Method for transforming a hash bucket number to a control interval to identify the physical location of information in a mass memory

Claim 2

In a computer system including a user interface, a processor and a mass memory, which mass memory stores information in physically contiguous memory location segments which are interrupted by discontinuities at a regular interval, a process for communicating between the user interface and the mass memory comprising the steps of: A) establishing, for each set of information to be stored in the mass memory with which the process will be used, a set of characteristics which include at least: 1) the regular interval at which discontinuities appear, the "INTERVAL"; and 2) any offset from a first physical location in a relevant subdivision of the mass memory at which the first record of an information set is to be stored, the "START -- CI"; B) employing the user interface to specify a virtual identification for the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory; C) relating the virtual identification to a hash bucket number, the "BUCKET#", in a series of sequentially contiguous hash bucket numbers; E) in the processor, transforming the hash bucket number into a physical location "CI#" in the mass memory employing an integer arithmetic hashing process comprising the following sub-steps: 1) obtaining a value "M1N" by employing the equation: MIN=BUCKET#/(INTERVAL-1); 2) obtaining a value "CLOSE" by employing the equation: CLOSE=(MIN * INTERVAL)+START.sub.-- CI; 3) obtaining a value "DIST" by employing the equation: DIST=INTERVAL-(CLOSE MOD INTERVAL) in which the term "CLOSE MOD INTERVAL" means the remainder of CLOSE divided by INTERVAL; 4) making a YES/NO decision by making the determination: (BUCKET#-(MIN * (INTERVAL-1)))<DIST?; 5) if the decision in sub-step 4) is YES, obtaining the CI# by employing the equation: CI#=START.sub.-- CI+BUCKET#+MIN; 6) if the decision in sub-step 4) is NO, obtaining the CI# by employing the equation: CI#=START.sup.-- CI+BUCKET#+MIN+1; and F) using the CI# to identify the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory to thereby facilitate the establishment of a communications path between the user interface and the identified physical location in the mass memory.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 in which the virtual identification is the BUCKET#.

Claim 4

In a computer system including a user interface, a processor and a mass memory, which mass memory stores information in physically contiguous memory location segments which are interrupted by discontinuities at a regular interval, a process for communicating between the user interface and the mass memory by specifying a virtual identification value comprising the steps of: A) establishing, for each set of information to be stored in the mass memory with which the process will be used, a set of characteristics which include: 1) the regular interval at which discontinuities appear, the "INTERVAL"; 2) any offset from a first physical location in a relevant subdivision of the mass memory at which the first record of an information set is to be stored, the "START -- CI"; and 3) a "PER -- IND" value determined as follows: a) if a virtual identification value has a single counterpart segment in the mass memory, set the PER -- IND value to a first number; b) if a plurality of virtual identification values map to a single counterpart segment in the mass memory, set the PER -- IND value to a second number; and c) if a virtual identification value has a plurality of counterpart segments in the mass memory, set the PER -- IND value to a third number; B) employing the user interface to specify a virtual identification value for the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory; C) relating the virtual identification value to a hash bucket number, the "original BUCKET#", in a series of sequentially contiguous hash bucket numbers; E) in the processor, transforming the hash bucket number into a physical location "CI#" in the mass memory employing an integer arithmetic hashing process comprising the following sub-steps: 1) examining the PER -- IND value; 2) if the PER -- IND value is the first number, go to sub-step 5); 3) if the PER -- IND value is the second number, obtain a revised BUCKET# to be used following this sub-step by dividing the original BUCKET# by the second number and then going to sub-step 5; 4) if the PER -- IND value is the third number, obtain a revised BUCKET# to be used following this sub-step by multiplying the original BUCKET# by the third number; 5) obtaining a value "MIN" by employing the equation: MIN=BUCKET#/(INTERVAL-1); 6) obtaining a value "CLOSE" by employing the equation: CLOSE=(MIN * INTERVAL)+START.sub.-- CI; 7) obtaining a value "DIST" by employing the equation: DIST=INTERVAL-(CLOSE MOD INTERVAL) in which the term "CLOSE MOD INTERVAL" means the remainder of CLOSE divided by INTERVAL; 8) making a YES/NO decision by making the determination: (BUCKET#-(MIN * (INTERVAL-1)))<DIST?; 9) if the decision in sub-step 8) is YES, obtaining the CI# by employing the equation: CI#=START.sub.-- CI+BUCKET#+MIN; 10) if the decision in sub-step 8) is NO, obtaining the CI# by employing the equation: CI#=START.sub.-- CI+BUCKET#+MIN+1; and F) using the CI# to identify the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory to thereby facilitate the establishment of a communications path between the user interface and the identified physical location in the mass memory.

