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System and method for identifying data records using solution bitmasks

  • US 5,799,184 A
  • Filed: 08/17/1993
  • Issued: 08/25/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1990
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method in a computer system for identifying a subset of a plurality of data records that satisfy a search criterion, each of the plurality of data records having a record identifier and containing data organized into one or more fields, the search criterion relating to a selected one of the fields, the method comprising the steps of:

  • receiving a search query specifying the search criterion;

    before receiving the search query, providing an index identifying the contents of the selected field of at least a portion of the data records, the index containing, for each data record, a data record identifier usable to access the data record and an indication of the contents of the selected field, the data record identifiers in the index being separated by a uniform offset; and

    after receiving the search query, using the index to select the data record identifiers of the data records that satisfy the search criterion without accessing the data records.

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