System for identifying data records in a database using a data structure with linked parameters in a search range

Claim 1

A method for searching data records on a storage medium, the method comprising the following steps: providing data records on a storage medium, individual data records being characterized by associated first and second search parameters; providing a first parameter table which lists the first search parameters of the data records in a selected order, the first parameter table containing record keys which relate the first search parameters to their associated data records; providing a second parameter table which lists the second search parameters of the data records in a selected order, the second search parameters being associated with corresponding first search parameters, the second parameter table containing the record keys which also relate the second search parameters to their associated data records; selecting a search range; locating a first search parameter in the first parameter table which falls within the search range; referencing a second search parameter that is associated with the located first search parameter to determine if the second search parameter falls within the search range; and in the event the second search parameter falls within the search range, identifying the data record corresponding to the associated first and second search parameters using the record key.

Claim 2

A method for searching data records on a storage medium, the method comprising the following steps: providing data records on a storage medium, individual data records being characterized by associated first and second search parameters; providing a first parameter table which lists the first search parameters of the data records in a selected order, the first parameter table containing record keys which relate the first search parameters to their associated data records; providing a second parameter table which lists the second search parameters of the data records in a selected order, the second search parameters being associated with corresponding first search parameters, the second parameter table containing the record keys which also relate the second search parameters to their associated data records; selecting a search range; locating a first search parameter in the first parameter table which falls within the search range; referencing a second search parameter that is associated with the located first search parameter to determine if the second search parameter falls within the search range; and in the event the second search parameter falls within the search range, identifying the data record corresponding to the associated first and second search parameters using the record key.

Claim 11

A method for searching data records on a storage medium, the method comprising the following steps: providing data records on a storage medium, individual data records being characterized by associated first and second search parameters; providing a first parameter table which lists the first search parameters of the data records in a predetermined order, the first parameter table containing record keys which relate the first search parameters to their associated data records; providing a second parameter table which lists the second search parameters of the data records in a predetermined order, the second parameter table containing the record keys which also relate the second search parameters to their associated data records; selecting a search range; locating a first search parameter in the first parameter table which falls within the search range; locating a second search parameter in the second parameter table which falls within the search range; and identifying data records associated with the located first and second search parameters through the record keys.

Claim 12

A method for searching data records on a storage medium, the method comprising the following steps: providing data records on a storage medium, individual data records being characterized by associated first and second search parameters; providing a first parameter table which lists the first search parameters of the data records in a predetermined order, the first parameter table containing record keys which relate the first search parameters to their associated data records; providing a second parameter table which lists the second search parameters of the data records in a predetermined order, the second parameter table containing the record keys which also relate the second search parameters to their associated data records; selecting a search range; locating a first search parameter in the first parameter table which falls within the search range; locating a second search parameter in the second parameter table which falls within the search range; and identifying data records associated with the located first and second search parameters through the record keys.

Claim 14

A method for searching data records on a storage medium, the method comprising the following steps: providing data records on a storage medium, individual data records being characterized by associated first and second search parameters; providing a first parameter table which lists the first search parameters of the data records in a monotonic order, the first parameter table containing record keys which relate the first search parameters to their associated data records; providing a second parameter table which lists the second search parameters of the data records in a monotonic order, the second search parameters being associated with corresponding first search parameters, the second parameter table containing the record keys which also relate the second search parameters to their associated data records; selecting a search range; locating a first search parameter in the first parameter table which falls after the search range; referencing a second search parameter that is associated with the located first search parameter to determine if the second search parameter also falls after the search range; and in the event the second search parameter also falls after the search range, identifying the data record corresponding to the associated first and second search parameters using the record key.

Claim 15

A method for searching data records on a storage medium, the method comprising the following steps: providing data records on a storage medium, individual data records being characterized by associated first and second search parameters; providing a first parameter table which lists the first search parameters of the data records in a monotonic order, the first parameter table containing record keys which relate the first search parameters to their associated data records; providing a second parameter table which lists the second search parameters of the data records in a monotonic order, the second search parameters being associated with corresponding first search parameters, the second parameter table containing the record keys which also relate the second search parameters to their associated data records; selecting a search range; locating a first search parameter in the first parameter table which falls after the search range; referencing a second search parameter that is associated with the located first search parameter to determine if the second search parameter also falls after the search range; and in the event the second search parameter also falls after the search range, identifying the data record corresponding to the associated first and second search parameters using the record key.

