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Method and system for multi-entry and multi-template matching in a database

  • US 6,480,863 B1
  • Filed: 10/12/2000
  • Issued: 11/12/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for searching items in a database, the database storing a plurality of items, each item comprising a plurality of entries, the method comprising:

  • receiving a request including a take or read operation, a number of desired items and a multi-template comprised of a plurality of templates;

    selecting an item in the database to compare to the multi-template;

    comparing the multi-template to one of the items in the database by comparing each template in the multi-template with the entries in the one of the items to determine if each template has a matching entry, each entry being allowed to match more than one template;

    returning the one of the items when a match is determined by the comparison;

    removing the matching item from the database when the request includes a take operation;

    repeating the selecting and comparing steps until the number of matching items found equals the desired number of items in the request or all items in the database have been compared; and

    returning a null value when a match is not determined as a result of the comparison.

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