US5377348A — System for searching a data base by creating a ma…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 190 words

A programmed data processing machine method of searching a file of records, each record including one or more fields, each field including one or more alpha/numeric data elements representing the value of a parameter, the search identifying records where corresponding parameter values as between successive records have a specified value relationship, the method comprising the steps of: A. Specifying M search arguments; B. Accessing corresponding, specified data elements from each of the N records of a file; C. Comparing each of said M search arguments with each of the accessed data elements of said N records; D. Creating a two-dimensional N by M matrix of marks, each mark indicating that a corresponding one of the N data elements had a particular value relationship with a corresponding one of the M search arguments, the N dimension being numbered from 1-N corresponding to record numbers 1-N; E. Searching said N by M matrix of marks in a pattern controlled by the value relationship indicated by each mark; F. Recording the record numbers of the ones of the records where the marks in the N and M direction have a particular spatial relationship.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 190 words

A programmed data processing machine method of searching a file of records, each record including one or more fields, each field including one or more alpha/numeric data elements representing the value of a parameter, the search identifying records where corresponding parameter values as between successive records have a specified value relationship, the method comprising the steps of: A. Specifying M search arguments; B. Accessing corresponding, specified data elements from each of the N records of a file; C. Comparing each of said M search arguments with each of the accessed data elements of said N records; D. Creating a two-dimensional N by M matrix of marks, each mark indicating that a corresponding one of the N data elements had a particular value relationship with a corresponding one of the M search arguments, the N dimension being numbered from 1-N corresponding to record numbers 1-N; E. Searching said N by M matrix of marks in a pattern controlled by the value relationship indicated by each mark; F. Recording the record numbers of the ones of the records where the marks in the N and M direction have a particular spatial relationship.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein: The value relationship of Step D includes match or mismatch or don't care.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein: The match relationship of Step D includes equal, equal or greater, equal or less, less, or greater.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 67 words

A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein: The matrix of marks created in Step D includes N rows and from 1 to M columns; and The specified spatial relationship in Step F includes a match indication in column 1 for a row X, followed by a match indication that progresses from row to row and next succeeding columns until a match is found in column M.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 49 words

A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein: The record numbers recorded in Step F include the record number associated with row X of the matrix of marks, and the record number associated with the row of the matrix of marks where the match was found in column M.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 227 words

A computer implemented method of searching a file of records including a plurality of columns of data comprising the steps of: A. Specifying a first set of S search arguments and at least a second set of T search arguments wherein S=T; B. Accessing a first plurality of columns comprising a data element field common to all of N records of a file and at least a second plurality of columns comprising a data element field common to all of the N records of the file; C. Creating a first N by S matrix of marks indicating a value relationship of each of N data elements from the first data field with each of the S search arguments, and creating at least a second N by T matrix of marks indicating a value relationship of each of N data elements from the second data field with each of the T search arguments; D. Logically combining the marks from the first and second matrix of marks to form a third N by U matrix of marks where U equals S and T; and E. Searching said third N by U matrix of marks in accordance with a pattern controlled by the value relationship indicated by each mark to determine a set of records for which the marks in the N and M direction have a particular spatial relationship.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 227 words

A computer implemented method of searching a file of records including a plurality of columns of data comprising the steps of: A. Specifying a first set of S search arguments and at least a second set of T search arguments wherein S=T; B. Accessing a first plurality of columns comprising a data element field common to all of N records of a file and at least a second plurality of columns comprising a data element field common to all of the N records of the file; C. Creating a first N by S matrix of marks indicating a value relationship of each of N data elements from the first data field with each of the S search arguments, and creating at least a second N by T matrix of marks indicating a value relationship of each of N data elements from the second data field with each of the T search arguments; D. Logically combining the marks from the first and second matrix of marks to form a third N by U matrix of marks where U equals S and T; and E. Searching said third N by U matrix of marks in accordance with a pattern controlled by the value relationship indicated by each mark to determine a set of records for which the marks in the N and M direction have a particular spatial relationship.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 262 words

A system for searching a database file of N records, each record consisting of a plurality of binary data elements, the common columns of the system comprising: data storage means for storing N corresponding data elements from each of the N records; argument storage means for storing M search arguments; mark storage means for creating and storing a two dimensional marking matrix comprised of N rows and M columns; access means connected to said data storage means and said mark storage means for accessing each said data element and corresponding row of said mark storage means; M compare means connected to said access means of said data storage means and said argument storage means for comparing each of said data elements with said M search arguments; means connecting an output of each of said M compare means to a corresponding one of said M columns of said mark storage means for indicating and storing in a row of said mark storage, a match between a data element associated with the row of said mark storage, and one of said M search arguments associated with one of said columns of said mark storage; search means for traversing said mark storage means for detecting a pattern of match indications in said rows and said columns that progress from column 1 of a row of said mark storage to column M of a succeeding row; and means for recording the row numbers, and thus the record numbers, of the beginning and ending rows of said mark storage resulting from detecting said pattern of match indications.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 262 words

A system for searching a database file of N records, each record consisting of a plurality of binary data elements, the common columns of the system comprising: data storage means for storing N corresponding data elements from each of the N records; argument storage means for storing M search arguments; mark storage means for creating and storing a two dimensional marking matrix comprised of N rows and M columns; access means connected to said data storage means and said mark storage means for accessing each said data element and corresponding row of said mark storage means; M compare means connected to said access means of said data storage means and said argument storage means for comparing each of said data elements with said M search arguments; means connecting an output of each of said M compare means to a corresponding one of said M columns of said mark storage means for indicating and storing in a row of said mark storage, a match between a data element associated with the row of said mark storage, and one of said M search arguments associated with one of said columns of said mark storage; search means for traversing said mark storage means for detecting a pattern of match indications in said rows and said columns that progress from column 1 of a row of said mark storage to column M of a succeeding row; and means for recording the row numbers, and thus the record numbers, of the beginning and ending rows of said mark storage resulting from detecting said pattern of match indications.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-12-26	1998-06-27	1998-12-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-12-26	2002-06-27	2002-12-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-12-26	2006-06-27	2006-12-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

System for searching a data base by creating a marking matrix in which two dimensional patterns control the search and selection

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