Patent ID: 8255398

Claim:
A method for compressing sorted values, the method comprising: comparing at least a first prefix and a second prefix in a plurality of prefixes, wherein each prefix within the plurality of prefixes comprises at least a portion of a plurality of sorted values, and wherein a respective prefix within the plurality of prefixes comprises a set of consecutive characters including at least a first character of a respective sorted value within the plurality of sorted values, the respective sorted value further comprising a respective suffix comprising consecutive characters of the respective sorted value that are after the respective prefix, wherein each prefix in the plurality of prefixes is associated with a set of suffixes that are stored separately from each prefix; determining that at least a respective first character of the first prefix and a respective first character of the second prefix are identical; merging, in response to the determining, the first prefix with the second prefix into a single prefix comprising the at least first character; and updating, in response to the merging, a set of suffixes associated with the first prefix to reflect an association with the second prefix.