×

Constrained searching of an index

  • US 6,105,019 A
  • Filed: 07/26/1999
  • Issued: 08/15/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/09/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A method for searching an index of stored information, the index including a plurality of index entries, each of the plurality of index entries including a word entry representing a unique indexable portion of the stored information, and one or more location entries representing each occurrence of the unique indexable portion of the stored information, the method comprising the steps of:

  • identifying a first word entry of a first index entry as corresponding to a first term of a query;

    identifying a second word entry of a second index entry as corresponding to a second term of the query; and

    searching the first index entry and the second index entry for respective location entries subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein each of the plurality of constraints must be satisfied, and wherein the order in which the plurality of constraints are satisfied is determined by which of the plurality of constraints is able to advance the search the farthest.

View all claims
  • 11 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×