US6704730B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hash file system and method for use in a commonality factoring system
Assignee: EMC Corp
•
Filing: 2001-02-05
•
Granted: 2004-03-09
•
Expires: 2021-02-05
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for a computer file system that is based and organized upon hashes and/or strings of digits of certain, different, or changing lengths and which is capable of eliminating or screening redundant copies of aggregate blocks of data (or parts of data blocks) from the system. The hash file system of the present invention utilizes hash values for computer files or file pieces which may be produced by a checksum generating program, engine or algorithm such as industry standard MD4, MD5, SHA or SHA-1 algorithms. Alternatively, the hash values may be generated by a checksum program, engine, algorithm or other means that produces an effectively unique hash value for a block of data of indeterminate size based upon a non-linear probablistic mathematical algorithm.
Inventors
- 👤 Gregory Hagan Moulton
- 👤 Stephen B. Whitehill
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 20:31
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/07; G06F11/14; G06F11/1446; G06F11/1448; G06F11/1453; G06F16/00; G06F16/10; G06F16/13; G06F16/137; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99936; Y10S707/99937; Y10S707/99951; Y10S707/99952; Y10S707/99953
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 48
Claim 1
Independent Claim
94 words
A computing environment comprising: at least one list for maintaining portions of digital sequences and corresponding probabilistically unique identifiers for each of said portions of said digital sequences; at least one new digital sequence; at least one partitioning mechanism for dividing said new digital sequence into a plurality of shorter digital sequences and producing a probabilistically unique identifier for each of said shorter digital sequences; and a comparison mechanism for determining if any one of said probabilistically unique identifiers for each of said plurality of shorter digital sequences is currently maintained in said list.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
94 words
A computing environment comprising: at least one list for maintaining portions of digital sequences and corresponding probabilistically unique identifiers for each of said portions of said digital sequences; at least one new digital sequence; at least one partitioning mechanism for dividing said new digital sequence into a plurality of shorter digital sequences and producing a probabilistically unique identifier for each of said shorter digital sequences; and a comparison mechanism for determining if any one of said probabilistically unique identifiers for each of said plurality of shorter digital sequences is currently maintained in said list.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said at least one list comprises a plurality or lists.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computing environment of claim 2 wherein said plurality of lists, each contain a portion of said probabilistically unique identifiers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computing environment of claim 2 wherein at least one of said plurality of lists is physically displaced from others of said at least one list.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computing environment of claim 4 wherein said plurality of lists are coupled by means of a network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computing environment of claim 2 wherein said plurality of lists is partitioned based on said probabilistically unique identifiers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said at least one list is physically displaced from said at least one partitioning mechanism.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The computing environment of claim 7 wherein said comparison mechanism is operative to utilize at least a portion of said probabilistically unique identifiers for each of said plurality of said shorter digital sequences as a locator correlated with said list partitions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said list comprises a physically distributed database.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said at least one partitioning mechanism and said at least one list are coupled by means of a network.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computing environment of claim 10 wherein said network comprises a public network such as the internet.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computing environment of claim 11 wherein said at least one partitioning mechanism and said at least one list are physically distributed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said probabilistically unique identifiers are produced by means of a hash function.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The computing environment of claim 13 wherein said hash function comprises an industry standard digest algorithm.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The computing environment of claim 14 wherein said has function comprises one of MD4, MD5 SHA or SHA-1 algorithms.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The computing environment of claim 13 wherein said probabilistically unique identifiers are produced by means of a checksum.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said digital sequences are of variable length.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said digital sequences are of invariable length.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said digital sequence comprises a data file.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said digital sequence comprises a data stream.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said digital sequence comprises an executable file.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said digital sequence comprises a database record.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said digital sequence comprises a database index.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said digital sequence comprises a digital device image.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said digital sequence comprises a network packet.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein said digital sequence comprises a digitized analog signal.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
The computing environment of claim 1 wherein any of said probabilistically unique identifiers and corresponding ones of said plurality of shorter digital sequences not determined to be maintained in said at least one list are added to said at least one list.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
