Search arrangement adapted for data range detection
US5261090A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 12, 1990 |
| Grant date | Nov 9, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 12, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S707/99933
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A range of data that is included in a data file is represented among the records of the file by a record of a lower limit of the range and a separate, sequential, record of an upper limit of the range. Each searchable representation of a record, such as a table entry, has a pair of flags to identify the record as a range low limit or a range high limit, or neither. When a conventional binary search of the ordered file records is performed and completed and the sought-for datum is not found, the record last examined during the search is checked. If that last record is lower in the order than the sought-for datum and its low range limit flag is set, or if the record is higher in the order than the sought-for datum and its high range limit flag is set, then the sought-for datum is in the file and is a member of the included range.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.