Multikeyed table implementable on a personal digital assistant

Abstract

A multikeyed table utilizing a number of primary and secondary keys is implementable on a personal digital assistant. The table includes one or more records with each record having a plurality of fields. A number of fields in the records are designated as primary and secondary keys, which in turn are used for sorting and ordering the records. A target position in the multikeyed table may be identified by first receiving target primary and secondary keys from, for example, an application user. Subsequently, an operating system implemented in the personal digital assistant is prompted to select and return one record stored in the table. In response, the record selected by the operating system is received. The record received from the operating system is then compared with the target's primary and secondary keys, after which the target is indicated as having keys greater than, less than, or equal to the keys of the received record. This procedure is repeated until a record with primary and secondary keys equal to the target's primary and secondary keys is located, at which point the returned record is identified as the target position. Alternatively, the procedure is repeated until all records stored in the table have been identified as having primary and secondary keys greater than or less than the target's primary and secondary keys, at which point the target position is identified as falling between a highest record having primary and secondary keys less than the target primary and secondary keys and a lowest record having primary and secondary keys greater than the target primary and secondary keys.