Variable length file header apparatus and system
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method, comprising:
- loading a first computer file, the first computer file including a first header portion and a first data portion, the first header portion providing meta-data about data stored in the first data portion, the first header portion having a plurality of header fields, the plurality of header fields including a first header field, the first header field including a first data tag and a first meta-data item, the first data tag indicating a first header field type associated with the first meta-data item, and the first meta-data item having a first view state, such that the content stored in the first data portion associated with the first meta-data item is presented in a proper form during an online auction, based on information derived from a combination of the first data tag and the first meta-data item;
determining a viewing configuration for the data portion of the first computer file according to the first view state, the viewing configuration having a parameter, and the first view state including a first value corresponding to the parameter;
presenting the content of the first data portion of the first computer file to a display device based on the viewing configuration;
in response to a user request, manipulating the presenting corresponding to another viewing configuration having the parameter;
capturing a second view state from the another viewing configuration, the second view state including a second value corresponding to the parameter of the another viewing configuration;
creating a second header portion and a second data portion of a second computer file, the second header portion including a second header field, the second header field including a second data tag and a second meta-data item, and the second data portion including the content stored in the first data portion;
storing the first data tag in the second header field;
storing the second view state in the second meta-data item; and
sending the second computer file to a remote computer participating in the online auction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for creating an electronic file to be used in an online auction are described herein. In one embodiment, an exemplary process includes creating a header portion and a data portion of a computer file, where the header portion provides meta-data about data stored in the data portion. The header portion includes multiple header fields. For each header field, a data tag is stored in the header field and the data tag indicates a header field type associated with the respective header field. For each header field, a meta-data item is stored and defined by the data tag, where the meta-data item references to content associated with the meta-data item and stored in the data portion of the computer file. At least one header field contains a meta-data item used by an online auction application to categorize the computer file, such that the content stored in the data portion associated with the meta-data item is presented in a proper form during an online auction, based on information derived from a combination of the data tag and the meta-data item.
97 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method, comprising:
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loading a first computer file, the first computer file including a first header portion and a first data portion, the first header portion providing meta-data about data stored in the first data portion, the first header portion having a plurality of header fields, the plurality of header fields including a first header field, the first header field including a first data tag and a first meta-data item, the first data tag indicating a first header field type associated with the first meta-data item, and the first meta-data item having a first view state, such that the content stored in the first data portion associated with the first meta-data item is presented in a proper form during an online auction, based on information derived from a combination of the first data tag and the first meta-data item; determining a viewing configuration for the data portion of the first computer file according to the first view state, the viewing configuration having a parameter, and the first view state including a first value corresponding to the parameter; presenting the content of the first data portion of the first computer file to a display device based on the viewing configuration; in response to a user request, manipulating the presenting corresponding to another viewing configuration having the parameter; capturing a second view state from the another viewing configuration, the second view state including a second value corresponding to the parameter of the another viewing configuration; creating a second header portion and a second data portion of a second computer file, the second header portion including a second header field, the second header field including a second data tag and a second meta-data item, and the second data portion including the content stored in the first data portion; storing the first data tag in the second header field; storing the second view state in the second meta-data item; and sending the second computer file to a remote computer participating in the online auction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer readable storage medium for storing a computer file, wherein said file is comprised of a file header and data, wherein said file header stores meta-data about the data, wherein said file header comprises:
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an identifying section; and a header data section; wherein said header data section is comprised of a plurality of fields associated with respective meta-data items, each field including; (a) a data tag indicative of a type of meta-data item in the field; (b) a meta-data item; wherein the plurality of fields include a first field, the first field having a first meta-data item, wherein a first application presents the data to a display device based on a first viewing configuration derived from the data, wherein a second application presents the data to the display device based on a second viewing configuration derived from the first meta-data item, and wherein at least one field is capable of being processed to determine an originator of the computer file, such that the content stored in the data portion associated with the meta-data item is presented in a proper form during an online auction, based on information derived from a combination of the data tag and the meta-data item. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A computer implemented method, comprising:
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loading a first computer file, the first computer file including a first header portion and a first data portion, the first data porting having a first data, the first header portion providing meta-data about data stored in the first data portion, the first header portion including a first field, the first field including a first data tag and a first meta-data item, the first data tag indicating a first field type associated with the first meta-data item; determining a first expiration date for the first computer file to be used in an online auction based on the first meta-data item; subsequent to the determining, presenting an expiration message to a display device; retrieving a second data from a remote server participating in the online auction, the second data being a later vision of the first data; creating a second header portion and a second data portion of a second computer file, the second data portion having the second data, the second header portion providing meta-data about data stored in the second data portion and the second header portion having at least one field; for each field in the second header portion, storing a data tag in the field, wherein the data tag indicates a field type associated with the respective field; and for each field in the second header portion, storing meta-data about the second data portion of the second computer file wherein the meta-data in the field is defined by the data tag in the field; wherein the meta-data in at least one field includes data that is used to define an second expiration date for the second computer file to be used in the online auction, and wherein content stored in the second data portion associated with the meta-data item is presented in a proper form during the online auction, based on information derived from a combination of the data tag, the meta-data item, and the second expiration date. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification