Subsidiary document identification system

Claim 2

For use in a data processing system including (a) a random access data storage device for storing a plurality of words comprising sets of data signal combinations representing a parent document identification number and identification numbers of documents subsidiary to said parent document, (b) means for randomly searching said device to cull therefrom a word having a desired document identification number, (c) a storage file and means for entering and retrieving data signal combinations from said file, (d) a memory, a register portion of said memory adapted to store an Nth tier parent document identification number, a matrix portion of said memory adapted to store a plurality of document identification numbers in tier and rank order, and (e) control and arithmetic units including means for transferring data signals between said random access storage device and said memory, between said storage file and said memory, and between said arithmetic unit and said memory; a program method for directing the operation of said data processing system to process a plurality of said words so as to compile in said storage file a set of words representing a tier-ordered detail subsidiary document tree, said program method comprising: i. a first subroutine including the steps of culling from said random access storage device a word having a parent identification number corresponding to that Nth tier parent document identification number stored in said memory register portion; and entering the subsidiary document identification numbers contained in said culled word into said memory matrix portion in N+1 tier, lowest consecutive available rank positions; ii. a second subroutine including the step of entering the tier value N, the stored Nth tier parent document identification number and portions of said culled word into said storage file, said storage file entries being arranged ordinally; and iii. a third subroutine including the steps of determining in said memory matrix portion the unflagged position of highest tier and lowest rank having a document identification number stored therein; flagging said determined position; entering the document identification number stored in said determined position into said memory register portion in place of the previous contents thereof; and causing re-entry of said (i) first subroutine.

Claim 3

A program method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: initially entering a first tier document identification number in said memory register portion and causing initial entry of said (i) first subroutine; and wherein said (iii) third subroutine further comprises the steps of determining when all memory matrix portion positions having document identification numbers stored therein have been flagged; determining if additional first tier document identification numbers are to be searched; and entering, in response to said all flagged condition, the next additional first tier document identification number in said memory register portion in place of the previous contents thereof and causing re-entry of said (i) first subroutine.

Claim 4

A program method as defined in claim 2 comprising the further step of: printing out contents of said storage file, said printout being initiated when no additional first tier document identification numbers remain to be searched in response to said all flagged condition.

Claim 5

A program method as defined in claim 1 wherein said (i) first subroutine further comprises the steps of: determining if said culled word previously has been accessed at the same or lower tier; and entering, if said culled word has not previously been accessed at the same or lower tier, the tier value N N and the storage file ordinal sequence number R R into said culled word.

Claim 6

A program method as defined in claim 4 further comprising: iv. a forth subroutine entered when all storage file entries have been made, and including the steps of identifying the document identification number stored in each storage file word; again culling from said random access storage device the word corresponding to said identified document identification number; comparing the tier value N and ordinal sequence number R of said storage file word with the tier value N and sequence number R present in said again culled corresponding word; and entering the value R into said storage file word if N>N or if N N and R>R.

Claim 7

A program method as defined in claim 4 further comprising the steps of: initially entering a first tier document identification number in said memory register portion and for causing initial entry of said (i) first subroutine; and wherein said (iii) third subroutine further comprises the steps of determining when all memory matrix portion positions having document identification numbers stored therein have been flagged; determining if additional first tier document identification numbers are to be searched, and entering, in response to said all flagged condition, the next additional first tier docu-ment identification number in said memory register portion in place of the previous contents thereof and causing re-performance of said (i) first subroutine.

Claim 8

A program method as defined in claim 6 further comprising: iv. a forth subroutine entered when all storage file entries have been made, and including the steps of identifying the document identification number stored in each storage file word; again culling from said random access storage device the word corresponding to said identified document identification number; comparing the tier value N and ordinal sequence number R of said storage file word with the tier value N and sequence number R present in said again culled corresponding word; and entering the value R into said storage file word if N>N or if N N and R>R .

Claim 9

A program method as defined in claim 7 comprising the further step of: printing out contents of said storage file, said printout being initiated when no additional first tier document identification numbers remain to be searched and in response to said all flagged condition.

Claim 10

A program method as defined in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: determining whether said storage file contains redundant words having the same document identification number, and listing only the non-redundant storage file words.

