1. An Extensible Markup Language (XML) application processor module that receives an XML character stream, which processor module comprises: an XML interface module, a parallel bit stream processor module which includes a processor equipped with parallel processing instructions, a lexical item stream module, a parser and a parsed data receiver wherein: the XML interface module applies the character stream as input to the parallel bit stream processor module and to the parser; the parallel bit stream processor module, in response to the character stream: (a) using the parallel processing instructions, forms a plurality of parallel property bit streams Pj wherein each of the parallel property bit streams consists of a stream of bit values Pj(i) such that Pj(i) is a property associated with code unit C(i) of the character stream and each parallel processing instruction produces a plurality of bit values Pj(i); (b) segments the parallel property bit streams into blocks, each block consisting of bit values Pj(i) at a multiplicity of positions i; and (c) applies the blocks as input to the lexical item stream module; the lexical item stream module processes the blocks to form lexical item streams marking predetermined XML lexical items and applies the lexical item streams as input to the parser; the parser, in response to the lexical item streams and the character stream, forms a stream of parsed XML data and applies the stream of parsed XML data as input to the parsed data receiver; and the parsed data receiver processes the stream of parsed XML data.
1. An Extensible Markup Language (XML) application processor module that receives an XML character stream, which processor module comprises: an XML interface module, a parallel bit stream processor module which includes a processor equipped with parallel processing instructions, a lexical item stream module, a parser and a parsed data receiver wherein: the XML interface module applies the character stream as input to the parallel bit stream processor module and to the parser; the parallel bit stream processor module, in response to the character stream: (a) using the parallel processing instructions, forms a plurality of parallel property bit streams Pj wherein each of the parallel property bit streams consists of a stream of bit values Pj(i) such that Pj(i) is a property associated with code unit C(i) of the character stream and each parallel processing instruction produces a plurality of bit values Pj(i); (b) segments the parallel property bit streams into blocks, each block consisting of bit values Pj(i) at a multiplicity of positions i; and (c) applies the blocks as input to the lexical item stream module; the lexical item stream module processes the blocks to form lexical item streams marking predetermined XML lexical items and applies the lexical item streams as input to the parser; the parser, in response to the lexical item streams and the character stream, forms a stream of parsed XML data and applies the stream of parsed XML data as input to the parsed data receiver; and the parsed data receiver processes the stream of parsed XML data. 6. The Extensible Markup Language (XML) application processor module of claim 1 wherein the parsed data receiver is a textbase acquisition system.