Rapid storage and recall of computer storable messages by utilizing the file structure of a computer's native operating system for message database organization

Claim 1

A message processing system for storing and retrieving a plurality of messages, which are represented by digitized data segments, and received for a plurality of users, said system providing a stable database structure which comprises: (a) a database which utilizes a native file structure of a computer operating system to create a plurality of storage locations in a computer-readable memory for storage of the plurality of messages, each of the plurality of storage locations having a corresponding unique address defined as a directory having a unique number which defines a unique path from a root directory to a directory created by the native file structure, wherein each of the unique addresses corresponds to a storage location for messages received for each of the plurality of users, and wherein the plurality of messages are selected from the group consisting of voice mail, email, fax, video mail and related data; (b) means for creating a plurality of nested subdirectories which correspond to the unique path from the root directory to a subdirectory; (c) means for determining a first storage location where a first digitized data segment is to be stored when the first digitized data segment is received; (d) means for storing the first digitized data segment at the first storage location; (e) means for determining the first storage location where the first digitized data segment is stored when it is to be retrieved; (f) means for retrieving the first digitized data segment from the first storage location; and (g) mean for recall controlling the means for retrieving such that digitized information saved in any of the plurality of storage locations can be retrieved, and wherein a filename for a segment of digitized data to be stored and later retrieved comprises: a message owner absolute index number which identifies the owner of the file; a data file index number which defines a unique number for the file within the subdirectory; a message type indicator which defines the type of message contained in the data so that it can be retrieved using an appropriate method; and a status indicator which defines a message state.

Claim 14

A method for storing and retrieving a plurality of digitized data segments, said method providing a highly stable database structure while improving storage and access speed within a computer-readable memory, and comprising the steps of: (a) forming the database by creating a plurality of storage locations in the computer-readable memory by utilizing a native file structure of a computer operating system to create a unique address defined as a path to a directory, and including the step of creating a plurality of nested subdirectories which correspond to a plurality of unique paths from a root directory to a plurality of subdirectories in the computer-readable memory wherein the plurality of digitized data segments are to be stored, and wherein less than 128 first subdirectories are created within the root directory, and less than 128 second subdirectories are created within each of the first subdirectories; (b) determining a corresponding storage location where a first digitized data segment is to be stored when the first digitized data segment is received; (c) storing the first digitized data segment in the corresponding storage location; (d) determining the corresponding storage location wherein the first digitized data segment is stored within the computer-readable memory when it is to be retrieved; and (e) retrieving the first digitized data segment from the corresponding storage location.

Claim 15

A method for storing and retrieving a plurality of digitized data segments, said method providing a highly stable database structure while improving storage and access speed within a computer-readable memory, and comprising the steps of: (a) forming the database by creating a plurality of storage locations in the computer-readable memory by utilizing a native file structure of a computer operating system to create a unique address defined as a path to a directory, and including the step of creating a plurality of nested subdirectories which correspond to a plurality of unique paths from a root directory to a plurality of subdirectories in the computer-readable memory wherein the plurality of digitized data segments are to be stored, and wherein less than 128 first subdirectories are created within the root directory, and less than 128 second subdirectories are created within each of the first subdirectories; (b) determining a corresponding storage location where a first digitized data segment is to be stored when the first digitized data segment is received; (c) storing the first digitized data segment in the corresponding storage location; (d) determining the corresponding storage location wherein the first digitized data segment is stored within the computer-readable memory when it is to be retrieved; and (e) retrieving the first digitized data segment from the corresponding storage location.