Patent ID: 6141656
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of combining a plurality of bitmaps to generate a resulting bitmap that represents the AND operation between said plurality of bitmaps, the method comprising the steps of:A) searching said plurality of bitmaps for a first set of overlapping bitmap segments, wherein each bitmap segment from said plurality of bitmaps is associated with a range, wherein each range associated with each bitmap segment of said first set of overlapping bitmap segments overlaps with the ranges associated with all other bitmap segments in said first set of overlapping bitmap segments;B) generating a first result based on said first set, wherein said first result is representative of a bitwise AND of said plurality of bitmaps for a range shared by all bitmap segments of said first set of overlapping bitmap segments; andC) storing said first result in said resulting bitmap.