Patent ID: 6895404

Claim:
A data lookup method for enabling a user to access a data set by way of a remote device, the method comprising the steps: (a) storing the data set at a server as a sorted list; (b) operating the server to divide the list into a plurality of sub-lists, and to transmit information to the remote device, the information indicating the range of data in each of the sub-lists; (c) when the information is received at the remote device, operating the remote device to display the information to the user enabling the user to select one of the sub-lists, and to transmit a message to the server, the message indicating the selected sub-list; (d) when the message is received at the server, if the number of entries in the selected sub-list is larger than a predetermined threshold, operating the server to go back to step (b) above with the selected sub-list in place of the list, but otherwise, if the number of entries in the selected sub-list is not larger than the predetermined threshold, operating the server to transmit further information to the remote device, said further information indicating the data items in the selected sub-list (e) when the further information is received by the remote device, operating the remote device to enable the user to select one of said data items, and to transmit a further message to the server, indicating the selected data item; and (f) when the further message is received at the server, operating the server to return the selected data item to the user.