Abstract A data processing system includes at least one central processor for executing instructions of software programs. In addition the data processing system includes a memory containing a data structure common to the software programs. The common data structure includes a compressed index data structure. The index structure stores index entries referencing a database. The database includes multiple records, each having a unique address in the database. Each index entry includes a word entry if the index entry represents a compressed encoding of a unique portion of information sequentially parsed from the database. The word entry is followed by one or more location entries which reference occurrences of the portions of information. Each index entry includes a metaword entry if the index entry represents a unique attribute of one or more related words. The metaword entry is followed by one or more location entries referencing occurrences of the attributes. The index entries are sequentially organized according to a collating order of the words and metawords, and the location entries organized according to their collating order. The memory also stores a summary data structure including summary entries generated by periodically sampling the location entries. Each summary entry includes an encoding of the word entry associated with the sampled location entry, an encoding of the sampled location entry, and a pointer to a next location entry following the sampled entry.
In a data processing system, at least one central processor executing instructions of software programs, comprising a memory containing a data structure common to the software programs, the common data structure including a compressed index data structure, the index structure including a plurality of index entries referencing a database, the database including a plurality of records, each record having a unique address in the database; each index entry including a word entry if the index entry represents a compressed encoding of a unique portion of information sequentially parsed from the database, the word entry followed by one or more location entries, the one or more location entries referencing occurrences of the unique portions of information in the database; each index entry including a metaword entry if the index entry represents a unique attribute of one or more related words, the metaword entry followed by one or more location entries, the location entries referencing the occurrences of the unique attributes in the database; the index entries sequentially stored according to a collating order of the words and metawords, the location entries stored according to their collating order; a summary data structure including a plurality of summary entries generated by periodically sampling the location entries of the compressed index data structure, each summary entry including an encoding of the word entry associated with the sampled location entry, an encoding of the sampled location entry, and a pointer to a next location entry following the sampled location entry.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
245 words
In a data processing system, at least one central processor executing instructions of software programs, comprising a memory containing a data structure common to the software programs, the common data structure including a compressed index data structure, the index structure including a plurality of index entries referencing a database, the database including a plurality of records, each record having a unique address in the database; each index entry including a word entry if the index entry represents a compressed encoding of a unique portion of information sequentially parsed from the database, the word entry followed by one or more location entries, the one or more location entries referencing occurrences of the unique portions of information in the database; each index entry including a metaword entry if the index entry represents a unique attribute of one or more related words, the metaword entry followed by one or more location entries, the location entries referencing the occurrences of the unique attributes in the database; the index entries sequentially stored according to a collating order of the words and metawords, the location entries stored according to their collating order; a summary data structure including a plurality of summary entries generated by periodically sampling the location entries of the compressed index data structure, each summary entry including an encoding of the word entry associated with the sampled location entry, an encoding of the sampled location entry, and a pointer to a next location entry following the sampled location entry.