High-speed term searcher

In combination with a data source supplying a stream of incoming binary signals representing a document formed of words formed of characters formed of a plurality of said binary signals, an apparatus for detecting the occurrence of a predetermined character pattern comprising;

• first means for identifying the order of occurrence of a predetermined number of incoming characters in an incoming word;
• a second means for identifying each incoming character;
• and
• a search memory means responsive to said first and second means for determining if each identified incoming character and its order of occurrence in an incoming word corresponds to a character and its order of occurrence in said predetermined character pattern, said search memory means comprising a first set of bit stages, each bit stage corresponding to a specific character and an order of occurrence with respect to an incoming word;
• each of said first set of bit stages defining a first stage if that bit stage does not correspond to a character and its order of occurrence within said predetermined character pattern;
• means for addressing each bit stage corresponding to each incoming character and its order of occurrence within an incoming word;
• and
• means for generating a mismatch signal whenever said addressed bit stage is identified with said first state.

In combination with a data source supplying a stream of incoming binary signals representing a document formed of words formed of characters formed of a plurality of said binary signals, an apparatus for detecting the occurrence of a predetermined character pattern comprising;

• first means for identifying the order of occurrence of a predetermined number of incoming character in an incoming word;
• second means for identifying each incoming character;
• and
• a search memory means responsive to said first and second means for determining if each identified incoming character and its order of occurrence in an incoming word corresponds to a character and its order of occurrence in said predetermined character pattern, said search memory means comprising N sets of bit stages, each bit stage in a set corresponding to a specific character and an order of occurrence with respect to an incoming word;
• each bit stage defining a first state if that stage does not correspond to a character and its order of occurrence within said predetermined character pattern;
• means for addressing each bit stage within each of N sets of bit stages corresponding to each incoming character and its order of occurrence within an incoming word;
• and
• means for generating a mismatch signal whenever said addressed bit stage is identified with said first state.

A method for detecting the occurrence of a particularly ordered group or R characters from a stream of binary signals defining both the identities of alphanumeric characters occurring in an ordered sequence and the position of each such character within a character group, the steps comprising:

• defining a memory plane including R storage locations, each of said locations including S bit stages each capable of storing a first state or a second state where S represents the number of different characters that can be identified, said locations storing one or more first states each identifying a particular character;
• addressing one of said R locations corresponding to the position within a character group of each character defined by said binary signals;
• addressing one of said S bit stages within said addressed R location corresponding to the identity of each character defined by said binary signals;
• and
• generating a mismatch signal whenever a bit stage storing a second state is addressed.

A method for detecting the occurrence of a particularly ordered group of R characters in an incoming stream of binary signals defining both the identities of alphanumeric characters occurring in an ordered sequence and the position of each such character within a character group, the steps comprising:

• storing R sets of S bits each, where S represents the number of different characters capable of being identified;
• selectively identifying a particular character in each set by establishing a unique state in one bit of the S bits thereof;
• comparing each character in said incoming stream with the character identified by the particular set of S bits corresponding to the position of said character within a character group;
• and
• generating a mismatch signal whenever said comparing step indicates that the character in said incoming stream differs from the character identified by the corresponding set of S bits.

In combination with a data source supplying a stream of binary signals representing a stream of characters arranged in character groups wherein said character stream includes S different characters, an apparatus for detecting the occurrence of a character group containing a sequence of R particular characters, said apparatus comprising:

• character register means;
• means for loading said character register means with successive characters in said character stream;
• character counter means for counting characters in a character group successively loaded into said character register means;
• a search memory means comprised of R sets of S bit storage devices, each device capable of selectively defining either a first or second state;
• first addressing means responsive to each different count defined by said character counter means for addressing a different set of storage devices;
• second addressing means responsive to each different character loaded into said character register means for addressing a different one of said S bit storage devices;
• and
• means responsive to said first and second addressing means addressing a bit storage device defining a first state for generating a mismatch signal.