System and Method for Compressing Data in a Database

A method of searching for a first search key, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a computer, the first search key;
• determining if the first search key matches a first pattern and a first mask;
• determining if the first search key matches a first compressed key and the first mask, without decompressing the first compressed key, when the first search key matches the first pattern and the first mask;
• and
• indicating, by the computer, a successful match when the first search key matches the first compressed key and the first mask.

A method of compressing a plurality of records, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a first computer, a first record of the plurality of records;
• comparing a first bit in a first bit position of the first record to a second bit in the first bit position of a second record of the plurality of records;
• assigning a third bit in the first bit position of a mask to a first binary value when the first bit of the first record does not equal the second bit of the second record;
• assigning a fourth bit in the first bit position of a pattern to a first binary value when the first bit of the first record does not equal the second bit of the second record;
• assigning a fifth bit in a second bit position of a first compressed key to a value of the first bit of the first record;
• assigning a sixth bit in the second bit position of a second compressed key to a value of the second bit of the second record;
• comparing a seventh bit in a third bit position of the first record to an eighth bit in the third position of the second record, wherein the third bit position is after the first bit position;
• assigning a ninth bit in the third bit position of the mask to a second binary value when the seventh bit of the first record equals the second bit of the second record;
• assigning a tenth bit in the third bit position of the pattern to a value of the seventh bit of the first record when the seventh bit of the first record equals the eighth bit of the second record;
• and
• storing the mask, the pattern, the first compressed key, and the second compressed key.

A database server comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to
• receive, by the database server, from a computer, a search key,
• determine if the search key matches a pattern and a mask,
• determine if the search key matches a compressed key and the mask when the search key matches the pattern and the mask, and
• indicate a successful match when the search key matches the compressed key and the mask.