Data format for website traffic statistics

Abstract

A data format is optimized for storing data such as website traffic data. The data format enables easy access to and filtering of data, for example in generating website traffic reports. The data format also provides significant data compression. A method for generating a data file according to the data format employs linear compression and indexing to efficiently store the data. Data stored according to the format can be easily retrieved, particularly when a known value is specified and particular entries matching the known value are sought.

1 - 62 . (canceled) 
     
     
         63 . A method comprising:
 receiving a data set comprising rows of data, each row comprising a respective row identifier and one or more fields, each comprising a respective value; and   generating a compressed representation of the data set, wherein the compressed representation identifies, for a unique value for a field, a start row number and an end row number for a contiguous range of rows in the data set, each row of the contiguous range of rows comprising the unique value for the field.   
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the end row number is identified in the compressed representation as an offset. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the end row number is identified in the compressed representation as an offset based on the start row number. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the end row number is identified in the compressed representation as an offset based on a previous row number. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the offset based on the previous row number is based on a previous start row number. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the offset based on the previous row number is based on a previous end row number. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the compressed representation identifies at least one absolute row number. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein the end row number is identified in the compressed representation as an offset based on the absolute row number. 
     
     
         71 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a compressed representation of a data set, the data set comprising rows of data, each row comprising a respective row identifier and one or more fields, each comprising a respective value, wherein the compressed representation identifies, for a unique value for a field, a start row number and an end row number for a contiguous range of rows in the data set, each row of the contiguous range of rows comprising the unique value for the field. 
     
     
         72 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 71 , wherein the end row number is identified in the compressed representation as an offset. 
     
     
         73 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 71 , wherein the end row number is identified in the compressed representation as an offset based on the start row number. 
     
     
         74 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 71 , wherein the end row number is identified in the compressed representation as an offset based on a previous row number. 
     
     
         75 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 74 , wherein the offset based on the previous row number is based on a previous start row number. 
     
     
         76 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 74 , wherein the offset based on the previous row number is based on a previous end row number. 
     
     
         77 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 71 , wherein the compressed representation identifies at least one absolute row number. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 77  wherein the end row number is identified in the compressed representation as an offset based on the absolute row number. 
     
     
         79 . A method comprising:
 determining a row in a compressed representation of a data set that contains a value, the compressed representation of a data set a data set comprising rows of data, each row comprising a respective row identifier and one or more fields, each comprising a respective value, wherein the compressed representation identifies, for a unique value for a field, a start row number and an end row number for a contiguous range of rows in the data set, each row of the contiguous range of rows comprising the unique value for the field; and   based on the identified row, generating output identifying the start row number and end row number for the contiguous range of rows in the data set.   
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein the end row number is identified in the compressed representation as an offset. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 79 , wherein the end row number is identified in the compressed representation as an offset based on the start row number. 
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 79  further comprising determining all rows in the data set that contains the value, wherein the generated output identifies start row numbers and end row numbers for all contiguous ranges of rows in the data set comprising the value.