Content-specific filename systems

• US 20030028519A1
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Burgess, Giles J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,284,243 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/164 File meta data generation

Abstract

A computer file naming technique employs content-specific filenames (CSFN'"'"'s) that represent globally-unique identifiers for the contents of a file. Since file references incorporating the CSFN'"'"'s are not location-specific, they offer unique advantages in the areas of file caching and file installation. Particularly, web browsers enabled to recognize CSFN'"'"'s inherently verify the content of files when they are retrieved from a local cache, eliminating the need for comparison of file data or time stamps of the cached file copy and the server copy. Thus, file verification occurs solely in the local context. The invention includes caching and software installation systems that incorporate the benefits of CSFN'"'"'s.

Claims

1. A method of installing computer software on a target computer having an operating system including a registry, the target computer having an associated target medium, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a listing of file references containing content-specific filenames in the registry of a remote computer associated with the target medium;

determining whether or not a file having one of the content-specific filenames is present on the target medium; and

copying a file having the one content-specific filename from a source medium specified in the file reference to the target medium upon determining the file having the one content-specific filename is not present on the target medium.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content-specific filename is a globally-unique identifier for the contents of the file.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of creating a content-specific filename prior to the step of providing a listing of content-specific filenames, the step of creating a content-specific filename comprising the further step of generating a character string by processing the contents of the file through a message digest module to create a message digest that characterizes the file contents.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of processing the message digest through a text encoder to create a character string of predetermined length.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the text encoder provides a predetermined prefix in the character string.

6. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the steps comprising:

providing a listing of content-specific filenames in a registry of a computer associated a target medium;

determining whether or not a file having one of the content-specific filenames is present on the target medium; and

copying a file having the one content-specific filename from a source medium to the target medium upon determining the file having the one content-specific filename is not present on the target medium.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the content-specific filename is a globally-unique identifier for the contents of the file.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the steps further comprise the step of creating a content-specific filename prior to the step of providing a listing of content-specific filenames, the step of creating a content-specific filename comprising the further step of generating a character string by processing the contents of the file through a message digest module to create a message digest that characterizes the file contents.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the steps further comprise the step of processing the message digest through a text encoder to create a character string of predetermined length.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the text encoder provides a predetermined prefix in the character string.