Patent ID: 6584555
Filing Date: 2003-06-24
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
An information storage and retrieval system for computers, comprising:a memory device having at least one block of memory, each block capable of storing records, each of said records having a single unique primary key and zero or more non-unique alternate keys, said alternate keys being storable in an order of said primary key; a location table, comprising a multitude of entries, each of which controls a primary block and a physical location of that primary block, said location table controlling the physical locations of each of said blocks in said memory device, whereby a block number and the physical location in said memory device of said each primary block is determined by said entries in said location table; wherein records are stored in each block in the order of its respective primary key, and further comprising new blocks to store records that cannot be stored in said each block; wherein: said each block comprises the primary block and an overflow block, the records being first stored in said primary block; further comprising a first overflow block to said primary block when no further records can be stored in said primary block; and further comprising further overflow blocks to said first overflow block when said first overflow block is insufficient to store the record; whereby records are stored serially across blocks; and whereby a new primary block is provided to store additional records when said additional record cannot be stored in a final primary block.