System and methods for performing multi-source searches over heterogeneous databases

Patent 5511186 Issued on April 23, 1996. Estimated Expiration Date:

April 23, 2013. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventors

Assignee

MDL Information Systems, Inc.

Application

No. 978016 filed on 11/18/1992

US Classes:

707/2Access augmentation or optimizing

Examiners

Primary: Black, Thomas G.
Assistant: Homere, Jean R.

International Class

G06F 015/00

Abstract

System and methods for performing search and retrieval operations over multiple databases, the system and methods being suitable for use in combination with databases of different kinds managed by different database management systems, the system and methods also being suitable for use in combination with databases resident on different computers in a computer network environment. The system and methods in their simplest application search each of a pair of database segments incrementally, using the incremental results of one search to direct the processing of the other search. The methods may be nested, and the system may be used in multiple instances, to effect searches on combinations of any number of database segments.