1. A structured-document search apparatus for searching a plurality of structured documents stored in a database for a document structure in a structured document corresponding to first structure-designating information, in response to a search request containing the first structure-designating information and issued from a client terminal, the first structure-designating information designating an arbitrary document structure including tags, the arbitrary document structure being a logical tree structure represented using the tags, comprising: structure-template-storing means for storing a plurality of structure templates as templates of tag structures in relation to identifiers assigned to the structure templates, the structure templates corresponding to document structures included in the structured documents stored in the database, the tag structures being logical tree structures represented using tags; a synonym dictionary which stores synonym group identifiers indicating synonym groups, and sets of tags belonging to the synonym groups, said each synonym group being a set of tags having a common concept; synonym search means for search processing for searching the synonym dictionary for synonym group identifiers indicating synonym groups to which the tags included in the first structure-designating information belong; inquiry means for inquiring of a user of the client terminal, when the synonym search means detects the synonym group identifiers indicating synonym groups to which the tags included in the first structure-designating information belong, which one of synonym groups indicated by the synonym group identifiers for said tags should be selected, said tags included in the first structure- designating information corresponding to the detected synonym group identifiers; structure-designating-information generation means for generating, based on a search result of the synonym search means for search processing, second structure-designating information in which the tags included in the first structure-designating information are replaced with the respective synonym group identifiers based on the user's selection; synonym-structure-template-storing means for storing synonym structure templates in which all tags included in the structure templates stored in the structure-template-storing means are replaced with the synonym group identifiers indicating the synonym groups to which said all tags belong; synonym-structure-template-searching means for searching the synonym-structure-template-storing means for a synonym structure template corresponding to the second structure-designating information; and acquisition means for acquiring, from the database, a document structure in a structured document indicated by the structure template searched for by the synonym-structure-template-searching means.
1. A structured-document search apparatus for searching a plurality of structured documents stored in a database for a document structure in a structured document corresponding to first structure-designating information, in response to a search request containing the first structure-designating information and issued from a client terminal, the first structure-designating information designating an arbitrary document structure including tags, the arbitrary document structure being a logical tree structure represented using the tags, comprising: structure-template-storing means for storing a plurality of structure templates as templates of tag structures in relation to identifiers assigned to the structure templates, the structure templates corresponding to document structures included in the structured documents stored in the database, the tag structures being logical tree structures represented using tags; a synonym dictionary which stores synonym group identifiers indicating synonym groups, and sets of tags belonging to the synonym groups, said each synonym group being a set of tags having a common concept; synonym search means for search processing for searching the synonym dictionary for synonym group identifiers indicating synonym groups to which the tags included in the first structure-designating information belong; inquiry means for inquiring of a user of the client terminal, when the synonym search means detects the synonym group identifiers indicating synonym groups to which the tags included in the first structure-designating information belong, which one of synonym groups indicated by the synonym group identifiers for said tags should be selected, said tags included in the first structure- designating information corresponding to the detected synonym group identifiers; structure-designating-information generation means for generating, based on a search result of the synonym search means for search processing, second structure-designating information in which the tags included in the first structure-designating information are replaced with the respective synonym group identifiers based on the user's selection; synonym-structure-template-storing means for storing synonym structure templates in which all tags included in the structure templates stored in the structure-template-storing means are replaced with the synonym group identifiers indicating the synonym groups to which said all tags belong; synonym-structure-template-searching means for searching the synonym-structure-template-storing means for a synonym structure template corresponding to the second structure-designating information; and acquisition means for acquiring, from the database, a document structure in a structured document indicated by the structure template searched for by the synonym-structure-template-searching means. 2. The structured-document search apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: synonym search means for storing processing operating when the synonym-structure- template-storing means adds a structure template corresponding to a new document structure which does not exist in the synonym-structure-template-storing means, the synonym search means searching the synonym dictionary for synonym group identifiers indicating synonym groups to which all tags included in the added structure template belong, the addition of the structure template being performed in accordance with a request from the client terminal when a structured document is stored into the database or a structured document in the database is updated; synonym-structure-template generation means for generating a synonym structure template in which said all tags included in the added structure template are replaced with synonym group identifiers which indicate synonym groups corresponding to said all tags and are detected by the synonym search means for storing processing; and synonym- structure-template addition means for adding, to the synonym- structure-template- storing means, the synonym structure template generated by the synonym-structure-template generation means.