Method and apparatus for digital data processor file configuration detection
First Claim
1. A file inventorying apparatus for determining a status of a member file in a storage means of a digital data processor, said storage means for storing one or more files,each file storing one or more information-representative signals and having at least a file name,said status including a name associated with one or more known file sets and optionally including a version number,said file inventorying apparatus comprisingA. collection means coupled with said storage means for identifying the file name of said member file,B. list means for storing a file name and one or more patterns of information-representative signals associated with at least one component file of each of a plurality of known file sets,C. comparison means, coupled to said list means and to said collection means, for comparing the file name of said member file with those of at least selected ones of said component files, and for generating name-match signals representative of candidate component files whose names are substantially identical to that of said member file,D. test means, coupled to said storage means, said comparison means, and said list means, for responding to said name-match signals for running one or more tests against said member file, at least one such test including comparing at least selected information-representative signals of said member file with said one or more patterns of information-representative signals associated with each of said candidate component files, and for generating one or more test-result signals representative of the results of those tests,E. loader means, coupled with said test means, for determining said status of said member file, said loader means includingi) confidence means responsive toa) the file name of said member file,b) a name associated with a known file set with which a candidate component file is associated,c) one or more of said test-result signals,for generating a signal representative of a confidence factor of the association between said member file and that known file set, andsaid loader means further including output means responsive to at least a selected confidence factor for generating an output signal representative of the status of said member file, said status including at least the name associated with that known file set.
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Abstract
An apparatus for determining the status of files stored, e.g., on the disk drive of a computer compares the name of a file to be inventoried (the "member" or "suspect" file) against a list of names of component files belonging to certain known file sets. If the member file'"'"'s name compares favorably with one or more names of the component files the apparatus runs tests on the member file. These include comparing data stored in the member file with data patterns of the matching component files. The apparatus determines the confidence factor of the association between the member file and the matching component file based, at least in part, on the test results. Depending on the level of the confidence factor, it generates an output signal including the name of member file and the name of the set of the matching component file.
88 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A file inventorying apparatus for determining a status of a member file in a storage means of a digital data processor, said storage means for storing one or more files,
each file storing one or more information-representative signals and having at least a file name, said status including a name associated with one or more known file sets and optionally including a version number, said file inventorying apparatus comprising A. collection means coupled with said storage means for identifying the file name of said member file, B. list means for storing a file name and one or more patterns of information-representative signals associated with at least one component file of each of a plurality of known file sets, C. comparison means, coupled to said list means and to said collection means, for comparing the file name of said member file with those of at least selected ones of said component files, and for generating name-match signals representative of candidate component files whose names are substantially identical to that of said member file, D. test means, coupled to said storage means, said comparison means, and said list means, for responding to said name-match signals for running one or more tests against said member file, at least one such test including comparing at least selected information-representative signals of said member file with said one or more patterns of information-representative signals associated with each of said candidate component files, and for generating one or more test-result signals representative of the results of those tests, E. loader means, coupled with said test means, for determining said status of said member file, said loader means including i) confidence means responsive to a) the file name of said member file, b) a name associated with a known file set with which a candidate component file is associated, c) one or more of said test-result signals, for generating a signal representative of a confidence factor of the association between said member file and that known file set, and said loader means further including output means responsive to at least a selected confidence factor for generating an output signal representative of the status of said member file, said status including at least the name associated with that known file set.
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13. A file inventorying apparatus for determining a status of a member file in the storage means of a digital data processor, said storage means for storing one or more files,
each file storing one or more information-representative signals and having at least a file name, said status including a name associated with one or more known file sets and optionally including a version number, said file inventorying apparatus comprising A. list means for storing a file name and one or more patterns of information-representative signals associated with at least one component file of each of a plurality of known file sets, B. test means, coupled to said storage means and to said list means, for comparing at least selected information-representative signals of said member file with said one or more patterns of information-representative signals associated with selected ones of said component files, and for generating test-result signals representative of the results of those comparisons, and C. loader means, coupled to said test means and responsive to said test-result signals, for identifying one or more known file sets having component files which most closely correspond to said member file.
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19. A file inventorying method for determining a status of a member file in a storage means of a digital data processor, said storage means for storing one or more files,
each file storing one or more information-representative signals and having at least a file name, said status including a name associated with one or more known file sets and optionally including a version number, said file inventorying comprising A. identifying the file name of said member file, B. storing a file name and one or more patterns of information-representative signals associated with at least one component file of each of a plurality of known file sets, C. comparing the file name of said member file with those of at least selected ones of said component files, and generating name-match signals representative of candidate component files whose names are substantially identical to that of said member file, D. testing said member file, in response to said name-match signals, by running one or more tests against said member file, at least one such test including comparing at least selected information-representative signals of said member file with said one or more patterns of information-representative signals associated with each of said candidate component files, and for generating one or more test-result signals representative of the results of those tests, E. determining said status of said member file, said determining step including i) generating a signal representative of a confidence factor of the association between said member file and said known file set, said confidence factor generated in response to the file name of said member file, information representative of a name of said known file set, and to one or more of said test-result signals, and ii) generating an output signal, responsive to at least a selected confidence factor, representative of the status of said member file, said status including at least the name associated with the corresponding known file set.
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31. A file inventorying method for determining a status of a member file in a storage means of a digital data processor, said storage means for storing one or more files,
each file storing one or more information-representative signals and having at least a file name, said status including a name associated with one or more known file sets and optionally including a version number, said file inventorying method comprising A. storing a file name and one or more patterns of information-representative signals associated with at least one component file of each of a plurality of known file sets, B. testing said member file by, comparing at least selected information-representative signals of said member file with said one or more patterns of information-representative signals associated with selected ones of said component files, and generating test-result signals representative of the results of those comparisons, and C. determining one or more known file sets having component files which most closely correspond to said member file.
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37. A system for inventorying a member file in a digital data processing apparatus, said member file having a file name and storing one or more information-representative signals, said system comprising
A. comparison means for comparing the file name of said member file with file name of at least one component file from each of plural known file sets, and for identifying as a candidate a component file whose file name is substantially identical to that of the member file, B. test means, coupled to said comparison means, for comparing information-representative signals stored in the member file with information-representative signals associated with a candidate, and for generating a test-result signal representative of results of such comparison, C. loader means, coupled with said test means, for determining a confidence factor representing a degree of association between said member file and the known file set with which a candidate is associated, said determination being based on a) the file name of said member file, b) the set name of that known file set, and c) the results represented by said test-result signal, said loader means for responding to at least a selected such confidence factor for outputting, for inventorying purposes, that set name.
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38. A system for inventorying a member file in a digital data processing apparatus, said member file having a file name and storing one or more information-representative signals, said system comprising
A. test means for comparing information-representative signals stored in the member file with information-representative signals associated with a candidate component file selected from a plurality of known file sets, and for generating a test-result signal representative of results of such comparison, B. loader means, coupled with said test means, for determining a confidence factor representing a degree of association between said member file and the known file set with which a candidate is associated, said determination being based on a) the file name of said member file, b) the set name of that known file set, and c) the results represented by said test-result signal, said loader means for responding to at least a selected such confidence factor for outputting, for inventorying purposes, that set name.
Specification