Patent ID: 7693850

Claim:
A data management system comprising: a processor; a memory device containing a trie used to store an associative array, said trie comprising: at least one trie node, said trie node comprising a PATRICIA node of a PATRICIA node structure; and at least one annotation node added to an index node of said PATRICIA node structure, wherein said annotation node is attached by a link to said index node, wherein said annotation node provides annotation relevant to said index node to which it is attached and relevant to all descendents of said index node; wherein said annotation node further comprises an identification label, which indicates that said annotation node contains an annotation to said trie node, wherein said annotation contain actual data or pointers to external data tables, and wherein said annotation node comprises any of: a statistical value; security data; an aggregation value; routing information; and a programmatic function; wherein attachment via said link of said annotation node to said PATRICIA node structure leaves said PATRICIA node structure unchanged, wherein said annotation node includes information about said index node to which it is attached and to all nodes descendant from said index node, such that said annotation does not need to be reiterated at each link; and wherein said trie node functions in a data management system, said data management system comprising said trie, said data management system incorporated into a network, wherein said network comprises any of: a computer, a workstation, a local area network, and a personal data assistance.