Method of identifying parameterized matches in a string

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for finding maximal matches in data strings and for finding matches in parameterized strings, that is, strings containing symbols from more than one alphabet in which the symbols from one of the alphabets are treated as parameters. In general, such maximal matches are found by creating a suffix tree representing the data string, generating lists for each node in the tree indicating the left contexts of all suffixes associated with that node and reporting matches for pairs of suffixes having different left contexts. One method of finding parameterized matches is to substitute a common symbol for the symbols of the alphabet representing the parameters before creating the suffix tree and then discarding matches found for which the actual parameters are not consistent. Another, preferred, method of finding parameterized matches is to substitute integers for the symbols of the alphabet representing the parameters, such symbols being chosen to create a linked list in the data string for each different symbol in such alphabet. Matches found by the suffix tree are then consistent and no matches need be discarded. Other methods of finding matches are disclosed in which suffix trees are used in conjunction with square matrices to analyze the data strings.