Associative database scanning and information retrieval

A retrieval device for retrieving data from a mass storage medium including a matching circuit for comparing a determined key representative of the data sought to be retrieved with a data signal representative of a continuous stream of data read from said mass storage medium, said determined key being an analog signal representative of the data itself and the data signal also being an analog signal.

A retrieval device for retrieving data from a mass storage medium, said retrieval device being directly coupled to said mass storage medium and interfacing said mass storage medium with a processor desiring said retrieved data for processing thereof, said retrieval device comprising a matching circuit for making a pattern comparison between a determined key representative of the data sought to be retrieved with a data signal representative of a continuous stream of data read from said mass storage medium.

A retrieval device for retrieving data from a mass storage medium, said retrieval device being directly coupled to said mass storage medium and interfacing said mass storage medium with a computer network desiring said retrieved data for processing thereof, said retrieval device comprising an approximate matching circuit for making a pattern comparison between a determined key representative of the data sought to be retrieved with a data signal representative of a continuous stream of data read from said mass storage medium.

A computer having a main processor, a working memory, a supplemental memory, and an approximate matching and pre-fetch processor, said pre-fetch processor being directly coupled to said supplemental memory and configured to match a determined key representative of data sought to be retrieved from said supplemental memory with a data signal representative of a continuous stream of data read from said supplemental memory.

A computer having a main processor, a working memory, a supplemental memory, and a circuit coupled to said supplemental memory for pattern matching a key to a continuous stream of data read from said supplemental memory.

A network attached mass storage device (NASD), said NASD comprising a mass storage device coupled to an approximate matching and pre-fetch processor, said NASD having a network addressable input/output port for receiving data inquiries and responding thereto.

A network attached mass storage device (NASD), said NASD comprising a mass storage device coupled to a circuit for pattern matching a key to a continuous stream of data read from said mass storage memory, and said NASD having a network addressable input/output port for receiving data inquiries and responding thereto.

An intelligent mass storage medium device, said device having a circuit for making a pattern comparison between a key and a signal representative of a continuous read of data from a data storage medium.

A retrieval device for retrieving data from a mass storage medium including a matching circuit for comparing a determined key representative of the data sought to be retrieved with a data signal representative of a continuous stream of data read from said mass storage medium, said determined key being a digital representation of the data itself and the data signal also being digital.

A computer having a main processor, a working memory, a supplemental memory, and an approximate matching and pre-fetch processor, said pre-fetch processor being directly coupled to said supplemental memory and configured to approximately match a determined key representative of data sought to be retrieved from said supplemental memory with a data signal representative of a continuous stream of data read from said supplemental memory.