Apparatus and method for searching a data base using variable search criteria

• US 4,384,325 A
• Filed: 06/23/1980
• Issued: 05/17/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sperry Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sperry Corporation
• Inventors: Manning, Bennett W., Slechta, Leo J. Jr., Preckshot, Nancy E., Wagner, Howard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Gareth D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Soffen, Stephen A.
• Application Number:
  US06/161,983
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90344 by using string matching techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Apparatus for and method of searching a data base using variable search criteria. The data base consists of a set of files or portions thereof. Each file is divided into a number of records whereby all records of a given file have the same format but the records of different files may have different formats. A field format register is used to define the format of the records within a given file. The field format register specifies the location and width of each field within a record. To perform a search, a field-by-field comparison of each record is made to a reference word. The comparison yields a less than, equal to or greater than result for each field of each record. A field comparison register describes the expected result of the field-by-field comparison. A given field is designated true if the comparison yields the expected result specified for that field in the field comparison register. A given field is designated false if the comparison yields other than the expected result specified in the field comparison register. A hit on a given record is defined as satisfying a Boolean expression using the field-by-field true/false definitions as input variables. A given record is a miss if the Boolean expression is not satisfied.

Claims

1. A method of conducting a search of a data base having a plurality of records comprising:

arithmetically comparing a plurality of fields of a record within said data base to a like plurality of corresponding fields of a reference word in order to derive a like plurality of arithmetic comparison first results;

logically comparing said plurality of arithmetic comparison first results of said arithmetically comparing to a like plurality of user supplied expected results for said arithmetically comparing of said like plurality of fields of said record in order to derive a like plurality of logical comparison second results;

determining whether said plurality of logical comparison second results of said logically comparing when used as a plurality of inputs to a user supplied Boolean expression do satisfy said user supplied Boolean expression;

indicating as a Boolean expression hit upon said record whenever said user supplied Boolean expression is satisfied upon said determining and indicating as a Boolean expression miss upon said record whenever said Boolean expression is not satisfied upon said determining; and

repeating said arithmetically comparing, said logically comparing, and said indicating for said plurality of records within said data base;

whereby said Boolean expression hit indicates that a logical relationship amongst and between said like plurality of logical comparison second results has been satisfied;

whereby since said plurality of logical comparison second results were generated in respect of said plurality of arithmetic comparison first results, said Boolean expression hit means that a logical relationship amongst and between individual arithmetic comparisons of each of said plurality of fields of a record has been satisfied.

2. An apparatus for comparing a first record to a second record wherein said first and second records have a plurality of fields comprising:

an arithmetic comparator means for comparing each of said plurality of fields of said first record to each corresponding one of said plurality of fields of said second record in order to produce a like plurality of arithmetic comparison results;

storing means for storing a plurality of user specified expected results to said arithmetic comparator comparing of each of said plurality of fields of said first record to said each corresponding one of said plurality of fields of said second record;

logical comparator means, respectively coupled to said arithmetic comparator means for receiving said plurality of arithmetic comparison results and to said storing means for receiving said user specified expected results, for comparing said plurality of arithmetic comparison results from said arithmetic comparator to said plurality of user specified expected results from said storing means wherein the output of said logical comparator means is true for each one of said plurality of fields if one said plurality of arithmetic comparison results is the same as a corresponding one of said plurality of said user specified expected results and wherein the output of said logical comparator means is false for each one of said plurality of fields if one said plurality of arithmetic comparison results is not the same as a corresponding one of said plurality of said user specified expected results; and

Boolean evaluator means, respectively coupled to said logical comparator means for receiving the true and the false results thereof, for determining said first record to be a hit if a user supplied Boolean expression is satisfied by said true and false results output of said logical comparator means and for determining said first record to be a miss if said user supplied Boolean expression is not satisfied by said true and false results output of said logical comparator means.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising:

field format register means for defining length and position within said first record of each of said plurality of fields;

and wherein said arithmetic comparator means further comprise;

arithmetic comparator means responsively coupled to said field format register means for receiving therefrom said length and said position within said first record of each of said plurality of fields, and for locating said each of said plurality of fields of said first record in accordance with said length and said position.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said storing means further comprises:

a field comparison register.