Patent ID: 6292795
Filing Date: 2001-09-18
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A data access mechanism for a computer filing system, the access mechanism including:an extensible hierarchical directory having a plurality of directory entries at least some of which provide pointers to respective indexed data files;logic for analysing a data key input to said filing system, by comparison of the data key with entries in the extensible hierarchical directory, to identify one of said plurality of directory entries providing a pointer to a respective indexed data file of the respective indexed data files;a plurality of indexed data files for storing data; anda plurality of indices, each corresponding to one of said indexed data files;wherein each of said indexed data files is locatable via one of said pointers, wherein the index for each of said indexed data files contains identifiers and storage addresses of data blocks therein, each of said indexed data files having associated logic for transforming an input data key to generate a transformed key and logic for comparing a transformed key with data block identifiers in the index to identify a match and to obtain the address of an identified data block within the indexed data file, and each of said indexed data files having associated logic for identifying from records within the identified data block one or more data records related to the input data key.