Patent EP0364180A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0364180A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and apparatus for indexing files on a computer system
Assignee: Next Computer Inc
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Filing: 1989-10-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-10-06
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for automatically indexing and retrieving files in large computer file systems is provided. Keywords are automatically extracted from files to be indexed and used as the entries in an index file. Each file having one of the index entries as a keyword is associated in the index with that keyword. If a file is to be retrieved, and its content but not it name or location is known, its keywords are entered and its identifying information will be displayed (along with that of other files having that keyword), facilitating its retrieval.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael J. Hawley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 21:24
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
For use in a computer system having a mass storage file system, apparatus for automatic indexing of files stored in said file system, said apparatus comprising: means for maintaining at least one index file on said file system, said at least one index file containing a date of most recent indexing and, for each of at least some of said stored files, information regarding a date of last updating for that file, and an association of that file with at least one keyword; and means for automatically updating said at least one index file when a new file is added to said file system and when an existing file is updated, said automatic updating means comprising: means for, for each file, comparing said date of most recent indexing and said date of last updating for that file, means for determining if said date of last updating of that file is later than said date of most recent indexing, and means for updating said keyword association information upon a determination by said determining means that said date of last updating of that file is later than said date of most recent indexing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
191 words
For use in a computer system having a mass storage file system, apparatus for automatic indexing of files stored in said file system, said apparatus comprising: means for maintaining at least one index file on said file system, said at least one index file containing a date of most recent indexing and, for each of at least some of said stored files, information regarding a date of last updating for that file, and an association of that file with at least one keyword; and means for automatically updating said at least one index file when a new file is added to said file system and when an existing file is updated, said automatic updating means comprising: means for, for each file, comparing said date of most recent indexing and said date of last updating for that file, means for determining if said date of last updating of that file is later than said date of most recent indexing, and means for updating said keyword association information upon a determination by said determining means that said date of last updating of that file is later than said date of most recent indexing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein: each of said stored files has associated therewith a file type; and said automatic updating means further comprises: means for, for each file, examining said file type, and means for, based on said file type, extracting from said file keywords and information concerning the relative occurrences of said keywords.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising means for retrieving said files based on said keyword association information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
178 words
For use in a computer system having a mass storage file system, a method for automatic indexing of files stored in said file system, said method comprising: maintaining at least one index file on said file system, said at least one index file containing a date of most recent indexing and, for each of at least some of said stored files, information regarding a date of last updating for that file, and an association of that file with at least one keyword; and automatically updating said at least one index file when a new file is added to said file system and when an existing file is updated, said automatic updating step comprising: for each file, comparing said date of most recent indexing and said date of last updating for that file, determining if said date of last updating of that file is later than said date of most recent indexing, and updating said keyword association information upon a determination that said date of last updating of that file is later than said date of most recent indexing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
178 words
For use in a computer system having a mass storage file system, a method for automatic indexing of files stored in said file system, said method comprising: maintaining at least one index file on said file system, said at least one index file containing a date of most recent indexing and, for each of at least some of said stored files, information regarding a date of last updating for that file, and an association of that file with at least one keyword; and automatically updating said at least one index file when a new file is added to said file system and when an existing file is updated, said automatic updating step comprising: for each file, comparing said date of most recent indexing and said date of last updating for that file, determining if said date of last updating of that file is later than said date of most recent indexing, and updating said keyword association information upon a determination that said date of last updating of that file is later than said date of most recent indexing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 4 wherein: each of said stored files has associated therewith a file type; and said automatic updating step further comprises: for each file, examining said file type, and based on said file type, extracting from said file keywords and information concerning the relative occurrences of said keywords.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising retrieving said files based on said keyword association information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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