Claim 5

In a computer system including a user interface, a processor and a mass memory, which mass memory stores information in physically contiguous memory location segments which are interrupted by discontinuities at a regular interval, a process for communicating between the user interface and the mass memory by specifying a virtual identification value comprising the steps of: A) establishing, for each set of information to be stored in the mass memory with which the process will be used, a set of characteristics which include: 1) the regular interval at which discontinuities appear, the "INTERVAL"; 2) any offset from a first physical location in a relevant subdivision of the mass memory at which the first record of an information set is to be stored, the "START -- CI"; and 3) a "PER -- IND" value determined as follows: a) if a virtual identification value has a single counterpart segment in the mass memory, set the PER -- IND value to a first number; b) if a plurality of virtual identification values map to a single counterpart segment in the mass memory, set the PER -- IND value to a second number; and c) if a virtual identification value has a plurality of counterpart segments in the mass memory, set the PER -- IND value to a third number; B) employing the user interface to specify a virtual identification value for the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory; C) relating the virtual identification value to a hash bucket number, the "original BUCKET#", in a series of sequentially contiguous hash bucket numbers; E) in the processor, transforming the hash bucket number into a physical location "CI#" in the mass memory employing an integer arithmetic hashing process comprising the following sub-steps: 1) examining the PER -- IND value; 2) if the PER -- IND value is the first number, go to sub-step 5); 3) if the PER -- IND value is the second number, obtain a revised BUCKET# to be used following this sub-step by dividing the original BUCKET# by the second number and then going to sub-step 5; 4) if the PER -- IND value is the third number, obtain a revised BUCKET# to be used following this sub-step by multiplying the original BUCKET# by the third number; 5) obtaining a value "MIN" by employing the equation: MIN=BUCKET#/(INTERVAL-1); 6) obtaining a value "CLOSE" by employing the equation: CLOSE=(MIN * INTERVAL)+START.sub.-- CI; 7) obtaining a value "DIST" by employing the equation: DIST=INTERVAL-(CLOSE MOD INTERVAL) in which the term "CLOSE MOD INTERVAL" means the remainder of CLOSE divided by INTERVAL; 8) making a YES/NO decision by making the determination: (BUCKET#-(MIN * (INTERVAL-1)))<DIST?; 9) if the decision in sub-step 8) is YES, obtaining the CI# by employing the equation: CI#=START.sub.-- CI+BUCKET#+MIN; 10) if the decision in sub-step 8) is NO, obtaining the CI# by employing the equation: CI#=START.sub.-- CI+BUCKET#+MIN+1; and F) using the CI# to identify the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory to thereby facilitate the establishment of a communications path between the user interface and the identified physical location in the mass memory.

Claim 6

The process of claim 2 in which the virtual identification is the original BUCKET#.