Claim 17

A method for searching data records on a storage medium using a data search structure, the data records being characterizable by at least first and second search parameters, the data search structure having first and second parameter tables for listing respective first and second search parameters; the first parameter table comprising three data fields, a first data field which lists the first search parameters of the data records in a predetermined order, a second data field which contains cross-referencing information relating the first search parameters to the second search parameters, and a third data field which contains record keys to identify the data records associated with the first search parameters; the second parameter table comprising three data fields, a first data field which lists the second search parameters of the data records in a predetermined order, a second data field which contains cross-referencing information relating the second search parameters to the first search parameters, and a third data field which contains the record keys to identify the data records associated with the second search parameters; the method comprising the following steps: selecting a search range; locating a first search parameter in the first data field of the first parameter table which falls within the search range; locating a second search parameter in the first data field of the second parameter table which falls within the search range; locating another first search parameter in the first data field of the first parameter table which falls before the search range; cross-referencing the located first search parameter that falls before the search range to an associated second search parameter using the cross-referencing information in the second data field of the first parameter table; determining whether the cross-referenced second search parameter falls after the search range; and identifying all data records that have (1) both their first and second search parameters falling within the search range, (2) at least one of the first and second search parameters falling within the search range, and (3) their first search parameter falling before the search range and their second search parameter falling after the search range, said identification step using the record keys contained in the third parameters of the first and second parameter tables to identify the data records.

Claim 18

A method for searching data records on a storage medium using a data search structure, the data records being characterizable by at least first and second search parameters, the data search structure having first and second parameter tables for listing respective first and second search parameters; the first parameter table comprising three data fields, a first data field which lists the first search parameters of the data records in a predetermined order, a second data field which contains cross-referencing information relating the first search parameters to the second search parameters, and a third data field which contains record keys to identify the data records associated with the first search parameters; the second parameter table comprising three data fields, a first data field which lists the second search parameters of the data records in a predetermined order, a second data field which contains cross-referencing information relating the second search parameters to the first search parameters, and a third data field which contains the record keys to identify the data records associated with the second search parameters; the method comprising the following steps: selecting a search range; locating a first search parameter in the first data field of the first parameter table which falls within the search range; locating a second search parameter in the first data field of the second parameter table which falls within the search range; locating another first search parameter in the first data field of the first parameter table which falls before the search range; cross-referencing the located first search parameter that falls before the search range to an associated second search parameter using the cross-referencing information in the second data field of the first parameter table; determining whether the cross-referenced second search parameter falls after the search range; and identifying all data records that have (1) both their first and second search parameters falling within the search range, (2) at least one of the first and second search parameters falling within the search range, and (3) their first search parameter falling before the search range and their second search parameter falling after the search range, said identification step using the record keys contained in the third parameters of the first and second parameter tables to identify the data records.

Claim 22

A method for searching data records on a storage medium using a data search structure, the data records being characterizable by at least first and second search parameters, the data search structure having first and second parameter tables for listing respective first and second search parameters; the first parameter table comprising three data fields, a first data field which lists the first search parameters of the data records in a monotonically increasing order where individual first search parameters have an associated table index number indicative of location in the first parameter table, a second data field which contains table index numbers of the second parameter table to cross-reference the first search parameters to the second search parameters, and a third data field which contains record keys to identify the data records associated with the first search parameters; the second parameter table comprising three data fields, a first data field which lists the second search parameters of the data records in a monotonically increasing order where individual second search parameters have an associated table index number indicative of location in the second parameter table, a second data field which contains the table index numbers of the first parameter table to cross-reference the second search parameters to the first search parameters, and a third data field which contains the record keys to identify the data records associated with the second search parameters; the method comprising the following steps: (a) selecting a search range defined by start and finish boundary criteria; (b) searching the first data field of the first parameter table to locate a first search parameter which is greater than or equal to the start boundary criteria of the search range, the located first search parameter having an associated table index number which defines a first begin threshold index number for the first parameter table; (c) proceeding from the located first search parameter at the first begin threshold index number through the listed first search parameters until locating a first search parameter which is greater than the finish boundary criteria of the search range, the first search parameter listed in the first parameter table just prior to the first search parameter located in this step (c) having an associated table index number which defines a first end threshold index number for the first parameter table; (d) identifying, using the record keys contained in the third data field of the first parameter table, the data records associated with the first search parameters that are positioned in the first parameter table at, and between, the begin and end threshold index numbers; (e) searching the first data field of the second parameter table to locate a second search parameter which is greater than or equal to the start boundary criteria of the search range, the located second search parameter having an associated table index number which defines a second begin threshold index number for the second parameter table; (f) proceeding from the located second search parameter at the second begin threshold index number through the listed second search parameters until locating a second search parameter which is greater than the finish boundary criteria of the search range, the second search parameter listed in the second parameter table just prior to the second search parameter located in this step (f) having an associated table index number which defines a second end threshold index number for the second parameter table; and (g) identifying, using the record keys contained in the third data field of the second parameter table, the data records associated with the second search parameters that are positioned in the second parameter table at, and between, the begin and end threshold index numbers.

