Patent ID: 6526574
Filing Date: 2003-02-25
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
A method for converting an OLD computer file into an updated NEW computer file, the method comprising the steps of:(a) identifying differences between said OLD file and a NEW computer file by passing both files through a patch build program; (b) creating a patch file based on identified differences, comprising the steps of (i) selecting a portion of said OLD file; (ii) processing said portion of OLD file with a string table preparation subroutine thereby creating a string table from said selected portion of OLD file; (iii) combining said portion of OLD file, said NEW file and said string table by a matchtable preparation subroutine thereby creating a match table having identified matches between said OLD file and said NEW file, wherein a selected number of mismatches are allowed; (iv) repeating steps (b(i)) through (b(iii)) until all portions of OLD file have been processed; and (v) combining said OLD file, said NEW file and said match table in a patch file encoding subroutine to create said patch file; and (c) combining said OLD file and said patch file by passing both files through a patch apply program to obtain said NEW file.