Patent ID: 6681224
Filing Date: 2004-01-20
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A sorting device comprising:a distribution analyzing unit which analyzes a distribution of a sort target data group consisting of a plurality of sort target data; a setting unit which sets sorting segments for dividing the sort target data group into segments based on an analysis result of said distribution analyzing unit; an appearance frequency calculation unit which calculates an appearance frequency of a sort target data corresponding to each sorting segment based on a sorting key; a sorting mode selection unit which selects a first sorting mode if the appearance frequency is equal to or higher than a preset threshold value and selecting a second sorting mode if the appearance frequency is lower than the threshold value, for each sorting segment; and a sorting execution unit which executes sorting for each of the sorting segments based on the sorting mode selected by said sorting mode selection units, wherein said sorting mode selection unit selects only the first sorting mode if the distribution shows deflection, and selects the first or second sorting mode if the distribution does not show deflection, based on the result of analysis by said distribution analyzing unit, and wherein said sorting execution unit applies the first sorting mode to all of the sort target data if the distribution shows deflection, and applies the first or second sorting mode to the sort target data in the respective sorting segments if the distribution does not show deflection.