Claim 23

A method for searching data records on a storage medium using a data search structure, the data records being characterizable by at least first and second search parameters, the data search structure having first and second parameter tables for listing respective first and second search parameters; the first parameter table comprising three data fields, a first data field which lists the first search parameters of the data records in a monotonically increasing order where individual first search parameters have an associated table index number indicative of location in the first parameter table, a second data field which contains table index numbers of the second parameter table to cross-reference the first search parameters to the second search parameters, and a third data field which contains record keys to identify the data records associated with the first search parameters; the second parameter table comprising three data fields, a first data field which lists the second search parameters of the data records in a monotonically increasing order where individual second search parameters have an associated table index number indicative of location in the second parameter table, a second data field which contains the table index numbers of the first parameter table to cross-reference the second search parameters to the first search parameters, and a third data field which contains the record keys to identify the data records associated with the second search parameters; the method comprising the following steps: (a) selecting a search range defined by start and finish boundary criteria; (b) searching the first data field of the first parameter table to locate a first search parameter which is greater than or equal to the start boundary criteria of the search range, the located first search parameter having an associated table index number which defines a first begin threshold index number for the first parameter table; (c) proceeding from the located first search parameter at the first begin threshold index number through the listed first search parameters until locating a first search parameter which is greater than the finish boundary criteria of the search range, the first search parameter listed in the first parameter table just prior to the first search parameter located in this step (c) having an associated table index number which defines a first end threshold index number for the first parameter table; (d) identifying, using the record keys contained in the third data field of the first parameter table, the data records associated with the first search parameters that are positioned in the first parameter table at, and between, the begin and end threshold index numbers; (e) searching the first data field of the second parameter table to locate a second search parameter which is greater than or equal to the start boundary criteria of the search range, the located second search parameter having an associated table index number which defines a second begin threshold index number for the second parameter table; (f) proceeding from the located second search parameter at the second begin threshold index number through the listed second search parameters until locating a second search parameter which is greater than the finish boundary criteria of the search range, the second search parameter listed in the second parameter table just prior to the second search parameter located in this step (f) having an associated table index number which defines a second end threshold index number for the second parameter table; and (g) identifying, using the record keys contained in the third data field of the second parameter table, the data records associated with the second search parameters that are positioned in the second parameter table at, and between, the begin and end threshold index numbers.

Claim 27

A method for constructing a data search structure that represents data records stored on a storage medium, the data records being characterizable by first and second search parameters, the method comprising: assigning individual record keys to the data records; listing the first search parameters of the data records in predetermined order in a first parameter table, individual first search parameters having an associated table index number indicative of location in the first parameter table; listing the record keys in the first parameter table in corresponding manner to the first search parameters; listing the second search parameters of the data records in predetermined order in a second parameter table, individual second search parameters having an associated table index number indicative of location in the second parameter table; listing the record keys in the second parameter table in corresponding manner to the second search parameters; and correlating the first and second search parameters between the first and second parameter tables.

Claim 28

A method for constructing a data search structure that represents data records stored on a storage medium, the data records being characterizable by first and second search parameters, the method comprising: assigning individual record keys to the data records; listing the first search parameters of the data records in predetermined order in a first parameter table, individual first search parameters having an associated table index number indicative of location in the first parameter table; listing the record keys in the first parameter table in corresponding manner to the first search parameters; listing the second search parameters of the data records in predetermined order in a second parameter table, individual second search parameters having an associated table index number indicative of location in the second parameter table; listing the record keys in the second parameter table in corresponding manner to the second search parameters; and correlating the first and second search parameters between the first and second parameter tables.