Multiple image file system
First Claim
1. A data processing system including at least one processor, a system memory accessible to the processor, and I/O means, the system memory containing at least portions of an operating system including a multiple image file system, comprising:
- file system code means for providing first and second views of a file containing data;
file system code means enabling first and second applications to access the file via the first and second views respectively; and
file system code means for modifying the format of the data depending upon which view was used to access the file.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A file system and method for maintaining multiple images of a data file and providing the appropriate image to an application in a manner that is substantially transparent to the user. The system would typically comprise a file system portion of a computer operating system. The file system is mounted at an appropriate mount point, such as a directory under the root file system. The file system provides two or more views of a file that contains data. The file system may present the different hierarchy views as different directory paths. The file system further allows different applications to access the file via different directory paths. Depending upon the directory path via which an application accesses the file, the file system may modify the format of the data provided to the application. In one embodiment, the file is stored in a compressed data format. When the file is accessed with an application requiring un-compressed data, the file system invokes a filter that converts the compressed to an un-compressed formation before providing the data to the application. Other embodiments may emphasize other attributes, characteristics, or formats of the data file including, as example, encryption formatting, and language characteristics. The file system may store the file as a single physical image or in multiple images depending upon the implementation.
25 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A data processing system including at least one processor, a system memory accessible to the processor, and I/O means, the system memory containing at least portions of an operating system including a multiple image file system, comprising:
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file system code means for providing first and second views of a file containing data;
file system code means enabling first and second applications to access the file via the first and second views respectively; and
file system code means for modifying the format of the data depending upon which view was used to access the file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium configured with computer executable instructions for providing a file system, the product comprising:
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file system code means for providing first and second views of a file containing data;
file system code means enabling first and second applications to access the file via the first and second views respectively; and
file system code means for modifying the format of the data depending upon which view was used to access the file. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of implementing a file system in a data processing system, comprising:
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providing first and second views of a file containing data;
enabling first and second applications to access the file via the first and second views respectively; and
modifying the format of the data depending upon which view was used to access the file. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification