Sorting method and apparatus

Claim 2

A sorting method comprising the steps of: inputting numeric information and identification codes having said numeric information, and storing said identification codes in a first memory at addresses that correspond to said numeric information; when identification codes have already been stored in said first memory at said addresses, storing inputted identification codes in a second memory at addresses corresponding to said already stored identification codes; and when identification codes have already been stored at addresses of said second memory, successively searching the addresses of said second memory that correspond to these already stored identification codes, and when an address of said second memory at which an identification code is not stored is found, storing an inputted identification code at this address.

Claim 3

The sorting method according to claim 1, characterised in that said first memory has an address space corresponding to said numeric information, and said second memory has an address space corresponding to said identification codes.

Claim 4

A sorting method comprising the steps of: inputting numeric information and identification codes having said numeric information, and storing said identification codes in a first memory at addresses that correspond to said numeric information; when identification codes have already been stored in said first memory at said addresses, storing inputted identification codes in a second memory at addresses corresponding to said already stored identification codes; when identification codes have already been stored at addresses of said second memory, successively searching the addresses of said second memory that correspond to these already stored identification codes, and when an address of said second memory at which an identification code is not stored is found, storing an inputted identification code at this address; and when accessing said first memory based on the numeric information and reading out an identification code corresponding to said numeric information, reading out an identification code stored in said second memory at an address corresponding to the read identification code, successively reading identification codes out of said second memory until there are no longer identification codes at addresses of said second memory that correspond to identification codes subsequently read out in succession, and outputting these identification codes as identification codes corresponding to said numeric information.

Claim 5

A sorting method comprising the steps of: inputting numeric information and identification codes having said numeric information, and storing said identification codes in a first memory at addresses that correspond to said numeric information; when identification codes have already been stored in said first memory at said addresses, storing inputted identification codes in a second memory at addresses corresponding to said already stored identification codes; when identification codes have already been stored at addresses of said second memory, successively searching the addresses of said second memory that correspond to these already stored identification codes, and when an address of said second memory at which an identification code is not stored is found, storing an inputted identification code at this address; and when accessing said first memory based on the numeric information and reading out an identification code corresponding to said numeric information, reading out an identification code stored in said second memory at an address corresponding to the read identification code, successively reading identification codes out of said second memory until there are no longer identification codes at addresses of said second memory that correspond to identification codes subsequently read out in succession, and outputting these identification codes as identification codes corresponding to said numeric information.

Claim 6

The sorting method according to claim 3, characterised in that said first memory has an address space corresponding to said numeric information, and said second memory has an address space corresponding to said identification codes.

Claim 7

A sorting method comprising the steps of: entering identification codes and numeric information to be sorted assigned to these identification codes; in a case where there are a plurality of identification codes having the same numeric information, writing a first identification code among these identification codes in a first memory at an address corresponding to said numeric information; writing identification codes from a second identification code onward having numeric information equal to said numeric information in a second memory at addresses corresponding to previously inputted identification codes; reading out the identification codes thus stored in the order of the addresses of said first memory; and when said first identification code has been stored at the address of said first memory, reading identification codes from the second onward having the same numeric information as the abovementioned identification code out of said second memory, with said stored identification code serving as a read starting address of said second memory and an identification code read out from said read starting address serving as the next read address.

Claim 8

A sorting method comprising the steps of: entering identification codes and numeric information to be sorted assigned to these identification codes; in a case where there are a plurality of identification codes having the same numeric information, writing a first identification code among these identification codes in a first memory at an address corresponding to said numeric information; writing identification codes from a second identification code onward having numeric information equal to said numeric information in a second memory at addresses corresponding to previously inputted identification codes; reading out the identification codes thus stored in the order of the addresses of said first memory; and when said first identification code has been stored at the address of said first memory, reading identification codes from the second onward having the same numeric information as the abovementioned identification code out of said second memory, with said stored identification code serving as a read starting address of said second memory and an identification code read out from said read starting address serving as the next read address.

Claim 9

A sorting apparatus comprising: input means for inputting identification codes and numeric information to be sorted assigned to said identification codes; first memory means for storing said identification codes, with said numeric information serving as addresses, characterised in that; second memory means for storing said identification codes from a second identification code onward having said numeric information of the same value; first discriminating means for discriminating whether identification codes are stored at addresses of said first memory means corresponding to said numeric information, and for discriminating values of the identification codes if they are present; second discriminating means for discriminating whether identification codes are stored at addresses of said second memory means corresponding to said identification codes, and for discriminating values of the identification codes if they are present; and control means for performing control in such a manner that when it is attempted to store an identification code assigned to numeric information entered from said input means in said first memory means at an address that corresponds to said numeric information, if it is discriminated by said first discriminating means that an identification code has been stored at said address and an address of said second memory means that corresponds to said identification code is discriminated by said second discriminating means and it is found that an identification code has been stored at this address, addresses corresponding to identification codes obtained by previous discrimination are repeatedly discriminated in succession by said second discriminating means until an address at which no identification code has been stored is discriminated, wherein when an address at which no identification code has been stored is discriminated by said first or second discriminating means, an identification code to be stored is stored at this address.

Claim 10

A sorting apparatus comprising: input means for inputting identification codes and numeric information to be sorted assigned to said identification codes; first memory means for storing said identification codes, with said numeric information serving as addresses, characterised in that; second memory means for storing said identification codes from a second identification code onward having said numeric information of the same value; first discriminating means for discriminating whether identification codes are stored at addresses of said first memory means corresponding to said numeric information, and for discriminating values of the identification codes if they are present; second discriminating means for discriminating whether identification codes are stored at addresses of said second memory means corresponding to said identification codes, and for discriminating values of the identification codes if they are present; and control means for performing control in such a manner that when it is attempted to store an identification code assigned to numeric information entered from said input means in said first memory means at an address that corresponds to said numeric information, if it is discriminated by said first discriminating means that an identification code has been stored at said address and an address of said second memory means that corresponds to said identification code is discriminated by said second discriminating means and it is found that an identification code has been stored at this address, addresses corresponding to identification codes obtained by previous discrimination are repeatedly discriminated in succession by said second discriminating means until an address at which no identification code has been stored is discriminated, wherein when an address at which no identification code has been stored is discriminated by said first or second discriminating means, an identification code to be stored is stored at this address.

Claim 11

The sorting apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that said first memory means has an address space corresponding to said numeric information, and said second memory means has an address space corresponding to said identification codes.

Claim 12

A sorting apparatus comprising: input means for inputting identification codes and numeric information to be sorted assigned to said identification codes; first memory means for storing said identification codes, with said numeric information serving as addresses, characterised in that; second memory means for storing said identification codes from a second identification code onward having said numeric information of the same value; first discriminating means for discriminating whether identification codes are stored at addresses of said first memory means corresponding to said numeric information, and for discriminating values of the identification codes if they are present; second discriminating means for discriminating whether identification codes are stored at addresses of said second memory means corresponding to said identification codes, and for discriminating values of the identification codes if they are present; control means for performing control in such a manner that when it is attempted to store an identification code assigned to numeric information entered from said input means in said first memory means at an address that corresponds to said numeric information, if it is discriminated by said first discriminating means that an identification code has been stored at said address and an address of said second memory means that corresponds to said identification code is discriminated by said second discriminating means and if it is found that an identification code has been stored at this address, addresses corresponding to identification codes obtained by previous discrimination are repeatedly discriminated in succession by said second discriminating means until an address at which no identification code has been stored is discriminated, wherein when an address at which no identification code has been stored is discriminated by said first or second discriminating means, an identification code to be stored is stored at this address; and means for reading out identification codes in the order of the address of said first memory means, wherein when there is an identification code at an address of said second memory means that corresponds to an identification code read out, said means reads an identification code out of said second memory means with said identification code serving as a read address, subsequently reads identification codes out of said second memory means in successive fashion until there are no longer identification codes at addresses of said second memory that correspond to identification codes subsequently read out, and outputs these identification codes as identification codes corresponding to numeric information serving as addresses of said first memory means.

Claim 13

A sorting apparatus comprising: input means for inputting identification codes and numeric information to be sorted assigned to said identification codes; first memory means for storing said identification codes, with said numeric information serving as addresses, characterised in that; second memory means for storing said identification codes from a second identification code onward having said numeric information of the same value; first discriminating means for discriminating whether identification codes are stored at addresses of said first memory means corresponding to said numeric information, and for discriminating values of the identification codes if they are present; second discriminating means for discriminating whether identification codes are stored at addresses of said second memory means corresponding to said identification codes, and for discriminating values of the identification codes if they are present; control means for performing control in such a manner that when it is attempted to store an identification code assigned to numeric information entered from said input means in said first memory means at an address that corresponds to said numeric information, if it is discriminated by said first discriminating means that an identification code has been stored at said address and an address of said second memory means that corresponds to said identification code is discriminated by said second discriminating means and if it is found that an identification code has been stored at this address, addresses corresponding to identification codes obtained by previous discrimination are repeatedly discriminated in succession by said second discriminating means until an address at which no identification code has been stored is discriminated, wherein when an address at which no identification code has been stored is discriminated by said first or second discriminating means, an identification code to be stored is stored at this address; and means for reading out identification codes in the order of the address of said first memory means, wherein when there is an identification code at an address of said second memory means that corresponds to an identification code read out, said means reads an identification code out of said second memory means with said identification code serving as a read address, subsequently reads identification codes out of said second memory means in successive fashion until there are no longer identification codes at addresses of said second memory that correspond to identification codes subsequently read out, and outputs these identification codes as identification codes corresponding to numeric information serving as addresses of said first memory means.

Claim 14

A sorting apparatus comprising: input means for inputting identification codes and numeric information to be sorted assigned to said identification codes; first memory means for storing said identification codes, with said numeric information serving as addresses, characterised in that; second memory means for storing identification codes from a second identification code onward having numeric information of the same value, with said identification codes serving as addresses; writing means which, in a case where there are a plurality of identification codes having equal numeric information, is for writing a first identification code among these identification codes in said first memory means at an address corresponding to said numeric information, and for writing the identification codes from the second onward in said second memory means at addresses corresponding to previously inputted identification codes; and reading means for reading out the stored identification codes sequentially in the order of the sizes of the addresses of said first memory means and, when said first identification code has been stored at an address of said first memory means, for reading out, from said second memory means, identification codes from the second onward having the same numeric information as said identification code, with said stored identification code serving as a read starting address of said second memory means and an identification code read out from said read starting address serving as the next read address.

Claim 15

A sorting apparatus comprising: input means for inputting identification codes and numeric information to be sorted assigned to said identification codes; first memory means for storing said identification codes, with said numeric information serving as addresses, characterised in that; second memory means for storing identification codes from a second identification code onward having numeric information of the same value, with said identification codes serving as addresses; writing means which, in a case where there are a plurality of identification codes having equal numeric information, is for writing a first identification code among these identification codes in said first memory means at an address corresponding to said numeric information, and for writing the identification codes from the second onward in said second memory means at addresses corresponding to previously inputted identification codes; and reading means for reading out the stored identification codes sequentially in the order of the sizes of the addresses of said first memory means and, when said first identification code has been stored at an address of said first memory means, for reading out, from said second memory means, identification codes from the second onward having the same numeric information as said identification code, with said stored identification code serving as a read starting address of said second memory means and an identification code read out from said read starting address serving as the next read address.