Use of fixed field array for document rank data

1. A computer based search server comprising:

a memory;

a processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory, the instructions configured to cause the processor to:

receive a search term;

search an inverted index stored in the memory using the search term to obtain one or more document numbers associated by the inverted index with the search term, the one or more document numbers further associated with one or more corresponding documents that include the search term;

retrieve one or more rank values for the documents from a fixed-width field array stored in the memory, wherein each array position corresponds to one of the document numbers, and the rank value of each document number is stored at the array position that corresponds to the document number, and

wherein the rank values specify an ordering of the document numbers and are indexed in the fixed-width field array by the document numbers; and

provide search results comprising indicia of the one or more corresponding documents ordered in accordance with the rank values.

2. The computer-based search server of claim 1 , wherein the fixed-width field array is memory-mapped.

3. The computer based search server of claim 1 , wherein updating values associated with document rank modifies the fixed-width field array without modifying the inverted index.

4. The computer based search server of claim 1 , wherein the search results are provided to a user.

5. The computer based search server of claim 1 , wherein the rank values are combined with search relevance data to produce the order of search results.

6. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a plurality of instructions executable by a processor, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions that cause the processor to receive a search term;

instructions that cause the processor to search an inverted index using the search term to obtain one or more document numbers associated by the inverted index with the search term, the one or more document numbers further associated with one or more corresponding documents that include the search term;

instructions that cause the processor to retrieve one or more rank values for the documents from a fixed-width field array, wherein each array position corresponds to one of the document numbers, and the rank value of each document number is stored at the array position that corresponds to the document number, and

wherein the rank values specify an ordering of the document numbers and are indexed in the fixed-width field array by the document numbers; and

instructions that cause the processor to provide search results comprising indicia of the one or more corresponding documents ordered in accordance with the rank values.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the fixed-width field array is memory-mapped.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein updating values associated with document rank modifies the fixed-width field array without modifying the inverted index.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the search results are provided to a user.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein the rank values are combined with search relevance data to produce the order of search results.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, a search term;

searching, by the computer system, an inverted index using the search term to obtain one or more document numbers associated by the inverted index with the search term, the one or more document numbers further associated with one or more corresponding documents that include the search term;

retrieving, by the computer system, one or more rank values for the documents from a fixed-width field array, wherein each array position corresponds to one of the document numbers, and the rank value of each document number is stored at the array position that corresponds to the document number, and

wherein the rank values specify an ordering of the document numbers and are indexed in the fixed-width field array by the document numbers; and

providing, by the computer system, search results comprising indicia of the one or more corresponding documents ordered in accordance with the rank values.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the fixed-width field array is memory-mapped.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein updating values associated with document rank modifies the fixed-width field array without modifying the inverted index.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the search results are provided to a user.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the rank values are combined with search relevance data to produce the order of search results.