Claim 11

A program method as defined in claim 2 further comprising the steps of: determining whether said storage file contains redundant words having the same document identification number, and printing out only the non-redundant storage file words, said printout being initiated when no additional first tier document identification numbers remain to be searched and in response to said all flagged condition.

Claim 12

A program method as defined in Claim 5 comprising the further step of: printing out only those storage file words in which no value of R has been entered during said (iv) fourth subroutine.

Claim 13

A program method as defined in claim 5 further comprising: (v) a fifth subroutine entered upon completion of said (iv) fourth subroutine, said fifth subroutine including the steps of entering the first tier parent document identification number in each storage file word of tier N > or = 2 in which no value of R has been entered during said (iv) fourth subroutine; and printing out all storage file word in which no value of R has been entered during said (iv) fourth subroutine.

Claim 14

A program method as defined in claim 1 wherein said memory further comprises a data register portion for storing a control date, wherein said storage device may contain more than one word having the same parent document identification number but with different effective dates, and wherein said (i) first subroutine includes the step of culling that word having the desired parent document identification number and the effective date most recently preceeding said stored control date.

Claim 15

A program method as defined in claim 13 further comprising the steps of: determining whether said storage file contains redundant words having the same document identification number, and preparing an auxiliary file containing the non-redundant storage file words.

Claim 16

A data processing system including a data storage device for storing a plurality of words comprising sets of data signal combinations representing a parent document identification number and identification numbers of documents subsidiary to said parent document, means for searching said storage device to cull therefrom a word having a desired parent document identification number, a storage file and means for entering and retrieving data signal combinations from said file, a memory, and control and arithmetic units including means for transferring data signals between said storage device, said storage file, said memory file and said arithmetic unit, all under the direction of a stored program, the improvement wherein said system is programmed to process a plurality of said words so as to compile in said storage file a set of Words representing a subsidiary document tree, said stored program comprising: i. a first subroutine including the step of culling from said storage device a word having a parent document identification number corresponding to an Nth tier parent document identification number stored in a portion of said memory or like register; ii. a second subroutine including the step of storing the subsidiary document identification numbers contained in said word culled by said first subroutine; iii. a third subroutine including the step of entering the Nth tier parent document identification number and portions of said culled word into said storage file; and iv. a fourth subroutine including the steps of determining from said stored subsidiary document identification numbers the next parent document identification number to be searched; entering this next parent document identification number in said memory portion or like register in place of the previous contents thereof; and causing re-entry of said first subroutine.

Claim 17

A data processing system including a data storage device for storing a plurality of words comprising sets of data signal combinations representing a parent document identification number and identification numbers of documents subsidiary to said parent document, means for searching said storage device to cull therefrom a word having a desired parent document identification number, a storage file and means for entering and retrieving data signal combinations from said file, a memory, and control and arithmetic units including means for transferring data signals between said storage device, said storage file, said memory file and said arithmetic unit, all under the direction of a stored program, the improvement wherein said system is programmed to process a plurality of said words so as to compile in said storage file a set of Words representing a subsidiary document tree, said stored program comprising: i. a first subroutine including the step of culling from said storage device a word having a parent document identification number corresponding to an Nth tier parent document identification number stored in a portion of said memory or like register; ii. a second subroutine including the step of storing the subsidiary document identification numbers contained in said word culled by said first subroutine; iii. a third subroutine including the step of entering the Nth tier parent document identification number and portions of said culled word into said storage file; and iv. a fourth subroutine including the steps of determining from said stored subsidiary document identification numbers the next parent document identification number to be searched; entering this next parent document identification number in said memory portion or like register in place of the previous contents thereof; and causing re-entry of said first subroutine.

Claim 18

A system as defined in claim 15 wherein said second subroutine utilizes a matrix portion of said memory, said matrix being organized by rank and tier, said subroutine including the further step of entering the identification numbers of documents subsidiary to an Nth tier parent document in consecutive rank positions of the N+1 tier of said matrix.

Claim 19

A system as defined in claim 16 wherein said second subroutine includes the step of maintaining a table in said memory listing the highest value rank Kg(N) of each tier N of said matrix containing a document identification number.

