Multilingual database system including sorting data using a master universal sort order for all languages

• US 5,148,541 A
• Filed: 11/03/1989
• Issued: 09/15/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Eddy, D'Cruz, Mervyn G., Kulinek, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohamed, Ayni
• Application Number:
  US07/481,642
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 364/419, 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/243 Natural language query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9017 using directory or table look-up use of a directory or look-up table in file systems G06F16/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90348 by searching ordered data, e.g. alpha-numerically ordered data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/58 Use of machine translation, e.g. for multi-lingual retrieval, for server-side translation for client devices or for real-time translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting

Abstract

A multilingual database system is disclosed in which data can be searched and retrieved by a user whether or not that data is in the user'"'"'s own language. The data to be stored in the database is first encoded according to a master (or universal) sort order.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of operation for a multilingual ordered database having a data store for storing multilingual data, and an index of sort keys for facilitating access to said data store, said computer implemented method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving information, in the form of words based upon characters from a multilingual alphabet, to be stored in said database;

b) encoding, according to predetermined criteria, said words to form one sort key for each word for each language to be supported by said database, wherein each of said sort keys for each word for each language are different from each other, dependent on language composition;

c) storing said information in a known location in said data store;

d) storing said sort keys in sorted order in said index along with an indication of the known location of the corresponding information in said data store; and

said predetermined criteria includes a master alphabetical sort order for all the languages supported by a multilingual character set and used in the database.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said predetermined criteria includes both a master alphabetical sort order for all the languages supported by a multilingual character set and used in the database, and accent priority.

3. The method of claim 1 further including, after the step of encoding one sort key for each language, the step of consolidating said sort keys so formed to make a consolidated sort key, such that duplicate sort keys for the same entry in said data store do not exist and, appending to said consolidated sort key, a mark indicative of each language to which said consolidated sort key is applicable.

4. The method of claims 1, 2, or 3 further including the step of retrieving multilingual data from said database, sorted according to the user'"'"'s language, without the step of sorting the retrieved data.

5. The method of claims 1, 2, or 3 further including the step of retrieving multilingual data from said database, sorted according to the user'"'"'s language, without the step of sorting the retrieved data and further including the step of transliterating foreign characters into characters supported by the language under consideration.

6. A computer implemented method of operation for a multilingual ordered database having a data store for storing multilingual data, and an index of sort keys for facilitating access to said data store, said computer implemented method comprising the steps of:

a) accepting input data, in the form of words based upon characters from a multilingual alphabet;

b) storing said input data in a known location in said data store;

c) encoding at least a portion of said input data via encoding tables, such that one sort key is formed for each word per language supported, wherein each of said sort keys for each word per language supported are different from each other, dependent on language composition;

d) inserting said sort keys so formed into said index in numerical order along with an indication of the known location of the corresponding data in said data store; and

said encoding tables are based upon a master alphabetical sort order for all the languages supported by a multilingual character set and used in the database.

7. The method of claim 6 further including, after the step of encoding one sort key for each language, the step of consolidating said sort keys so formed to make a consolidated sort key, such that duplicate sort keys for the same entry in said data store do not exist and, appending to said consolidated sort key, a mark indicative of each language to which said consolidated sort key is applicable.

8. A computer implemented method of operation for a multilingual ordered database having a data store for storing multilingual data, and an index of sort keys for facilitating access to said data store, said computer implemented method comprising the steps of:

a) accepting input data, in the form of words based upon characters from a multilingual alphabet;

b) storing said input data in a known location in said data store;

c) encoding at least a portion of said input data via encoding tables, such that one sort key is formed for each word per language supported, wherein each of said sort keys for each word per language supported are different from each other, dependent on language composition;

d) inserting said sort keys so formed into said index in numerical order along with an indication of the known location of the corresponding data in said data store;

e) if other sort keys stored in said index have the same numerical value as does a newly encoding sort key, then the data corresponding to all said sort keys having said same numerical value, is extracted from said data store and is encoded using an accent priority encoding table;

f) all the sort keys of step (e) are then sorted in the numerical order indicated by the accent encoding table and are then stored in said index in said order; and

said encoding tables are based upon a master alphabetical sort order for all the languages supported by a multilingual character set and used in the database.

