A data retrieving method and apparatus capable of narrowing the range of retrieved data without changing the retrieving condition equation, capable of retrieving data by designating relative conditions, and capable of providing indices for helping a user to judge the properness of retrieved results. The data retrieving apparatus includes a term defining unit for defining a fuzzy term designated by a user and related terms and assigned to an item to be retrieved, by setting a retrieving condition range for each of the terms and a distribution curve representing an optimum distribution within the retrieving condition range for each term, a satisfaction degree evaluating unit for calculating a satisfaction degree of the retrieved data by using a function allocated to the distribution curve, and a condition analyzing unit for transforming the fuzzy term into numerical values to obtain a value-based retrieving condition equation.

The present invention provides a system for the input, retrieval, manipulation and analysis of stored information in an information base. The system comprises an input device, a storage device, and an output device each capable of handling information elements. Each of the attributes of the information elements is processed to produce a compact symbol or code corresponding to predefined ranges of values of an attribute. These codes are then stored in correspondence with the information elements which gave rise to them. The result of this processing is a topological map of the attributes of the information elements. These topological maps may be retrieved and later processed to efficiently retrieve stored information elements, given any general unpreprogrammed query as input to the system. These topological maps may also be utilized in a process to determine correlations among the various attributes of the information elements.

Apparatus for and method of searching a data base using variable search criteria. The data base consists of a set of files or portions thereof. Each file is divided into a number of records whereby all records of a given file have the same format but the records of different files may have different formats. A field format register is used to define the format of the records within a given file. The field format register specifies the location and width of each field within a record. To perform a search, a field-by-field comparison of each record is made to a reference word. The comparison yields a less than, equal to or greater than result for each field of each record. A field comparison register describes the expected result of the field-by-field comparison. A given field is designated true if the comparison yields the expected result specified for that field in the field comparison register. A given field is designated false if the comparison yields other than the expected result specified in the field comparison register. A hit on a given record is defined as satisfying a Boolean expression using the field-by-field true/false definitions as input variables. A given record is a miss if the Boolean expression is not satisfied.

A system and method for restructuring the physical storage of a table of a database. The records of the table are grouped into one or more partitions, each of which is stored in a file having a number of fixed sized blocks. Each of the blocks has a first format. Restructuring the physical storage of the table involves changing, to a second format, the format of the blocks of the file in which a partition of the table is stored. Additionally, control data that includes a catalog table and one or more file labels describing the partitions in which the records of the table are grouped, is altered to indicate that the blocks of a partition are enabled to be stored in the second format. Restructuring occurs in phases so as to minimize the inaccessibility of the table being restructured to updates.

A method is disclosed using a digital data processing means for determining from a plurality of candidate words at least one which is both an acceptable spelling and an acceptable inflection of a query word. The words are represented by machine readable coded signals and comprise plural characters. The steps are as follows: Determine a stem portion of such query word. Form a suffix class indication for any one of a plurality of classes in which the query word may be included. Compare the determined query stem with characters in the beginning of such candidate words for finding acceptable and nonacceptable spelling matches. Determine an ending portion, if any, in each individual candidate words which is an acceptable spelling match. Utilize the suffix class indication to select a representation of at least one acceptable suffix for the candidate words. Compare a representation of the at least one selected acceptable suffix and the determined ending portions in the individual candidate words which are acceptable spelling matches to determine at least one predetermined acceptable relation therebetween.