Patent ID: 6804664
Filing Date: 2004-10-12
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of querying a database, the method comprising the steps of:providing binary attributes having respectively associated therewith predefined lists of allowable values and corresponding bitmasks providing the database, the database comprising plural records, at least some of the records comprising profiles, the profiles comprising at least one target comprising one binary attribute having a bitmask, at least some of the records comprising profiles comprising a range attribute having a numeric value forming a query comprising a query profile, the query profile including a first target comprising a first bitmask corresponding to a first binary attribute and a first value a second target comprising a range attribute and a range of numeric values performing bitwise logical operations of the first bitmask with the record profiles to thereby identify records in the database having the first target (â€œfirst recordsâ€ ) after the step of performing bitwise logical operations, testing the range attributes of each of the first records to thereby identify second records in the database having the range attribute within the range of numeric values of the third target (â€œsecond recordsâ€ ).