Claim 7

In a computer system including a user interface, a processor and a mass memory, which mass memory stores information in physically contiguous memory location segments which are interrupted by discontinuities at a regular interval of 2 n , a process for communicating between the user interface and the mass memory comprising the steps of: A) establishing, for each set of information to be stored in the mass memory with which the process will be used, a set of characteristics which include at least: 1) the regular interval of 2 n at which discontinuities appear, the "INTERVAL"; and 2) any offset from a first physical location in a relevant subdivision of the mass memory at which the first record of an information set is to be stored, the "START -- CI"; B) employing the user interface to specify a virtual identification for the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory; C) relating the virtual identification to a hash bucket number, the "BUCKET#", in a series of sequentially contiguous hash bucket numbers; E) in the processor, transforming the hash bucket number into a physical location "CI#" in the mass memory employing an integer arithmetic hashing process comprising the following sub-steps: 1) obtaining a value "BCI#" by employing the equation: BCI#=BUCKET#; 2) obtaining a trial value "CI#" by employing the equation: CI#=BCI#+START.sub.-- CI; 3) obtaining a revised interval value "INTERVAL" by employing the equation: INTERVAL=INTERVAL-1; 4) obtaining a revised value "BCI#" by employing the equation: BCI#=BCI#-((START.sub.-- CI+INTERVAL) & ˜INTERVAL)-START.sub.-- CI where the operator "&" is a logical AND and the operator "˜" is a logical NOT; 5) making a YES/NO decision by making the determination: BCI#>=0?; 6) if the decision in sub-step 5) is YES, obtaining the CI# by employing the equation: CI#=CI#+(BCI#/INTERVAL)+1; 7) if the decision in sub-step 5) is NO, accepting the CI# obtained in substep 2) as the final CI#; and F) using the CI# to identify the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory to thereby facilitate the establishment of a communications path between the user interface and the identified physical location in the mass memory.

Claim 8

In a computer system including a user interface, a processor and a mass memory, which mass memory stores information in physically contiguous memory location segments which are interrupted by discontinuities at a regular interval of 2 n , a process for communicating between the user interface and the mass memory comprising the steps of: A) establishing, for each set of information to be stored in the mass memory with which the process will be used, a set of characteristics which include at least: 1) the regular interval of 2 n at which discontinuities appear, the "INTERVAL"; and 2) any offset from a first physical location in a relevant subdivision of the mass memory at which the first record of an information set is to be stored, the "START -- CI"; B) employing the user interface to specify a virtual identification for the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory; C) relating the virtual identification to a hash bucket number, the "BUCKET#", in a series of sequentially contiguous hash bucket numbers; E) in the processor, transforming the hash bucket number into a physical location "CI#" in the mass memory employing an integer arithmetic hashing process comprising the following sub-steps: 1) obtaining a value "BCI#" by employing the equation: BCI#=BUCKET#; 2) obtaining a trial value "CI#" by employing the equation: CI#=BCI#+START.sub.-- CI; 3) obtaining a revised interval value "INTERVAL" by employing the equation: INTERVAL=INTERVAL-1; 4) obtaining a revised value "BCI#" by employing the equation: BCI#=BCI#-((START.sub.-- CI+INTERVAL) & ˜INTERVAL)-START.sub.-- CI where the operator "&" is a logical AND and the operator "˜" is a logical NOT; 5) making a YES/NO decision by making the determination: BCI#>=0?; 6) if the decision in sub-step 5) is YES, obtaining the CI# by employing the equation: CI#=CI#+(BCI#/INTERVAL)+1; 7) if the decision in sub-step 5) is NO, accepting the CI# obtained in substep 2) as the final CI#; and F) using the CI# to identify the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory to thereby facilitate the establishment of a communications path between the user interface and the identified physical location in the mass memory.

Claim 9

The process of claim 5 in which the virtual identification is the BUCKET#.

