomposing at least a subset of the data provided by the plurality of sources into data attributes, wherein the decomposing is based, at least in part, on decomposing rules associated with the managed integrated data set;   means for receiving a query for data requesting data from the managed integrated data set; and   means for providing a response to the received query, wherein the response comprises at least one result generated, based at least in part, on composing rules associated with the managed integrated data set, wherein the at least one result includes data attributes from the decomposed data.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the data is stored in a data repository comprising a relational database. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the data is stored in a data repository comprising an object-oriented database. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the system further comprises a database. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the system is a web server. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the system further comprises:
 means for receiving a request to create a new data attribute for inclusion in the integrated data set; and   means for creating a new rule for decomposing data provided by the plurality of sources into the new data attribute in the integrated data set based at least in part on the request.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the decomposing rules comprise a processing rule indicating how a change to data included in the integrated data set affects a source of the data. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of sources comprise multiple databases.