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Method of providing an index structure for TV-anytime forum metadata having location information for defining a multi-key

  • US 7,428,553 B2
  • Filed: 05/14/2004
  • Issued: 09/23/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of generating an index structure for metadata for storage in a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the metadata is divided into fragments, and the index structure is for use in locating and extracting a portion of the metadata within a fragment, the method comprising:

  • storing in the computer readable storage medium a key index list section comprising a list of multi-keys, each multi-key corresponding to a combination of fields of the metadata, wherein each multi-key is a plurality of keys used simultaneously to locate and extract the fragment of metadata;

    storing in the computer readable storage medium a key index section; and

    storing in the computer readable storage medium a sub-key index section, wherein for a multi-key of the key index list;

    the sub-key index section comprises ranges of values of the multi-key and identification information on ones of the fragments of the metadata corresponding to the values of the multi-key, andthe key index section comprises representative key values representing the respective ranges of values of the multi-key,wherein with respect to comparison of the values of a multi-key in size, the multi-key comprises fields (k1, k2, k3 . . . kn) of the metadata which are prioritized (k1>

    k2>

    k3>

    . . . Kn), and the combined fields are compared in sequence, starting from a first field having a highest order of priority, wherein the values are compared on an arithmetic basis where the values of the multi-key are numerical or ranked in lexicographical order where the values of the multi-key are alphabetical,wherein for two multi-key values, (a1, a2, . . . , an) and (b1, b2, . . . , bn);

    (a1, a2, . . . , an) is larger than (b1, b2, . . . , bn) if and only if there exists an integer i (0≦

    i≦

    n−

    1) such that for every j (0≦

    j≦

    n−

    1), aj=bj and ai>

    bi;

    (a1, a2, . . . , an) is smaller than (b1, b2, . . . , bn) if and only if there exists an integer i (0≦

    i≦

    n−

    1) such that for every j (0≦

    j≦

    n−

    1), aj=bj and ai<

    bi; and

    (a1, a2, . . . , an) is equal to (b1, b2, . . . , bn) if and only if for every j (0≦

    j≦

    n−

    1), ai=bi.

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