Claim 10

In a computer system including a user interface, a processor and a mass memory, which mass memory stores information in physically contiguous memory location segments which are interrupted by discontinuities at a regular interval of 2 n , a process for communicating between the user interface and the mass memory by specifying a virtual identification value comprising the steps of: A) establishing, for each set of information to be stored in the mass memory with which the process will be used, a set of characteristics which include: 1) the regular interval of 2 n at which discontinuities appear, the "INTERVAL"; 2) any offset from a first physical location in a relevant subdivision of the mass memory at which the first record of an information set is to be stored, the "START -- CI"; and 3) a "PER -- IND" value determined as follows: a) if a virtual identification value has a single counterpart segment in the mass memory, set the PER -- IND value to a first number; b) if a plurality of virtual identification values map to a single counterpart segment in the mass memory, set the PER -- IND value to a second number; and c) if a virtual identification value has a plurality of counterpart number; B) employing the user interface to specify a virtual identification value for the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory; C) relating the virtual identification value to a hash bucket number, the "BUCKET#", in a series of sequentially contiguous hash bucket numbers; E) in the processor, transforming the hash bucket number into a physical location "CI#" in the mass memory employing an integer arithmetic hashing process comprising the following sub-steps: 1) examining the PER -- IND value; 2) if the PER -- IND value is the first number, obtaining a value "BCI#" by employing the equation: BCI#=BUCKET# and then going to sub-step 5); 3) if the PER -- IND value is the second number, obtaining a value "BCI" by employing the equation: BCI#=BUCKET#/PER; and then going to sub-step 5; 4) if the PER -- IND value is the third number, obtaining a value "BCI#" by employing the equation: BCI#=BUCKET#* PER; 5) obtaining a trial value "CI#" by employing the equation: CI#=BCI#+START.sub.-- CI; 6) obtaining a revised interval value "INTERVAL" by employing the equation: INTERVAL=INTERVAL-1; 7) obtaining a revised value "BCI#" by employing the equation: BCI#=BCI#-((START.sub.-- CI+INTERVAL) & ˜INTERVAL)-START.sub.-- CI where the operator "&" is a logical AND and the operator "˜" is a logical NOT; 8) making a YES/NO decision by making the determination: BCI#>=0?; 9) if the decision in sub-step 8) is YES, obtaining the CI# by employing the equation: CI#=CI#+(BCI#/INTERVAL;)+1; 10) if the decision in sub-step 8) is NO, accepting the CI# obtained in sub-step 2) as the final CI#; and F) using the CI# to identify the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory to thereby facilitate the establishment of a communications path between the user interface and the identified physical location in the mass memory.

Claim 11

In a computer system including a user interface, a processor and a mass memory, which mass memory stores information in physically contiguous memory location segments which are interrupted by discontinuities at a regular interval of 2 n , a process for communicating between the user interface and the mass memory by specifying a virtual identification value comprising the steps of: A) establishing, for each set of information to be stored in the mass memory with which the process will be used, a set of characteristics which include: 1) the regular interval of 2 n at which discontinuities appear, the "INTERVAL"; 2) any offset from a first physical location in a relevant subdivision of the mass memory at which the first record of an information set is to be stored, the "START -- CI"; and 3) a "PER -- IND" value determined as follows: a) if a virtual identification value has a single counterpart segment in the mass memory, set the PER -- IND value to a first number; b) if a plurality of virtual identification values map to a single counterpart segment in the mass memory, set the PER -- IND value to a second number; and c) if a virtual identification value has a plurality of counterpart number; B) employing the user interface to specify a virtual identification value for the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory; C) relating the virtual identification value to a hash bucket number, the "BUCKET#", in a series of sequentially contiguous hash bucket numbers; E) in the processor, transforming the hash bucket number into a physical location "CI#" in the mass memory employing an integer arithmetic hashing process comprising the following sub-steps: 1) examining the PER -- IND value; 2) if the PER -- IND value is the first number, obtaining a value "BCI#" by employing the equation: BCI#=BUCKET# and then going to sub-step 5); 3) if the PER -- IND value is the second number, obtaining a value "BCI" by employing the equation: BCI#=BUCKET#/PER; and then going to sub-step 5; 4) if the PER -- IND value is the third number, obtaining a value "BCI#" by employing the equation: BCI#=BUCKET#* PER; 5) obtaining a trial value "CI#" by employing the equation: CI#=BCI#+START.sub.-- CI; 6) obtaining a revised interval value "INTERVAL" by employing the equation: INTERVAL=INTERVAL-1; 7) obtaining a revised value "BCI#" by employing the equation: BCI#=BCI#-((START.sub.-- CI+INTERVAL) & ˜INTERVAL)-START.sub.-- CI where the operator "&" is a logical AND and the operator "˜" is a logical NOT; 8) making a YES/NO decision by making the determination: BCI#>=0?; 9) if the decision in sub-step 8) is YES, obtaining the CI# by employing the equation: CI#=CI#+(BCI#/INTERVAL;)+1; 10) if the decision in sub-step 8) is NO, accepting the CI# obtained in sub-step 2) as the final CI#; and F) using the CI# to identify the physical location to be accessed in the mass memory to thereby facilitate the establishment of a communications path between the user interface and the identified physical location in the mass memory.

Claim 12

The process of claim 6 in which the virtual identification is the BUCKET#.