Patent ID: 8682904

Claim:
A method of sorting a table, the method comprising: at a computer system including one or more processors and memory, wherein the table is stored in the memory and includes a plurality of rows and columns, each of the columns storing values of a respective parameter and each of the rows storing a respective collection of associated values, performing on the table: identifying a first column embodying values of a first parameter, a second column embodying values of a second parameter, and a third column embodying values of a third parameter defined as the ratio of the second parameter to the first parameter; generating a fourth column embodying values of a fourth parameter, the fourth parameter defined as a sum of: a first multiplier times the weighted average of the values of the third parameter; and a second multiplier times the value of the third parameter; wherein the first multiplier is computed by a weight function defined as a monotonically decreasing function of the first parameter, such that the weight function is substantially equal to unity for values of the first parameter substantially equal to zero, and substantially equal to zero for values of the first parameter exceeding a predefined threshold; and wherein the second multiplier equals unity minus the first multiplier; and sorting in ascending or descending order the rows of the table based on the values of the fourth parameter.