Ordered Data Structure Using Key-Based Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ordered data structures require updating of references during insertion or deletion, leading to increased processing time and potential corruption of subsequent elements if an element is lost or corrupted.
Innovation Solution
Decoupling references from data elements by using keys that maintain order, allowing for independent insertion, deletion, and access of data elements without updating keys, and enabling independent access to data elements to minimize corruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If references are coupled with data elements to maintain order, then order among data elements is maintained, but processing time increases significantly during restructuring operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the coupling between references and data elements by introducing a key as an intermediary. Instead of direct coupling where references store addresses of succeeding elements, the invention uses keys that maintain implicit order without storing references. This segmentation allows data elements to be reordered without updating references, resolving the contradiction between maintaining order and reducing processing time.
2Stability of the object's composition
If references store addresses of succeeding data elements, then order is maintained, but corruption or loss of an element renders subsequent elements inaccessible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a key as an intermediary between references and data elements. The key maintains the implicit order without storing references to succeeding elements. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by allowing order maintenance through keys while preventing corruption propagation, since keys do not contain reference information that could be compromised by element loss.
3Stability of the object's composition
If references are updated during insertion or deletion, then order is maintained, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the reference-update mechanism by replacing direct reference coupling with key-based ordering. During insertion or deletion operations, only the affected data element and its key are modified, while other elements maintain their positions without requiring reference updates. This segmentation dramatically improves restructuring efficiency while maintaining order through the implicit ordering of keys.
4Stability of the object's composition
If data elements are accessed through references, then order is maintained, but access operations require traversing preceding elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a key as a copy or representation of the ordering information without containing the actual reference to succeeding elements. This key copy maintains the implicit order and allows direct access to data elements based on key values or positions, eliminating the need to traverse preceding elements while preserving order maintenance.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a method and computer program product for creating an ordered data structure for storing a plurality of data elements. The data elements to be stored are first arranged in an order. A plurality of keys is then generated for the ordered data elements such that the keys may be arranged in a sequence. Thereafter, one or more keys from the plurality of keys are associated with the ordered data elements such that the values of the keys maintain the requisite order among the ordered data elements. Finally, an ordered data structure is created for storing the ordered data elements along with the associated keys.