Claim 20

A system as defined in claim 17 wherein said fourth subroutine includes the step of maintaining a table in said memory listing the rank Kn(N) of each tier N of said matrix containing the next unsearched document identification number, said step of determining being responsive to the listed values of Kg(N), Kn(N) and the tier N of the previously searched parent document, said fourth subroutine including the further step of updating said listed values Kn(N) when the next parent document identification number has been determined.

Claim 21

For use in a general purpose digital computer having (a) a data storage device for storing a plurality of data words each representing a parent document identification number and identification numbers of documents subsidiary to said parent document; (b) a memory, a register portion of said memory adapted to store an Nth tier parent document identification number, another portion of said memory adapted to store program instructions to be performed by said computer; and (c) a storage file; a computer program for directing said digital computer to process a plurality of said words so as to compile in said storage file a set of words representing a detail subsidiary document tree, said computer program comprising a set of instructions stored in said other memory portion and defining: i. a first computer directing program subroutine including the steps of culling from said storage device a word having a parent document identification number corresponding to that Nth tier parent document identification number stored in said memory register portion and listing said storage device word to indicate that it has been culled; ii. a second program subroutine including the step of entering the stored Nth tier parent document identification number and portions of said culled word into said storage file; and iii. a third program subroutine including the step of determining from said listed storage device word the next subsidiary document identification number to be searched, entering this next document identification number into said memory register portion in place of the previous contents thereof; and causing re-entry of said (i) program subroutine.

Claim 22

For use in a general purpose digital computer having (a) a data storage device for storing a plurality of data words each representing a parent document identification number and identification numbers of documents subsidiary to said parent document; (b) a memory, a register portion of said memory adapted to store an Nth tier parent document identification number, another portion of said memory adapted to store program instructions to be performed by said computer; and (c) a storage file; a computer program for directing said digital computer to process a plurality of said words so as to compile in said storage file a set of words representing a detail subsidiary document tree, said computer program comprising a set of instructions stored in said other memory portion and defining: i. a first computer directing program subroutine including the steps of culling from said storage device a word having a parent document identification number corresponding to that Nth tier parent document identification number stored in said memory register portion and listing said storage device word to indicate that it has been culled; ii. a second program subroutine including the step of entering the stored Nth tier parent document identification number and portions of said culled word into said storage file; and iii. a third program subroutine including the step of determining from said listed storage device word the next subsidiary document identification number to be searched, entering this next document identification number into said memory register portion in place of the previous contents thereof; and causing re-entry of said (i) program subroutine.

Claim 23

For use in a data processing system includiNg (a) a random access data storage device for storing a plurality of words comprising sets of data signal combinations representing a parent document identification number and identification numbers of documents subsidiary to said parent document, certain of said words having the same parent document identification number but different effective dates, (b) means for randomly searching said device to cull therefrom a word having a desired document identification number, (c) a storage file and means for entering and retrieving data signal combinations from said file, (d) a memory, a register portion of said memory adapted to store an Nth tier parent document identification number, a matrix portion of said memory adapted to store a plurality of document identification numbers in tier and rank order, a data register portion of said memory adapted to store first and second different control dates, and (e) control and arithmetic units including means for transferring data signals between said random access storage device and said memory, between said storage file and said memory, and between said arithmetic unit and said memory; a program method for directing the operation of said data processing system to process a plurality of said words so as to compile in said storage file first and second sets of words representing first and second tier-ordered detail subsidiary document trees for the respective first and second different control dates, and to compare the contents of said first and second trees, said program method including: a. a first routine for generating said first detail subsidiary document tree, comprising; i. a first subroutine including the steps of culling from said random access storage device a word having a parent identification number corresponding to that Nth tier parent document identification number stored in said memory register portion and having the effective date most recently preceding said first stored control data; and entering the subsidiary document identification numbers contained in said culled word into said memory matrix portion in N+1 tier, lowest consecutive available rank positions; ii. a second subroutine including the step of entering the tier value N, the stored Nth tier parent document identification number and portions of said culled word into said storage file, said storage file entries being arranged ordinally; and iii. a third subroutine including the steps of determining in said memory matrix portion the unflagged position of highest tier and lowest rank having a document identification number stored therein; flagging said determined position; entering the document identification number stored in said determined position into said memory register portion in place of the previous contents thereof; and causing re-entry of said (i) first subroutine b. a second routine including the steps of determining whether said first detail subsidiary document tree contains redundant words having the same document identification number; and preparing a first auxiliary file containing the non-redundant storage file words of said first tree; c. a third routine for generating said second detail subsidiary document tree, comprising subroutines identical to the said subroutines (i) through (iii) but culling words having the effective date most recently preceding said second stored control date; d. a fourth routine including the steps of determining whether said second detail subsidiary document tree contains redundant words having the same document identification number; and for preparing a second auxiliary file containing the non-redundant storage file words of said second tree; and e. a fifth routine for comparing the contents of said first and second subsidiary document trees as contained in the respective first and second auxiliary files generated by said second and fourth routines, comprising the steps of: storing the document identification number of each word in saiD first auxiliary file in a storage register portion of said memory; searching said second auxiliary file for a corresponding word having the same document identification number as that stored in said storage register; comparing the effective dates of said corresponding first and second auxiliary file words; and making an entry in said first auxiliary file word indicating whether said corresponding second auxiliary file word was found, and if so, whether the effective date of said second auxiliary file word was earlier than the effective date of said corresponding first auxiliary file word.

