Patent ID: 8417707

Claim:
A method for providing a quick interactive search of textual data, comprising: preparing a sorted index of distinct components of the textual data, the sorted index assigning a corresponding index to each of the distinct components, and storing the sorted index in a persistent storage medium; using the corresponding indices in the sorted index, preparing a cross reference between portions of the textual data and the distinct components, and storing the cross reference in the persistent storage medium; bringing the sorted index from the persistent storage medium into memory; receiving an indication of a user's intention to search the textual data; receiving from the user a query including search components; and in the course of receiving the user's query, as the search components are being received, matching the search components already received to the distinct components to obtain the corresponding indices from the sorted index and, using the corresponding indices and the cross reference, retrieving from the textual data the portions of textual data that includes the search components.