Patent ID: 7383268

Claim:
A method for associating a plurality of keys with respective predetermined records, each of said keys including a data string of one or more digits, said digits having a range of values, the method comprising: (a) providing an index having a plurality of levels, wherein each said level corresponds to a respective digit of said keys, and wherein each said level is a data field including a plurality of elements having a range of values corresponding to the range of values of said digits of said keys; (b) for each element of each said level of said index having a value matching the value of the key digit corresponding to that level, associating an indexing instruction therewith selected from the group of indexing instructions consisting of: i) moving on to check a next level without specifying a record; ii) specifying one or more records and also moving on to check a next level; iii) specifying one or more records and not moving on to check a next level; and (c) associating the following indexing instruction with all elements of the index other than the matching elements of step (b): iv) not specifying a record and not moving on to check a next level.