Claim 24

For use in a data processing system includiNg (a) a random access data storage device for storing a plurality of words comprising sets of data signal combinations representing a parent document identification number and identification numbers of documents subsidiary to said parent document, certain of said words having the same parent document identification number but different effective dates, (b) means for randomly searching said device to cull therefrom a word having a desired document identification number, (c) a storage file and means for entering and retrieving data signal combinations from said file, (d) a memory, a register portion of said memory adapted to store an Nth tier parent document identification number, a matrix portion of said memory adapted to store a plurality of document identification numbers in tier and rank order, a data register portion of said memory adapted to store first and second different control dates, and (e) control and arithmetic units including means for transferring data signals between said random access storage device and said memory, between said storage file and said memory, and between said arithmetic unit and said memory; a program method for directing the operation of said data processing system to process a plurality of said words so as to compile in said storage file first and second sets of words representing first and second tier-ordered detail subsidiary document trees for the respective first and second different control dates, and to compare the contents of said first and second trees, said program method including: a. a first routine for generating said first detail subsidiary document tree, comprising; i. a first subroutine including the steps of culling from said random access storage device a word having a parent identification number corresponding to that Nth tier parent document identification number stored in said memory register portion and having the effective date most recently preceding said first stored control data; and entering the subsidiary document identification numbers contained in said culled word into said memory matrix portion in N+1 tier, lowest consecutive available rank positions; ii. a second subroutine including the step of entering the tier value N, the stored Nth tier parent document identification number and portions of said culled word into said storage file, said storage file entries being arranged ordinally; and iii. a third subroutine including the steps of determining in said memory matrix portion the unflagged position of highest tier and lowest rank having a document identification number stored therein; flagging said determined position; entering the document identification number stored in said determined position into said memory register portion in place of the previous contents thereof; and causing re-entry of said (i) first subroutine b. a second routine including the steps of determining whether said first detail subsidiary document tree contains redundant words having the same document identification number; and preparing a first auxiliary file containing the non-redundant storage file words of said first tree; c. a third routine for generating said second detail subsidiary document tree, comprising subroutines identical to the said subroutines (i) through (iii) but culling words having the effective date most recently preceding said second stored control date; d. a fourth routine including the steps of determining whether said second detail subsidiary document tree contains redundant words having the same document identification number; and for preparing a second auxiliary file containing the non-redundant storage file words of said second tree; and e. a fifth routine for comparing the contents of said first and second subsidiary document trees as contained in the respective first and second auxiliary files generated by said second and fourth routines, comprising the steps of: storing the document identification number of each word in saiD first auxiliary file in a storage register portion of said memory; searching said second auxiliary file for a corresponding word having the same document identification number as that stored in said storage register; comparing the effective dates of said corresponding first and second auxiliary file words; and making an entry in said first auxiliary file word indicating whether said corresponding second auxiliary file word was found, and if so, whether the effective date of said second auxiliary file word was earlier than the effective date of said corresponding first auxiliary file word.