US Patent:
20120330979, Dec 27, 2012
Inventors:
Jeremy Eric Elson - Seattle WA, US
Edmund Bernard Nightingale - Redmond WA, US
Owen Sebastian Hofmann - Austin TX, US
Assignee:
Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA
International Classification:
G06F 17/30
Abstract:
A method of sorting a dataset includes incrementally receiving data from the dataset, and incrementally storing the received data as individual input data subsets as the data is received, thereby sequentially generating a plurality of filled data subsets of unsorted data. The method includes individually sorting each filled data subset of unsorted data concurrently with receiving data for a next one of the individual input data subsets, thereby sequentially generating a plurality of sorted input data subsets, and performing a merge sort on the plurality of sorted input data subsets, thereby incrementally generating a sorted version of the dataset.