Access Point Context Storage Using Hierarchical Data Structures

The patent segments the storage system into two parts: a small internal memory for storing critical context data and a larger external memory for storing less frequently accessed data. This segmentation allows the system to maintain fast access speeds for essential operations while utilizing the larger capacity of external memory, thus resolving the contradiction between storage capacity and access speed.

The patent applies local quality by storing different types of data in different memory locations with different access characteristics. Frequently accessed context information is stored in internal memory for fast access, while less frequently accessed data is stored in external memory. This differentiated storage strategy optimizes both speed and capacity by placing each type of data in the most appropriate storage medium.

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-loading frequently accessed context information into internal memory before it is needed. The system anticipates which data will be required and positions it in the faster internal memory in advance, ensuring that when access is needed, the data is already in the optimal location for fast retrieval, thus maintaining speed while effectively increasing available capacity.

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (memory management unit or controller) that mediates between the internal and external memory systems. This intermediary intelligently manages data placement, transfer, and retrieval between the two memory types, optimizing the use of limited internal memory while maintaining fast access speeds by keeping critical data in internal memory and managing external memory as an extended storage resource.

The patent applies parameter changes by transforming the search key (device identifier) into a hash value that directly maps to the memory location of the corresponding context. This hashing transformation changes the parameter from a linear search key to a direct address, reducing the search operation from O(n) time complexity to O(1) constant time complexity, thus dramatically reducing search time while maintaining reasonable implementation complexity.

The patent replaces the mechanical linear search process with a computational hashing mechanism. Instead of sequentially examining each context entry until the matching device identifier is found, the system uses a hash function to computationally determine the exact location of the context, substituting the mechanical iteration process with a mathematical transformation that achieves the same goal much more efficiently.