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US6167407A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Backtracked incremental updating

Assignee: Gen Digital Inc
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Filing: 1998-06-03
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Granted: 2000-12-26
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Expires: 2018-06-03
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Abstract

Abstract A computer readable file of an original state is updated to a final state. The original state and the final state are both states within a sequence (100) of states, which sequence (100) includes at least one hub state and one non-hub state. A first hub version, which corresponds to a hub state which is at least as early in the sequence as the original state, is stored locally. A hub incremental update (110) is retrieved (314) and used to update (316) the hub version to a second hub version, which second hub version corresponds to a hub state which is at least as early in the sequence (100) as the final state. A final incremental update (112) is retrieved (320) and used with the file of the final hub version to produce (322) a file of the final state. The files corresponding to both the second hub state and the final state are retained (324).

Inventors

  • 👤 Carey S. Nachenberg
  • 👤 William E. Sobel

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 21:14
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/60; G06F8/65; G06F8/658; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99942; Y10S707/99943; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952; Y10S707/99953; Y10S707/99954

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 131 words
A method for facilitating updating of a computer readable file to a final state, the final state being a state within an ordered sequence of states associated with the file, the sequence including at least one hub state, the method comprising the steps of: determining as a final hub state a hub state which is at least as early in the sequence as the final state; for each hub state which is earlier in the sequence than the final hub state, making available a hub incremental update containing information about differences between that hub state and the final hub state; and responsive to the final hub state not being the final state, making available a final incremental update containing information about differences between the final hub state and the final state.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 131 words
A method for facilitating updating of a computer readable file to a final state, the final state being a state within an ordered sequence of states associated with the file, the sequence including at least one hub state, the method comprising the steps of: determining as a final hub state a hub state which is at least as early in the sequence as the final state; for each hub state which is earlier in the sequence than the final hub state, making available a hub incremental update containing information about differences between that hub state and the final hub state; and responsive to the final hub state not being the final state, making available a final incremental update containing information about differences between the final hub state and the final state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence includes at least one state which is not a hub state.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 35 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of making available a final incremental update comprises, for each hub incremental update, making available a package including the hub incremental update and the final incremental update.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the final hub state comprises selecting the latest hub state which is not preceded in the sequence by the final state.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of states is a temporal sequence, and each state in the sequence is associated with a position in time.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 45 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of making available a hub incremental update comprises putting the hub incremental update on a server computer, and the step of making available a final incremental update comprises putting the final incremental update on the server computer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 51 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the step of making available a hub incremental update comprises putting the hub incremental update on a removable computer readable storage medium and the step of making available a final incremental update comprises putting the final incremental update on the removable computer readable storage medium.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 240 words
A method for updating a computer readable file of an original state to a final state, the file of the original state residing on a local computer system, the original state and the final state being states within an ordered sequence of states associated with the file, the final state being later in the sequence than the original state, and the sequence including a final hub state which is not preceded in the sequence by the final state, the method comprising the steps of: accessing from a local storage location a file of an original hub state, the original hub state being a hub state in the sequence which is not preceded in the sequence by the original state; responsive to the original hub state not being the final hub state: accessing a hub incremental update containing information about differences between the original hub state and the final hub state; using the hub incremental update and the file of the original hub state to produce a file of the final hub state; and storing the file of the final hub state; and responsive to the final hub state not being the final state: accessing a final incremental update containing information about differences between the final hub state and the final state; using the final incremental update and the file of the final hub state to produce a file of the final state; and storing the file of the final state.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 240 words
A method for updating a computer readable file of an original state to a final state, the file of the original state residing on a local computer system, the original state and the final state being states within an ordered sequence of states associated with the file, the final state being later in the sequence than the original state, and the sequence including a final hub state which is not preceded in the sequence by the final state, the method comprising the steps of: accessing from a local storage location a file of an original hub state, the original hub state being a hub state in the sequence which is not preceded in the sequence by the original state; responsive to the original hub state not being the final hub state: accessing a hub incremental update containing information about differences between the original hub state and the final hub state; using the hub incremental update and the file of the original hub state to produce a file of the final hub state; and storing the file of the final hub state; and responsive to the final hub state not being the final state: accessing a final incremental update containing information about differences between the final hub state and the final state; using the final incremental update and the file of the final hub state to produce a file of the final state; and storing the file of the final state.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the sequence includes at least one state which is not a hub state.