Using indexes to retrieve stored information
First Claim
1. A method for use in retrieving information from computer-stored records, comprisingproviding an index of entries that contain values that are keys for respective stored records, the keys being useful to reduce the time required to locate records, including in the index of entries, additional information that is useful for a purpose other than to reduce the time required to locate records, at least some of the entries including additional information that is less than all information included in the stored records for which the entries are keys, and in connection with computer operations associated with the index, treating at least some of the keys as unique and at least some of the additional information as non-unique.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Information is retrieved from computer-stored records. An index of entries is provided that contains values that are keys for respective ones of the stored records, the keys being used to reduce the time required to locate records. Additional information, included in the index of entries, is used for a purpose other than to reduce the time required to locate records. In connection with computer operations associated with the index, the additional information is treated in a manner different from the manner in which the keys are treated.
32 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for use in retrieving information from computer-stored records, comprising
providing an index of entries that contain values that are keys for respective stored records, the keys being useful to reduce the time required to locate records, including in the index of entries, additional information that is useful for a purpose other than to reduce the time required to locate records, at least some of the entries including additional information that is less than all information included in the stored records for which the entries are keys, and in connection with computer operations associated with the index, treating at least some of the keys as unique and at least some of the additional information as non-unique.
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17. A method of forming an index for use in connection with retrieving information from computer-stored records, comprising
including entries in the index, the entries containing values that are keys for respective ones of the stored records, at least some of the entries also containing additional information, at least some of the entries including additional information that is less than all information included in the stored records for which the entries are keys, and storing data identifying the additional information as information that need not be treated as unique during computer operations associated with the index.
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34. A method for use in retrieving information from computer-stored records, comprising
providing a composite unique index of entries that contain values that are keys for respective ones of the stored records, the keys being useful to reduce the time required to locate records, the key fields including a proper subset of key fields that are a smaller unique index of the entries, and in connection with computer operations associated with the index, treating the key fields that are not part of the proper subset as non-unique, at least some of the non-unique key fields including information that is less than all information included in the stored records for which the entries are keys.
Specification