Method and apparatus for encoding history of file access to support automatic file caching on portable and desktop computers
First Claim
1. A method for encoding a file access history comprising the steps of:
- generating a file access history date data field representing a file access history date upon one of which a file access history and a file access for a particular file has occurred,generating a current access history data field representing a level of access for the particular file on the file access history date,generating a near term history data field representing levels of access for the particular file for a first predetermined number of days preceding the file access history date,combining the file access history date data field, the current access history data field, and the near term history data field into a file access history attribute, andstoring the file access history attribute in a memory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A file access history attribute may be encoded and stored with a file in a computer memory. The file access history attribute may provide information as to the date of most recent access and the level of access on which date. In addition, the file access history attribute may provide information concerning recent file history (e.g., previous nine days), quarterly history (e.g., 80 days preceding the previous nine days), as well as long-term history (e.g., beyond the 80 day period). The encoding technique of the present invention may compress file access history information into a compact file access history attribute (e.g., six to twelve bytes). Disk caching software, for maintaining files in a hard drive of a local computer coupled to a network, may utilize the file access history attribute in deciding which files are to be stored in the local hard drive and which should be migrated to network storage or archive. A file history maintenance program may operate as a background job to periodically update file access histories relative to a known maintenance start date.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for encoding a file access history comprising the steps of:
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generating a file access history date data field representing a file access history date upon one of which a file access history and a file access for a particular file has occurred, generating a current access history data field representing a level of access for the particular file on the file access history date, generating a near term history data field representing levels of access for the particular file for a first predetermined number of days preceding the file access history date, combining the file access history date data field, the current access history data field, and the near term history data field into a file access history attribute, and storing the file access history attribute in a memory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A series of operational steps to be performed as a background computer job for updating a file history attribute, comprising the steps of:
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generating a file maintenance history start date absolute date data field representing a start date of the background computer job, storing a file maintenance history start date absolute date data field in a memory, accessing, in a sequence, a number of files stored in a memory of a computer, said accessing sequence comprising the steps of; retrieving a file history attribute header, including a relative file access history date and a file access history, from a file, reading the file maintenance history start date absolute date data field from the memory, reading a current date absolute date data field stored in a memory, calculating a difference between the current data and the file maintenance history start date, storing the difference in the file header as a new relative file access history date, recalculating the file access history relative to the current date to produce an updated file access history, and storing the recalculated file access history in the file header.
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14. A computer-readable memory for directing a computer to generate a file access history when used by the computer, sail computer-readable memory comprising:
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a first instruction portion for generating a file access history date data field representing a file access history date upon one of which a file access history and a file access for a particular file has occurred; a second instruction portion for generating a current access history data field representing a level of access for the particular file on the file access history date; a third instruction portion for generating a near term history data field representing levels of access for the particular file for a first predetermined number of days preceding the file access history date; a fourth instruction portion for combining the file access history date data field, the current access history data field, and the near term history data field into a file access history attribute; and a fifth instruction portion for storing the file access history attribute in a memory. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for encoding a record access history comprising the steps of:
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generating a record access history date data field representing a record access history date upon one of which a record access history and a record access for a particular record has occurred, generating a current access history data field representing a level of access for the particular record on the record access history date, generating a near term history data field representing levels of access for the particular record for a first predetermined number of days preceding the record access history date, combining the record access history date data field, the current access history data field, and the near term history data field into a record access history attribute, and storing the record access history attribute in a memory. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification