Reduced comparison coordinate-value sorting process
US7403944B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 21, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jul 22, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 22, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F7/24
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
One objective of the present invention is to optimize a sorting process (20) that, by novel means (240), reduces the number of comparisons required to sort delivered items (10, 230) whether said items are physical tokens, electronic data or other symbolic representations of whatever is sorted. Said novel means (240) include: initializing values (220), recording values (250), comparing items found closest to evolving centroids (310, 320), restricting evolving fields for comparison within limits (330), setting pointers indicating the sorted order of items (360), detecting delivered items and those remaining within limits (60, 260), noting value changes (30, 250), and appropriate recursions (270, 280, 350, 370). A second objective of the present invention is to provide computer software means for said process (20) whereby said novel means (240) can be operably coupled with an apparatus to find items (40) and place them in ordered queues (50) as items (70).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.