Merging sorted lists.

摘要

In a system and method for merging a plurality of sorted lists using a multi-processing machine, the sorted lists are divided into a number of tasks equal to the number of processors. Pre-ordered lists which need no merging are removed initially in step 306. Search bounds are then determined in step 316 and an appropriate task size based upon the number of processors and the number of records is determined in step 308. The sorted lists are partitioned into the number of tasks equal to the number of processors in step 310. The tasks are then separately sorted in step 312 and concatenated to form a single sorted list in step 314. Advantage is taken of the multi-processing machine during the creation of the tasks, as well as the actual sorting.