Importance

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Abstract

A computer implemented method selectively searches an index of a database according to scores assigned to records of the database located during the searching. The records of the database are index by storing index entries in a memory. Each index entry includes a word entry representing a unique portion of information of the database and one or more location entries indicating where the unique portion of information represented by the word entry occurs in the records of the database. A weight is assigned to each index entry according to a relative frequency of occurrence of the portion of information in the database. The index is sequentially searched to locate records qualified by a query having terms and operators. The terms correspond to index entries. The located records are scored according to the number of times portions of information corresponding to the terms of the query occur in the records and their associated weights. The scores and identities of the located records are stored in entries of a ranking list having a predetermined number of entries. In response to searching a predetermined fraction of the index, a determination is made to see if any unlocated records of the database can receive a score higher than one of the records stored of the ranking list using index entries having a lowest weight. If not, the index is searched using only the index entries having weights higher than index entries having the lowest weigh.

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First Claim