Patent ID: 6236992
Filing Date: 2001-05-22
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method of encoding date fields of records in a database B so that such records can be used in a computer system during a calendar year YY, where YY represents a value of the last two decimal digits of a year between 2000 and 2099, the fields having a format DD and containing data values XX where XX represents a value of the last two decimal digits of a year between 1900 and 1999, the method comprising the steps of:providing an offset value g, where g is an integer >=4;transforming the database B to an encoded database B' by modifying the data values in each of the records of B by said offset g when XX-g>=0 so that XX is replaced with XX-g for each such record in B; andwhen XX-g<0, removing the record from the first data file, and storing said record in a sub-database B.sub.s ' without performing date field expansion on said record;wherein the date fields of both B' and B.sub.s ' are configured such that date computation integrity involving XX and YY is maintained in the computer system irrespective of the value of YY; andfurther wherein said sub-database B.sub.s ' is comprised of a plurality of sub-databases B.sub.1 ', B.sub.2 ', B.sub.3 ' . . . B.sub.n, where 0<=n<=g, and each such of said plurality of sub-databases contains records for a single year.