Abstract: A device for the processing of a data base consisting of a sequence of data records, having a reference memory (140) for a reference data record and a mask memory (142) for a mask data record. In reaction to the successively received data of a data record, these memories can be read in order to activate a comparison. There is provided an indicator element (160) which has a state "provisionally correct" and which is activated by a starting signal produced by the reception of a data record. If the comparison indicates that an impermissible relationship exists between the content of an element of the data record received and the corresponding element of the reference data record, the indicator element is set to the state "incorrect". The data record received is meanwhile stored in a data buffer (100,102). At the end of the reception, the state of the indicator element indicates whether or not the data record may be applied to a user.

Abstract: A merging device is used for combining a first list and a second list in order to form a result list. All lists satisfy a linear ordering criterion. At the beginning of the actual merging operation, the second list is stored in a random access memory. This memory is divided into (kmax) memory blocks, the second list filling at the most the (kmax-2) non-largest memory blocks thereof. Efficient bookkeeping is achieved by means of two block list updating devices.