The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 19, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 21, 1999
Burra Gopal, Redmond, WA (US);
Kok Wai Chan, Redmond, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A method for calculating all event occurrences defined by an event expression in a specified time window. An event expression comprises add rules, delete rules and modify rules, each of which define a set of rule occurrences. The rules are separated into three groups and the occurrences generated by the grouped rules are sorted in any desired manner such that the earliest occurrence of each group is available for processing. A heap sort algorithm represents one suitable sorting technique. The earliest add rule occurrence is retrieved from the sorted add group occurrences and is compared with the earliest modify and delete rule occurrences taken from the sorted modify and delete group occurrences, respectively. Based on priority rules applied to the add, modify, and delete rule occurrences during the comparison process, it may be determined that the add rule occurrence represents a valid event occurrence that satisfies the event expression. Meanwhile, the add, modify, and delete rule occurrences are refreshed and resorted as the next rule occurrences associated with the grouped rules are calculated. The process is repeated until all valid event occurrences within the specified time window are found.