Patent ID: 7506336

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of checking software version compatibility comprising: receiving a version string indicative of a software version; receiving a version string mask indicative of compatible versions, the version string mask having digit groups corresponding to digits in the received version string, each of the digit groups including a digit expression, the digit expression operable for evaluation with a corresponding digit place in the received version string, the version string mask further comprising a range mask having a set of version string masks, the range mask further including a minimum and a maximum, the minimum and the maximum defining a range of allowable version string masks; comparing the version string to the version string mask using a rule-based pattern matching approach for each of the digit groups, comparing further including: comparing if the version string mask indicates compatibility with the lower range of the range mask; comparing if the version string mask indicates compatibility with the upper range of the range mask; and for each version string mask in the range mask: comparing the version string mask to the version string; computing if the version string mask indicates compatibility with the version string; and evaluating the version string as compatible if the version string mask indicates compatibility; and determining compatibility of the software version based on the comparing.