63 words
A method for establishing an identifier for at least a portion of a digital sequence comprising: performing a function on said at least a portion of said digital sequence to produce a probabilistically unique symbol therefore; establishing a correspondence between said at least a portion of said digital sequence and said probabilistically unique symbol; and utilizing said probabilistically unique symbol as said identifier.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
63 words
A method for establishing an identifier for at least a portion of a digital sequence comprising: performing a function on said at least a portion of said digital sequence to produce a probabilistically unique symbol therefore; establishing a correspondence between said at least a portion of said digital sequence and said probabilistically unique symbol; and utilizing said probabilistically unique symbol as said identifier.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said identifier and said corresponding at least a portion of said digital sequence are maintained in at least one data list.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 29 wherein at least a portion of said identifier is utilizable as a pointer to a location of said corresponding at least a portion of said digital sequence within said at least one data list.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 28 herein said at least a portion of said digital sequence comprises at least a portion of a data file and said identifier is uniquely related to a content of said at least a portion of said data file.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said at least a portion of said digital sequence comprises at least a portion of a data stream and said identifier is uniquely related to a content of said at least a portion of said data stream.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said at least a portion of said digital sequence comprises at least a portion of an executable file and said identifier is uniquely related to a content of said at least a portion of said executable file.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said step of performing a function is carried out by the step of: hashing said at least a portion of said digital sequence to produce said probabilistically unique symbol.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 34 wherein said step of hashing is carried out by means of an industry standard digest algorithm.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 35 wherein said step of hashing is carried out by means of one of an MD4, MD5, SHA or SHA-1 algorithm.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
111 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for establishing an identifier for at least a portion of a digital sequence comprising: computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect performing a function on said at least a portion of said digital sequence to produce a probabilistically unique symbol therefore; computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect establishing a correspondence between said at least a portion of said digital sequence and said probabilistically unique symbol; and computer readable program code devices configured to cause a to effect utilizing said probabilistically unique symbol as said identifier.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
111 words
A computer program product comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for establishing an identifier for at least a portion of a digital sequence comprising: computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect performing a function on said at least a portion of said digital sequence to produce a probabilistically unique symbol therefore; computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect establishing a correspondence between said at least a portion of said digital sequence and said probabilistically unique symbol; and computer readable program code devices configured to cause a to effect utilizing said probabilistically unique symbol as said identifier.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
29 words
The computer program product of claim 37 wherein said identifier and said corresponding at least a portion of said digital sequence are maintained in at least one data list.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
41 words
The computer program product of claim 38 wherein at least a portion of said identifier is utilizable as a pointer to a location of said corresponding at least a portion of said digital sequence within said at least one data list.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
45 words
The computer program product of claim 37 wherein said at least a portion of said digital sequence comprises at least a portion of a data file and said identifier is uniquely related to a content of said at least a portion of said data file.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
45 words
The computer program product of claim 37 wherein said at least a portion of said digital sequence comprises at least a portion of a data stream and said identifier is uniquely related to a content of said at least a portion of said data stream.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
45 words
The computer program product of claim 37 wherein said at least a portion of said digital sequence comprises at least a portion of an executable file and said identifier is uniquely related to a content of said at least a portion of said executable file.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
56 words
The computer program product of claim 37 wherein said computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect performing a function is carried out by: computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect hashing said at least a portion of said digital sequence to produce said probabilistically unique symbol.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer program product of claim 43 wherein said computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect hashing is carried out by means of an industry standard digest algorithm.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
37 words
The computer program product of claim 44 wherein said computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect hashing is carried out by means of one of an MD4, MD5, SHA or SHA-1 algorithm.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-03-09 | 2007-09-08 | 2008-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-03-09 | 2011-09-08 | 2012-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-03-09 | 2015-09-08 | 2016-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |