EP0446940A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Dynamic data storage system
Assignee: Fujitsu Ltd
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Filing: 1991-03-15
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-03-15
Abstract
Abstract The system of the present invention provides a data storage system program (18) between a user and a physical memory device (14) which stores file records (20). The data storage system (18) stores records as linked record segments 40/50 that can be randomly located within the memory storage device (14). The segments 40/50 are linked by a next segment address found in a next segment address field 50/51 of a record segment 40/50. When a record needs to be expanded and the current record segment 1000 is not large enough to accommodate the expansion, another record segment 1082 is allocated and used. If variable length record segments 40 are used, only a single record extension is required. However, if fixed length record segments 50 are used, the system allocates sufficient fixed length record segments to store the additional data. When records shrink in size or are deleted, the vacant space becomes available for reuse and the system attempts to remove the vacant space by combining record segments and storing a single segment in available vacant space.
Inventors
- 👤 Tadamitsu Ryu
- 👤 Yoshio Mogi
- 👤 Masao Tomita
- 👤 Takanori Fukatsu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 06:58
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/06; G06F3/0601; G06F12/00; G06F12/02; G06F12/0223; G06F12/023; G06F3/0602; G06F3/0608; G06F3/0628; G06F3/0638; G06F3/0643; G06F3/0668; G06F3/0671; G06F3/0673; G06F3/0674; G06F3/0676
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
A dynamic data storage system, comprising: memory means for storing; and processing means for determining whether a current first record segment in said memory means will store input data input by a user, and linking a second record segment in said memory means to said first record segment and storing the input data in the first and second record segments when the current first record segment will not store the input data.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the current first record segment includes a next address field where an address of the second segment is stored.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the first record segment is variable in length.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A system as recited in claim 2, wherein the first record segment is fixed in length.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processing means combines the first and second segments into a single segment.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said processing means stores the first and second segments sequentially in said memory means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
A system as recited in claim 1, wherein said memory means stores said segments in a file and said processing means stores the second segment in the first vacant space in the file large enough to store the second segment.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system as recited in claim 7, wherein said processing means periodically combines segments into a single segment and removes vacant space in the file.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A system as recited in claim 7, wherein when said processing means deletes one of the segments, and combines segments and removes vacant space subsequent to the deleted one of the segments in the file.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
A system as recited in claim 1, wherein when a length of the input data is smaller than a length of the first record segment, said processing means reduces the length of the first record segment to the length of the input data and makes a difference available for other record segments.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an input unit through which the user inputs the input data.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
164 words
A dynamic data storage system, comprising: storage storing a file including a first record segment including data having a stored length and a next address field; a processor connected to said storage and determining whether input data having an input length is less than, equal to or greater than the stored length, storing the input data in the first record segment having a reduced stored length and designating vacant space in the file when the input length is less than the stored length, storing the input data in the first record segment and in a second record segment at a first available vacant location in the file and storing an address of the second record segment in the next address field when the input length is greater than the stored length, combining the first and second record segments into a single record segment when a vacant area in the file equal to a size of the first and second record segments combined becomes available.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of dynamic data storage, comprising: (a) allowing a user to input data of any length; (b) determining a difference in length between the input data and a first record segment; (c) allocating a second record segment having a length equal to the difference when the difference is positive; (d) linking the first record segment to the second record segment; and (e) storing the input data in the first and second record segments.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: (f) reducing a size of the first record segment when the difference is negative; and (g) indicating the difference is available for data storage when the difference is negative.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: (f) allowing the user to indicate a record segment is to be deleted; and (g) indicating the deleted record segment is available for data storage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: (f) searching for file vacant space; and (g) combining record segments and storing a single record segment in the vacant space when the combined record segments have a combined length shorter than or equal to a space length of the vacant space.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
206 words
A method of dynamic data storage, comprising: (a) allowing a user to input data having an input length; (b) comparing the input length to a stored length of a first record segment; (c) allocating a second record segment having a length equal to a difference between the input and stored lengths when the input data length is greater than the stored data length; (d) linking the first record segment to the second record segment by storing an address of the second record segment in the first record segment; (e) storing the input data in the first and second record segments; (f) reducing a size of the first record segment when the stored length is greater than the input length; and (g) indicating the difference is available for data storage; (h) allowing the user to indicate a record segment is to be deleted; (i) indicating the deleted record segment is available for data storage; (j) searching for file vacant space having a space length; and (k) combining the first and second record segments and storing a single record segment in the vacant space when the combined first and second record segments have a combined length shorter than or equal to the space length of the vacant space.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
101 words
A data structure, comprising: a first data record segment stored in a first physical location of a memory media and having a record identification field including a record identifier, a first data field and a next address record field including an address of a second physical location in the memory media; and a second data record segment stored in the second physical location and having the record identification field including the record identifier, a second data field, and where data of a single record being stored in the first and second data fields of said first and second data record segments.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
A structure as recited in claim 18, wherein the first and second data fields are variable in size and said first and second data record segments include first data size fields indicating a size of the first and second data fields, respectively.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
A structure as recited in claim 18, wherein the first and second data fields are fixed in size.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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