Abstract: A thesaurus receives a word and uses a word list to obtain a corresponding number. The corresponding number is then compared with numbers grouped in sequence to represent synonym groups. For each match, information about the group including the matching number is determined based on the sequential position of the matching number. This information may include the group's part of speech, its length, and the positions of its members. The numbers in the group are retrieved and the corresponding synonymous words are obtained, again using the word list. Tables contain data used to determine the information about a group containing a matching number. The groups are sorted by part of speech and one table contains information about the ending position of each part of speech so that a group's part of speech can be determined from the position of any number in it.

Abstract: An FSM data structure is encoded by generating a transition unit of data corresponding to each transition which leads ultimately to a final state of the FSM. Information about the states is included in the transition units, so that the encoded data structure can be written without state units of data. The incoming transition units to a final state each contain an indication of finality. The incoming transition units to a state which has no outgoing transition units each contain a branch ending indication. The outgoing transition units of each state are ordered into a comparison sequence for comparison with a received element, and all but the last outgoing transition unit contain an alternative indication of a subsequent alternative outgoing transition.