Maintaining sort order of data in databases
US9251155B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 15, 2013 |
| Grant date | Feb 2, 2016 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 28, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F16/221
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A database system maintains table data in sorted order. The table data becomes unsorted over time due to add, delete, and update operations. These operations are performed such that the table comprises an initial sorted region followed by an unsorted region. The database system performs an incremental operation to rewrite the table in sorted order. The database system partitions the unsorted region into a plurality of partitions comprising sorted rows within each partition. The database system iteratively merges rows from the partitions to the sorted region of the table. The database system selects a set of lowest tanked rows from the partitions. The database system merges these lowest ranked rows with the sorted region while maintaining the sort order of the sorted region. The database system repeats these steps until all the partitions are processed. The database may store data in columnar fashion.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.