Wang Laboratories, Inc.

Amnon Waisman

John M Smutek

Robert I Wenig

Andrew M Weiss

Nancy J Webb

Variable length data (e.g., for hospital patients) is embedded in a B-tree type index structure of a relational data base. A logically related inverted B-tree index is used to access the original index. Access time, and storage space for the inverted lists, are decreased by data compression techniques and by encoding certain inverted list parameters in sparse array bit maps.

B-tree structured data base using sparse array bit maps to store

An improved technique is presented for organizing digitized information for storage in a relational type tree memory structure where the digitized information is broken up into blocks of a fixed byte size which are then stored throughout the memory. A header is utilized which identifies a text or image and details of how the image was digitized and compressed, to be used in reconstructing the image properly. We also utilize an index in which is the image or text identity but also in which is an index identifying the locations throughout memory at which the blocks containing the text or image information is stored. Each block has a header identifying what text or image information is stored in the block and having the address of any another block containing realsted information for the same text or image to thereby create a chaining between the blocks by which they may all be quickly located once a first block is located using the index. A further embodiment of invention allows the storing and display of a base image containing user defined and located subfields and the selective insertion of related data or images, either previously stored or entered by the user, into the subfields. A yet further embodiment allows the use of data contained in the subfields as keys to locate and display further related information.

Growing community of inventors

Nashua, NH, United States of America

Amnon Waisman