NameSearch Product Information
Intelligent Search Technology

Range Building

At inquiry time the application program accepts a name that is passed to NameSearch. NameSearch returns a set of, from and to, values. These values will be used by the application to retrieve records that lay between them. Each successive range gets bigger and includes the previous set.

The application program will nominate a range and retrieve those records, whose keys fall between it. The nomination of a range is dependent on performance requirements, precision or accuracy of search, and the number of records stored in the database. The average number of names returned increases linearly as the size of the database grows. A database that contains 100,000 records would return one candidate if .001 percent of the database were returned. In cases with light volume, it is affordable to process larger sets. With larger databases, processing broad sets become prohibitive as a result of performance considerations.

Following the return of the initial candidate list the ability to broaden a search is sometimes required. This can be achieved by simply cascading through the remaining search ranges. This approach works well when the user wants to revisit entries that were already displayed. In instances where you do not want the previous records displayed the application program must process only those records that lay between the two ranges.

The method for selecting search ranges is dependent on the people using the system and the degree of flexibility required to satisfy your search requirements. The technique for presenting information fluctuates with the caliber of personnel using the system. Criminal investigative professionals need a more flexible application where data entry personnel typically require a more automated system.

The NameSearch product can also produce alternate search ranges. The alternate search ranges can be used to find records that may lie in other areas of the database. The alternate search ranges can be employed by application where the need to ensure the nonexistence of a record overrides performance considerations. Using the alternate search ranges is excessive for most applications using NameSearch.