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 44 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the hub incremental update and the final incremental update are included in a package, and the sub-step of accessing the hub incremental update and the sub-step of accessing the final update are both performed by accessing the package.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the local storage location is internal to the local computer system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the local storage location is a removable computer readable storage medium.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the sub-step of accessing a hub incremental update comprises accessing the hub incremental update over a computer network, and the sub-step of accessing a final incremental update comprises accessing the final incremental update over the computer network.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the original hub state is the latest hub state which is not preceded in the sequence by the original state.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the final hub state is the latest hub state which is not preceded in the sequence by the final state.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 39 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the sub-step of storing the file of the final hub state comprises replacing the file of the original hub state in the local storage location with the file of the final hub state.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 24 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the sequence of states is a temporal sequence, and each state is associated with a position in time.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the sub-step of storing the file of the final hub state comprises storing the file of the final hub state in a compressed form.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of claim 8, wherein there is only one hub state in the sequence, the hub state not being preceded in the sequence by the original state.
Claim 22
Independent Claim 154 words
A system for facilitating updating of a computer readable file to a final state, the file residing on a local computer, the final state being a state within an ordered sequence of states associated with the file, the sequence including a final hub state which is a hub state that is not preceded in the sequence by the final state, the system comprising: for each hub state preceding the final hub state in the sequence, a hub incremental update containing information about differences between that hub state and the final hub state; a final incremental update containing information about differences between the final hub state and the final state; a server coupled to the local computer, which server has access to any hub incremental updates and the final incremental update, and which, in response to a request by the local computer for an incremental update, transmits the requested incremental update to the local computer.
Claim 23
Independent Claim 154 words
A system for facilitating updating of a computer readable file to a final state, the file residing on a local computer, the final state being a state within an ordered sequence of states associated with the file, the sequence including a final hub state which is a hub state that is not preceded in the sequence by the final state, the system comprising: for each hub state preceding the final hub state in the sequence, a hub incremental update containing information about differences between that hub state and the final hub state; a final incremental update containing information about differences between the final hub state and the final state; a server coupled to the local computer, which server has access to any hub incremental updates and the final incremental update, and which, in response to a request by the local computer for an incremental update, transmits the requested incremental update to the local computer.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system of claim 20, wherein the server is coupled to the local computer by a computer network.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 15 words
The system of claim 21, wherein the server is a removable computer readable storage medium.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 261 words
A computer readable medium containing a computer program for updating a computer readable file of an original state to a final state, the file of the original state residing on a local computer system, the original state and the final state being states within an ordered sequence of states associated with the file, the final state being later in the sequence than the original state, the sequence including as a final hub state a hub state which is not preceded in the sequence by the original state, and the computer program, when executed by the local computer system, causing the local computer system to perform the steps of: accessing from a local storage location a file of an original hub state, the original hub state being a hub state which is not preceded in the sequence by the original state; responsive to the original hub state not being the final hub state: accessing a hub incremental update containing information about differences between the original hub state and the final hub state; using the hub incremental update and the file of the original hub state to produce a file of the final hub state; and storing the file of the final hub state; and responsive to the final hub state not being the final state: accessing a final incremental update containing information about differences between the final hub state and the final state; using the final incremental update and the file of the final hub state to produce a file of the final state; and storing the file of the final state.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 261 words
A computer readable medium containing a computer program for updating a computer readable file of an original state to a final state, the file of the original state residing on a local computer system, the original state and the final state being states within an ordered sequence of states associated with the file, the final state being later in the sequence than the original state, the sequence including as a final hub state a hub state which is not preceded in the sequence by the original state, and the computer program, when executed by the local computer system, causing the local computer system to perform the steps of: accessing from a local storage location a file of an original hub state, the original hub state being a hub state which is not preceded in the sequence by the original state; responsive to the original hub state not being the final hub state: accessing a hub incremental update containing information about differences between the original hub state and the final hub state; using the hub incremental update and the file of the original hub state to produce a file of the final hub state; and storing the file of the final hub state; and responsive to the final hub state not being the final state: accessing a final incremental update containing information about differences between the final hub state and the final state; using the final incremental update and the file of the final hub state to produce a file of the final state; and storing the file of the final state.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5757582A Cited
EP0717353A2 Cited
US6009480A Cited
US5924096A Cited
US5999179A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-12-26 2004-06-26 2004-12-26 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-12-26 2008-06-26 2008-12-26 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-12-26 2012-06-26 2012-12-26 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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