PATH INDEXING FOR NETWORK DATA
First Claim
1. A method for storing path information for efficient access, wherein the path information relates to network nodes visited by users of a computer network, the method comprising:
- storing the path information in at least one path file;
creating at least one node path index file containing one or more node path entries for each of the nodes in the path information, wherein each node path entry corresponds to a unique appearance of the corresponding node in the path file, and wherein each node path entry contains a path file offset indicating a starting point of a path containing the corresponding node in the path file, and wherein each node path entry further contains a position of the corresponding node in the path file in the path indicated by the path file offset; and
creating at least one node index file containing, for one or more nodes in the path information, a single node entry containing an indication of a number of times the corresponding node in the node path index file appears in the node path index file and also containing a node path index file offset indicating a starting point of node path entries for the corresponding node in the node path.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A solution is provided wherein path information is stored for efficient retrieval. Raw path information may be stored in a path file. A node path index file may then be created containing entries for each of one or more corresponding nodes in the path information. Each node path entry corresponds to a unique appearance of the corresponding node in the path file, and wherein each node path entry contains a path file offset and a position of the corresponding node in the path file in the path indicated by the path file offset. A node index file may then be created containing, for one or more nodes in the path information, a single node entry containing an indication of the number of times the corresponding node in the node path index file appears in the node path index file and also containing a node path index file offset.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for storing path information for efficient access, wherein the path information relates to network nodes visited by users of a computer network, the method comprising:
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storing the path information in at least one path file; creating at least one node path index file containing one or more node path entries for each of the nodes in the path information, wherein each node path entry corresponds to a unique appearance of the corresponding node in the path file, and wherein each node path entry contains a path file offset indicating a starting point of a path containing the corresponding node in the path file, and wherein each node path entry further contains a position of the corresponding node in the path file in the path indicated by the path file offset; and creating at least one node index file containing, for one or more nodes in the path information, a single node entry containing an indication of a number of times the corresponding node in the node path index file appears in the node path index file and also containing a node path index file offset indicating a starting point of node path entries for the corresponding node in the node path. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for efficiently accessing path information stored in a path file, wherein the path information relates to network nodes visited by users of a computer network, the method comprising:
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receiving a first node of interest; determining a first node path index file offset and a number of times the first node of interest occurs in a node path index file by accessing a node index file; retrieving a first number of entries in the node path index file, beginning at an entry indicated by the first node path index file offset, wherein the number of entries retrieved is equal to the number of times the first node of interest occurs in the node path index file; and for each of the first number of retrieved entries from the node path index file, locating a starting point, in the path file, for a path corresponding to the retrieved entry and locating a position of the first node of interest in the path. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for storing path information for efficient access, wherein the path information relates to network nodes visited by users of a computer network, the apparatus comprising:
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a path information path file storer; a node path index file creator coupled to the path information path storer; and a node index file creator coupled to the node path index file creator.
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14. An apparatus for efficiently accessing path information stored in a path file, wherein the path information relates to network nodes visited by users of a computer network, the apparatus comprising:
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a node of interest receiver; a node path index file offset determiner coupled to the node of interest receiver; a node of interest node path index file occurrence frequency determiner coupled to the node path index file offset determiner; a node path index file entry retriever coupled to the node of interest node path index file occurrence frequency determiner; a path file starting point locator coupled to the node path index file entry retriever; and a node path position locator coupled to the path file starting point determiner.
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15. An apparatus for storing path information for efficient access, wherein the path information relates to network nodes visited by users of a computer network, the apparatus comprising:
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means for storing the path information in at least one path file; means for creating at least one node path index file containing one or more node path entries for each of the nodes in the path information, wherein each node path entry corresponds to a unique appearance of the corresponding node in the path file, and wherein each node path entry contains a path file offset indicating a starting point of a path containing the corresponding node in the path file, and wherein each node path entry further contains a position of the corresponding node in the path file in the path indicated by the path file offset; and means for creating at least one node index file containing, for one or more nodes in the path information, a single node entry containing an indication of a number of times the corresponding node in the node path index file appears in the node path index file and also containing a node path index file offset indicating a starting point of node path entries for the corresponding node in the node path.
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16. An apparatus for efficiently accessing path information stored in a path file, wherein the path information relates to network nodes visited by users of a computer network, the apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving a first node of interest; means for determining a first node path index file offset and a number of times the first node of interest occurs in a node path index file by accessing a node index file; means for retrieving a first number of entries in the node path index file, beginning at an entry indicated by the first node path index file offset, wherein the number of entries retrieved is equal to the number of times the first node of interest occurs in the node path index file; and means for, for each of the first number of retrieved entries from the node path index file, locating a starting point, in the path file, for a path corresponding to the retrieved entry and locating a position of the first node of interest in the path.
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17. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for storing path information for efficient access, wherein the path information relates to network nodes visited by users of a computer network, the method comprising:
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storing the path information in at least one path file; creating at least one node path index file containing one or more node path entries for each of the nodes in the path information, wherein each node path entry corresponds to a unique appearance of the corresponding node in the path file, and wherein each node path entry contains a path file offset indicating a starting point of a path containing the corresponding node in the path file, and wherein each node path entry further contains a position of the corresponding node in the path file in the path indicated by the path file offset; and creating at least one node index file containing, for one or more nodes in the path information, a single node entry containing an indication of a number of times the corresponding node in the node path index file appears in the node path index file and also containing a node path index file offset indicating a starting point of node path entries for the corresponding node in the node path.
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18. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for efficiently accessing path information stored in a path file, wherein the path information relates to network nodes visited by users of a computer network, the method comprising:
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receiving a first node of interest; determining a first node path index file offset and a number of times the first node of interest occurs in a node path index file by accessing a node index file; retrieving a first number of entries in the node path index file, beginning at an entry indicated by the first node path index file offset, wherein the number of entries retrieved is equal to the number of times the first node of interest occurs in the node path index file; and for each of the first number of retrieved entries from the node path index file, locating a starting point, in the path file, for a path corresponding to the retrieved entry and locating a position of the first node of interest in the path.
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Specification