Information processing system

An information processing system for normalizing an input character string and storing the normalized character string is provided whereby the required storage capacity can be cut down. Normalizing means normalizes an input character string, for example, , and generates , which is then supplied to restoration information generating means and storing means. The restoration information generating means is supplied also with the original character string , besides the normalized character string , and generates restoration information “F@&” consisting of ASCII characters, which is supplied to storing means. The storing means stores the normalized character string and the restoration information “F@&” in a manner associated with each other. When the normalized character string stored in the storing means is specified, restoring means acquires the corresponding restoration information “F@&” and, based on the acquired information, restores the original information . Consequently, the required storage capacity of the storing means can be cut down, compared with the case of storing also the input character string .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of operation according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process executed when data is registered in a database in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating details of a “NORMALIZATION AND RESTORATION INFORMATION GENERATION PROCESS” appearing in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a chart illustrating an example of a code conversion table used in the normalization and a restoration process;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating details of a “CONVERSION CLASS DECISION PROCESS” appearing in Steps S

22 and S

25 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating details of a “RESTORATION INFORMATION GENERATION PROCESS” appearing in Step S

32 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a chart illustrating, by way of example, conversion symbols constituting restoration information;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of a normalized character string and restoration information thereof generated according to the embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of a normalized character string and restoration information thereof generated according to the embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating still another example of a normalized character string and restoration information thereof generated according to the embodiment;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a further example of a normalized character string and restoration information thereof generated according to the embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a retrieval process executed according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating details of a “RESTORATION PROCESS” appearing in FIG.

13.

1. An information processing system for normalizing an input character string and storing a resulting character string, comprising:

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein if the character types before and after the normalization are identical and also if a number of bytes constituting the group of consecutive characters of identical character type is 1 byte, said restoration information generating means generates 1-byte information indicating that the character types before and after the normalization are identical and that the number of bytes constituting the group of consecutive characters of identical character type is 1 byte.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein if the character types before and after the normalization are identical and also if a number of bytes constituting the group of consecutive characters of identical character type is 2 bytes or more, said restoration information generating means generates 1-byte information indicating that the character types before and after the normalization are identical and that the number of bytes constituting the group of consecutive characters of identical character type is 2 bytes or more, and also generates 1-byte information indicating the number of characters in the group of consecutive characters.

4. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein if the group of consecutive characters of identical character type are half-size alphabetic characters, said restoration information generating means generates predetermined restoration information indicating that the group of consecutive characters of identical character type are half-size alphabetic characters, and

5. The information processing system according to claim 1, further comprising display/output means for outputting the restoration information to a display device to be displayed thereat.

6. A computer-readable recording medium recording program for causing a computer to perform a process of normalizing an input character string and storing a resulting character string, wherein the program causes the computer to function as: