Patent ID: 7539685

Claim:
A system for index key normalization in a database comprising a processor adapted for: (a) selecting an index key for normalization, wherein the index key contains more than one column, and wherein each column of the index key has a type, and wherein the index key contains more than one type of column type; (b) tracking column normalization, wherein tracking column normalization comprises: creating a tracking variable, wherein the tracking variable has a maximum value determined by a number of columns in the index key; incrementing the tracking variable value each time one of the columns of the index key is normalized; and determining that normalization of the index key is complete when the maximum value of the tracking variable value is reached; (c) generating a normalized value for the index key, wherein generating the normalized value for the index key comprises: determining a column type for a column; and determining an associated transformative function relating to the type of the column; and applying the associated transformative function to a value of the column resulting in the normalized column value; (d) generating a marker corresponding to the column, wherein the marker acts as a header for the normalized column value; (e) storing a normalized index key value, wherein the normalized index key value is updated for each column value that is normalized; and (f) appending the marker and the normalized column value to a previously generated marker and normalized column value.