System and method for structuring data in a computer system

• US 6,785,674 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InteliTrac, Inc.
• Original Assignee: InteliTrac, Inc.
• Inventors: Vu, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Rones, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Yicun
• Application Number:
  US10/346,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20040143582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/6, 707/7, 707/8, 707/9, 707/10, 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103, 707/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9027 Trees
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A method and system for creating and searching a central linked list comprising a parent node which is situated at the center of a plurality of child nodes. Each child node has two double linked list pointers. One pointer points to the next child node, and the other pointer points to the parent node. Thus, matched data obtained at several child nodes moves immediately back to the parent simultaneously. The parent node contains the memory address and name of central linked list, a description of central linked list, and a description of the relationship between other parent nodes, as well as the relationship between each child node to its specific parent node. Each child node contains a node address, an attribute comprised of some or all of the stored data field and a link to the full data content that may reside on a file or in a database. Memory storage of the structure information is stored in system memory, such as, RAM. Thus, searching and comparison operations may be accomplished without the need to access a hard disk.

Claims

1. A data structure for organizing data, comprising:

a parent node stored in a first memory;

a first child node stored in a second memory;

a second child node stored in a third memory;

a third child node stored in a fourth memory;

a first link connecting said parent node to said first child node, said first link comprising a first pointer directing a program from said parent node to said first child node and a second pointer directing said program from said first child node to said parent node;

a second link connecting said first child node to said second child node, said second link comprising a third pointer directing said program from said first child node to said second child node and a fourth pointer directing said program from said second child node to said first child node;

a third link connecting said second child node to said third child node, said third link comprising a fifth pointer directing said program from said second child node to said third child node and a sixth pointer directing said program from said third child node to said second child node; and

a fourth link connecting said parent node to said second child node.

2. The data structure of claim 1, wherein said first child node stores a first data item.

3. The data structure of claim 2, wherein said second child node stores a second data item.

4. The data structure of claim 2, wherein said parent node has a first attribute describing said data structure.

5. The data structure of claim 4, wherein said first child node has a second attribute describing said first data item.

6. The data structure of claim 5, wherein said first memory has a first memory address and said second memory has a second memory address.

7. The data structure of claim 6, wherein said first pointer directs said program to said second memory address and said second pointer directs said program to said first memory address.

8. The data structure of claim 1, further comprising a second parent node, wherein said second parent node is linked to said parent node.

9. The data structure of claim 1, further comprising a second parent node, wherein said first child node is linked to said parent node and to said second parent node.

10. The data structure of claim 5, wherein said second child node has a third attribute describing said second data item.

11. The data structure of claim 10, wherein said second attribute and said third attribute describe a relationship between said first data item and said second data item, when said second attribute and said third attribute are logically related.

12. The data structure of claim 1, wherein said parent node, said first child node and second child node are stored in a plurality of memory devices.

13. A method for generating a data structure comprising:

creating a parent node in a first memory, a first child node in a second memory, a second child node in a third memory, and third child node in a fourth memory; and

linking said parent node to said first child node by creating a first pointer directing a program from said parent node to said first child node and a second pointer directing a program from said first child node to said parent node;

linking said first child node to said second child node by creating a third pointer directing a program from said first child node to said second child node and a fourth pointer directing a program from said second child node to said first child node;

linking said second child node to said third child node by creating a fifth pointer directing a program from said second child node to said third child node and a sixth pointer directing a program from said third child node to said second child node; and

linking said parent node to said second child node.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said first child node stores a first data item.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said first child node stores a first data item.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising associating a first attribute with said parent node, said attribute describing said data structure.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising associating a second attribute with said first child node, said second attribute describing said first data item.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising associating a first memory address with said first memory and a second memory address with said second memory.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said first pointer directs said program to said second memory address and said second pointer directs said program to said first memory address.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising creating a second parent node, and linking said second parent node to said parent node.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising creating a second parent node, and linking said first child node to said parent node and to said second parent node.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising associating a third attribute with said second child node, said third attribute describing said second data item, said second attribute and said third attribute are logically related.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said second attribute and said third attribute describe a relationship between said first data item and said second data item, when said second attribute and said third attribute are logically related.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein said parent node, said first child node and second child node are created in a plurality of memory devices.

25. Computer executable software code stored on a computer readable medium, the code for creating a data structure, comprising:

code for creating a parent node in a first memory, a first child node in a second memory, a second child node in a third memory, and a third child node in a fourth memory;

code for directing a program from said parent node to said first child node and from said first child node to said parent node;

code for directing said program from said first child node to said second child node and from said second child node to said first child node;

code for directing said program from said second child node to said third child node and from said third child node to said second child node; and

code for directing said program from said parent node to said second child node.

26. The computer executable software code according to claim 25, wherein said first child node stores a first data item.

27. The computer executable software code according to claim 26, wherein said first child node stores a first data item.

28. The computer executable software code according to claim 26, further comprising code for associating a first attribute with said parent node, said attribute describing said data structure.

29. The computer executable software code according to claim 28, further comprising code for associating a second attribute with said first child node, said second attribute describing said first data item.

30. The computer executable software code according to claim 29, further comprising code for associating a first memory address with said first memory and a second memory address with said second memory.

31. The computer executable software code according to claim 30, wherein said first pointer directs said program to said second memory address and said second pointer directs said program to said first memory address.

32. The computer executable software code according to claim 25, further comprising code for creating a second parent node, and linking said second parent node to said parent node.

33. The computer executable software code according to claim 25, further comprising code for creating a second parent node, and linking said first child node to said parent node and to said second parent node.

34. The computer executable software code according to claim 29, further comprising code for associating a third attribute with said second child node, said third attribute describing said second data item said second attribute and said third attribute are logically related.

35. The computer executable software code according to claim 34, wherein said second attribute and said third attribute describe a relationship between said first data item and said second data item, when said second attribute and said third attribute are logically related.

36. The computer executable software code according to claim 25, wherein said parent node, said first child node and second child node are created in a plurality of memory devices.

37. A data structure for organizing data, comprising:

a parent node stored in a memory location;

a plurality of N child nodes (C₁, C₂, . . . , C_N) stored in a plurality of N corresponding memory locations, wherein N>

2;

wherein said parent node comprises a pointer to each of said N child nodes, each of said child nodes comprises a pointer to said parent node, each child node C_i, where 1<

i<

N, further comprises a pointer to the next child node C_i+1, and each child node C_i, where 1≦

i≦

N, further comprises a pointer to the previous child node C<sub>i−

1</sub>.

38. The data structure according to claim 37, wherein child node C_N further comprises a pointer to child node C₁.

39. The data structure according to claim 37, wherein each child node C_i further comprises a pointer to child node C_N.

40. The data structure according to claim 37, wherein at least two of said plurality of N memory locations are on a single chip.

41. The data structure according to claim 38, wherein at least one of said plurality of N child nodes further comprises a data item.

42. The data structure according to claim 37, wherein at least one child node further comprises an attribute describing a data item stored in a memory location different than the memory location of said at least one child node.

43. The data structure according to claim 42, wherein said data item comprises an image.

44. The data structure for organizing data, comprising:

a parent node stored in a first memory location;

a first child node stored in a second memory location;

a second child node stored in a third memory location; and

a third child node stored in a fourth memory location;

wherein said parent node comprises a pointer to each of said first, second and third child nodes;

said first child node comprises a pointer to said parent node and said second child node;

said second child node comprises a pointer to said parent node, said first child node, and said third child node; and

said third child node comprises a pointer to said second child node and said parent node.

45. The data structure according to claim 44, wherein said third child node further comprises a pointer to said first child node.