Maintaining databases by means of hierarchical genealogical table
First Claim
1. A system for maintaining a database in a computer, comprising:
- a. a plurality of records maintained in a database;
b. a table creater configured to arrange a subset of the plurality of records into an hierarchical table;
c. each record in the table having a unique identifier and a plurality of pointers configured to point to adjacent records in the hierarchical table; and
d. an indexer configured to point to at least one unique identifier in the table.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention describes a system and method for maintaining databases. An ordered genealogy table is provided for implying hierarchical relations on an as-needed basis. The invention further provides relational search capabilities to a hierarchical database. The invention also allows a database that is maintained on a computer system in a hierarchical structure to be converted into a database that is maintained in a relational structure, and vice versa. In addition, the invention may be used with currently existing hierarchical and relational databases. The invention provides a plurality of records; a unique identifier for each of the records; a database for maintaining the records; and a table which contains one or more table entries, wherein each table entry contains a genealogy including the unique identifier of a particular record and the unique identifiers of any records that can be considered ancestors of that particular record in a hierarchy, and wherein the table entries are sorted in collating sequence according to their genealogies.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A system for maintaining a database in a computer, comprising:
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a. a plurality of records maintained in a database; b. a table creater configured to arrange a subset of the plurality of records into an hierarchical table; c. each record in the table having a unique identifier and a plurality of pointers configured to point to adjacent records in the hierarchical table; and d. an indexer configured to point to at least one unique identifier in the table. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for searching records maintained in a computer database, comprising the steps of:
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a. hierarchically arranging an ordered genealogy including records in the database meeting a criteria of a user selected search; b. creating an array comprising all records satisfying the criteria and genealogical families of said records, the array indicating which records satisfy the criteria; c. comparing a current genealogical family in the array with an immediate prior genealogical family in the array; d. determining if an inequality exists between the current and prior families; e. if an inequality is determined to exist, performing a correcting routine; f. if either one of (i) no inequality exists and (ii) the correcting routine is completed, continuing the steps of comparing and determining until all records in the array are checked; and g. identifying all records satisfying the search. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification