ABBREVIATED INDEX

• US 20080059462A1
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perfect Search Corporation
• Original Assignee: Perfect Search Corporation
• Inventors: Inouye, Dillon, Millett, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 7,644,082 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2264 Multidimensional index structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

Abbreviated index of parameter patterns. An abbreviated index includes indicators that a parameter pattern may be in a set of parameter patterns. To create the abbreviated index, indicators for overlapping parameter patterns of a given parameter pattern are placed in the index. Different patterns may have the same indicator, so the abbreviated index does not necessarily give an absolute indication of the presence of a parameter pattern in the set of parameter patterns, but rather may give an indication of the possible inclusion of a parameter pattern. The use of indicators for overlapping patterns can be used to increase confidence as to the existence of a given parameter pattern in the set of parameter patterns. The absence of an indicator for a parameter pattern or an overlapping parameter pattern will indicate with certainty that the parameter pattern is not present in the set of parameter patterns.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, a data structure for indexing identifiers, wherein the identifiers correspond to parameter patterns, and wherein the presence of an identifier in the data structure indicates that the corresponding parameter pattern may be present in a set of parameter patterns, and wherein absence of the indicator in the data structure can be used to indicate that the corresponding parameter pattern is not present in the set of parameter patterns, the data structure comprising:

a first field, wherein the first field comprises a first plurality of binary bits, each binary bit corresponding to a possible identifier corresponding to a parameter pattern from among a first set of parameter patterns, and wherein when the bit is set, the identifier is included in the first field; and

wherein for each parameter pattern present in the set of parameter patterns, identifiers for a plurality of different overlapping parameter patterns are included in the first field, and wherein each of the overlapping parameter patterns include elements of a given parameter pattern from among the plurality of parameter patterns.

2. The data structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the overlapping parameter patterns comprises at least a portion of the given parameter pattern and an attribute.

3. The data structure of claim 2, wherein the attribute specifies an exact phrase.

4. The data structure of claim 2, wherein the attribute specifies a near phrase.

5. The data structure of claim 2, wherein the attribute specifies an unordered phrase.

6. The data structure of claim 2, wherein the attribute specifies a confidence rating.

7. The data structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the overlapping parameter patterns comprises repeated elements from the given parameter pattern.

8. The data structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the overlapping parameter patterns comprises partial elements from the given parameter pattern.

9. The data structure of claim 1, wherein at least one of the overlapping parameter patterns comprises elements related to elements of the given parameter pattern.