9. The method of claim 8 further including, after the step of encoding one sort key for each language, the step of consolidating said sort keys so formed to make a consolidated sort key, such that duplicate sort keys for the same entry in said data stored do not exit and, appending to said consolidated sort key, a mark indicative of each language to which said consolidated sort key is applicable.

10. A computer implemented method of operation for a multilingual ordered database having a data store for storing multilingual data, and an index of index sort keys for facilitating access to said data store, said computer implemented method, including the insertion of data into, and the extraction of data from, said database, comprising the following steps:

a) accepting first input data to be stored in said database;

b) storing said first input data in a known location in said data store;

c) encoding at least a portion of said first input data via sort encoding tables, such that one index sort key is formed per language supported;

d) inserting said index sort keys stored in said index have the same numerical value as does a newly encoded index sort key, then the data corresponding to all said index sort keys having said same numerical value, is extracted from said data store and is encoded using an accent priority encoding table;

f) all the index sort keys of step (e) are then sorted in the numerical order indicated by the accent encoding table and are then stored in said index in said order;

g) accepting second input data, the presence of which is to be searched for in said database;

h) encoding said second input data via a sort encoding table corresponding to the language of said user to produce a search sort key;

i) comparing said search sort key with the index sort keys of said index to find any index sort keys in said index that are identical to said search sort key and extracting, as found data, data from said data store corresponding to any index sort keys that are identical to said search sort key;

j) encoding at least a portion of each data entry extracted during step (i) and also encoding said second input data via a match encoding table corresponding to the language of said user to produce encoded match keys;

k) comparing the match key corresponding to said second input data with the match keys corresponding to said second input data with the match keys corresponding to said found data to find any that are identical, and extracting data from said data store corresponding to any match keys from said found data that are identical to the match key corresponding to said second input data.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said sort encoding tables are based upon a master alphabetical sort order for all the languages supported by a multilingual character set and used in the database.

12. The method of claim 11 further including, after the step of encoding one sort key for each language, the step of consolidating said sort keys so formed to make a consolidated sort key, such that duplicate sort keys for the same entry in said data store do not exist and, appending to said consolidated sort key, a mark indicative of each language to which said consolidated sort key is applicable.

13. A computer implemented method of operation for a multilingual ordered database having a data store for storing multilingual data, and an index of index sort keys for facilitating access to said data store, said computer implemented method including the extraction of data from said database, in response to a request from a user, according to the following steps:

a) accepting input data, in the form of words based upon characters from a multilingual alphabet;

b) encoding said input data via a sort encoding table corresponding to the language of said user to produce a search sort key;

c) comparing said search sort key with the index sort keys of said index, each of said index sort keys representing an encoded word based upon characters from a multilingual alphabet, to find any index sort keys in said index that are identical to said search sort key and identifying any that are the same;

d) extracting the data corresponding to said index sort keys identified as being the same as said search sort key;

e) encoding said data from step (d) and said input data via a match encoding table corresponding to the language of said user to produce encoded match keys;

f) comparing the match key corresponding to said input data with the match keys corresponding to said found data to find any match keys that are identical to the match key corresponding to said input data and extracting data from said data store corresponding to any match keys from said found data that are identical to the match key corresponding to said second input data; and

said sort encoding tables is based upon a master alphabetical sort order for all the languages supported by a multilingual character set and used in the database.

14. A computer implemented method of operation for a multilingual ordered database having a data store for storing multilingual data, and an index of index sort keys for facilitating access to said data store, said computer implemented method including the extraction of data from said database, in response to a request from a user, according to the following steps:

a) accepting input data, in the form of words based upon characters from a multilingual alphabet;

b) encoding said input data via a sort encoding table corresponding to the language of said user to produce a search sort key;

c) comparing said search sort key with the index sort keys of said index, each of said index sort keys representing an encoded word based upon characters from a multilingual alphabet, to find any index sort keys in said index that are identical to said search sort key and identifying any that are the same;

d) extracting the data corresponding to said index sort keys identified as being the same as said search sort key; and

said sort encoding tables is based upon a master alphabetical sort order for all the languages supported by a multilingual character set and used in the database.