US5634048A — Distributed database system having a center syste…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 161 words

A data retrieval method in a distributed database system comprising the steps of: (a) associating commands defining attributes of database data with at least one keyword in each of a plurality of terminals connected to a center system; (b) managing command names to which keywords are assigned in units of keywords in each of the terminals in dependence upon a keyword contents file in each of the terminals; (c) managing in the center system a terminal number of terminals in which keywords are registered in units of keywords in dependence upon a keyword link file in the center system; and (d) retrieving data in one of the terminals when a keyword is specified by locating a command name associated with a specified keyword in dependence upon one of a keyword contents file and a command name associated with a specified keyword located in the keyword contents file in the terminal specified by the terminal number located using the keyword link file.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 161 words

A data retrieval method in a distributed database system comprising the steps of: (a) associating commands defining attributes of database data with at least one keyword in each of a plurality of terminals connected to a center system; (b) managing command names to which keywords are assigned in units of keywords in each of the terminals in dependence upon a keyword contents file in each of the terminals; (c) managing in the center system a terminal number of terminals in which keywords are registered in units of keywords in dependence upon a keyword link file in the center system; and (d) retrieving data in one of the terminals when a keyword is specified by locating a command name associated with a specified keyword in dependence upon one of a keyword contents file and a command name associated with a specified keyword located in the keyword contents file in the terminal specified by the terminal number located using the keyword link file.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

A data retrieval method in a distributed database system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of: (e) registering data in the database with a display screen.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 93 words

A data retrieval method in a distributed database system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: (e) managing command names associated with keywords in each of the terminals in dependence upon the keyword link file, in addition to terminal numbers; and (f) retrieving data in one of the terminals by locating the command name associated with a specified keyword by one of: (i) using the keyword contents file thereof; and (ii) locating the command name assigned to the terminal number located using the keyword link file in the center system.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 74 words

A data retrieval method in a distributed database system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: (e) managing item numbers paired with keywords in each of the terminals in dependence upon the keyword contents file, and transmitting match link data indicating matches between keywords by item number; and (f) locating the command names associated with other keywords linked by the match link data when one of the terminals specifies a keyword.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 70 words

A data retrieval method in a distributed database system as recited in claim 4, further comprising the steps of: (f) managing match link data in each of the terminals in dependence upon the keyword link file; and (g) locating the terminal numbers and command names associated with other keywords linked by the match link data when a keyword specified by one of the terminals is transmitted to the center system.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 45 words

A data retrieval method in a distributed database system as recited in claim 4, further comprising the step of: (f) preparing temporarily in the keyword contents index file of each of the terminals item numbers paired with keywords before the keyword contents file is created.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 97 words

A data retrieval method in a distributed database system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: (e) managing item numbers paired with keywords in each of the terminals in dependence upon the keyword contents file and link data linking data with a next record using the item number when the number of commands for a keyword exceeds a number that can be held in one record of the keyword contents file; and (f) locating the command name associated with a keyword specified by a terminal and other command names linked by the link data.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 54 words

A data retrieval method in a distributed database system as recited in claim 7 further comprising the steps of: (g) managing link data in a keyword link file; and (h) locating the terminal number and command name associated with a keyword specified by a terminal, and other command names linked by the link data.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 76 words

A data retrieval method in a distributed database system as recited in claim 7, further comprising the steps of: (g) managing first characters of keywords and associated item numbers in a keyword contents index management file, and managing keywords based on the item numbers of the management file in a keyword contents index file; and (h) sorting the keyword contents file in a specified character order using the management file to create the contents index file.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 34 words

A data retrieval method in a distributed database system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of: (e) selecting one of the terminals declared as a temporary center as the center system.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 103 words

A distributed database system, comprising: a plurality of terminals, more than one having distributed individual databases and each having a contents file, said contents file being adapted to store a correspondence between command names and keywords in units of keywords; a public network, connecting said plurality of terminals; and a center system having a link file which is adapted to allow management of information for locating those of said terminals in which a given keyword is registered, each of said plurality of terminals accessing said center system when a given keyword is requested and the given keyword is not registered at that terminal.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 103 words

A distributed database system, comprising: a plurality of terminals, more than one having distributed individual databases and each having a contents file, said contents file being adapted to store a correspondence between command names and keywords in units of keywords; a public network, connecting said plurality of terminals; and a center system having a link file which is adapted to allow management of information for locating those of said terminals in which a given keyword is registered, each of said plurality of terminals accessing said center system when a given keyword is requested and the given keyword is not registered at that terminal.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 75 words

A distributed database system as recited in claim 11, wherein the contents file comprises: a keyword contents index management file which stores first characters of keywords and relates said characters of keywords to start item numbers of the first characters; a keyword contents index file which stores keywords according to detailed item numbers based on the start item numbers of the first characters; and a keyword contents file which stores keywords and related command names.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

A distributed database system as recited in claim 12, wherein said link file and the contents file have a common configuration.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 56 words

A distributed database system as recited in claim 12, wherein: the keyword contents file comprises a plurality of records each containing a predetermined number of command names and when a predetermined number of command names is exceeded for a specified keyword, link data with a next record is registered in a record with the specified keyword.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 51 words

A distributed database system as recited in claim 12, wherein the keyword contents file comprises a plurality of records, and when other keywords are related to a single keyword, match link data for establishing a link with the record having the keyword is stored in a record with the related keyword.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 42 words

A distributed database system as recited in claim 11, wherein each of said terminals has a flag indicating whether data stored therein can be registered externally, and storage of said data is administered to said center system in dependence upon the flag.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 25 words

A distributed database system as recited in claim 11, wherein said center system has a data contents file to allow for managing revision of data.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2000-05-26	2000-11-25	2001-05-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2004-05-26	2004-11-25	2005-05-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2008-05-26	2008-11-25	2009-05-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Distributed database system having a center system with a link file and a method for retrieving data from same

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