Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus provide a character process for processing markup language data, such as XML data, by receiving a character stream of markup language data and applying sequences of characters of the character stream to a set of state machines. The set of state machines includes a plurality of construct state machines responsible for processing respective markup language constructs identified by the sequences of characters. The character processor produces, from application of the sequences of characters to the set of state machines, an intermediate representation of the markup language constructs identified by the sequence of characters of the character stream of markup language data. The intermediate representation contains encoded items containing type, length, value representations representative of constructs within the character stream of markup language data.

Abstract: A markup language processing device processes markup language messages by receiving a message containing portions of tagged data formatted in a markup language and applying a transform selection rule set to at least one tagged rule selection data portion in the message to select at least one markup language transformation to apply to the tagged pre-transform data portion within the message. The markup language processing device applies the selected markup language transformation to transform the tagged pre-transform data portion to a tagged post-transform data portion according to a transformation function and then conditionally forwards the message. The markup language processing device operates on behalf of a computerized device that is not required to process the message due to operation of the at least one markup language transformation within the markup language processing device.

Abstract: A representation of a markup language data such as XML expressed as a sequence of encoded items provides a data format including a type field containing i) a construct type identifying a type of markup language data construct to which the encoded item corresponds or, ii) a directive type identifying directive information concerning a processing characteristic associated with the sequence of encoded items. If the type field contains a construct type, the encoded item includes i) a length field containing a size of construct data associated with the markup language data construct to which the encoded item corresponds and ii) a value field identifying construct data associated with the markup language data construct to which the encoded item corresponds. For a directive type, the encoded item includes a directive value supplementing the directive information concerning a processing characteristic associated with the sequence of encoded items.