Method and apparatus for sorting elements
US5870584A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 20, 1995 |
| Grant date | Feb 9, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 20, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S707/99937
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention pertains to a method for sorting. The method comprises the steps of forming a decision tree comprised of at least a first level having at least a first entry with either a first result or a second result corresponding to values as they fill a queue. Then, there is the step of reading the result in the first entry of the first level of the decision tree. Next, there is the step of choosing the value in the first entry of the first level from the queue corresponding to the result in the first entry. The present invention comprises a priority queue. The priority queue comprises an array in which elements are stored. Also, the priority queue comprises a controller which stores the elements in the array with no memory reads and a constant number of memory writes so a smallest element in the array can be identified.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.