Microsoft patents faster search for messy data formats
Microsoft has been granted a patent for a method to organize semi-structured data, which is information that does not fit into rigid rows and columns. The system creates an inverted index that separates the location of data (path) from its actual content (value) to speed up search queries.
In the filing’s own words
Methods, apparatuses, and products for indexing semi-structured data, including: generating, for a base table comprising a semi-structured data field, an inverted index for the semi-structured data field, wherein the inverted index comprises a term and a posting, and wherein generating the inverted index comprises: storing, for each combination of a plurality of unique path and value combinations of the semi-structured data field, an entry in the inverted index comprising: a path for a corresponding combination in a first field of the term, a value for the corresponding combination in a second field of the term, and an indication of each record in the base table including the corresponding combination in the posting; and storing, for one or more paths of the plurality of unique path and value combinations comprising an array index, the array index in a third field the term.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A method of indexing semi-structured data, comprising: generating, for a base table comprising a semi-structured data field, an inverted index for the semi-structured data field, wherein the inverted index comprises a term and a posting, and wherein generating the inverted index comprises: storing, for each pair of a plurality of path-and-value pairs in the semi-structured data field, a path of a corresponding pair in a path field of the term of a corresponding entry in the inverted index, wherein the path is stored in the path field of the term excluding any array index in the path; storing, for each pair of the plurality of path-and-value pairs in the semi-structured data field, any array index of the path of the corresponding pair in an array index field of the term of the corresponding entry in the inverted index; storing, for each pair of the plurality of path-and-value pairs in the semi-structured data field, a value of the corresponding pair in a value field of the term of the corresponding entry in the inverted index; and storing, for each pair of the plurality of path-and-value pairs in the semi-structured data field, in the posting of the corresponding entry in the inverted index, an indication of each record in the base table including the corresponding pair in the semi-structured data field.
Facts
- Company
- Microsoft (Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC)
- Official title
- Indexing semi-structured data
- Patent number
- US12754955B1
- Application number
- 19212808
- Filed
- May 20, 2025
- Granted
- Oct 6, 2026
- Inventors
- 7
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
G06F 16/81 Physics & computingMore from Microsoft in AI & software
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.