Patent · US Expired

Version control system for geographically distributed software development

US5675802A · kind A · utility

347Cited by
8References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 31, 1995
Grant dateOct 7, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 31, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S707/99954
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A data processing system and method for controlling files at a local development site within a geographically distributed multisite software development project includes a storage device, a processor, a mastership enforcer and an exchanger. The storage device stores a local replica including a plurality of files. Each file comprises a plurality of branches, and each branch comprises a plurality of versions of the file. The processor executes instructions, and retrieves and stores versions of the files in the storage device. The mastership enforcer provides the processor with the exclusive capability to modify specific branches by adding new versions of target files as determined by multisite mastership rules. The processor can create new versions of the target files, which are stored in the local replica within the storage device. The exchanger periodically updates the local replica by exporting the new versions of the target files to remote replicas at geographically remote development sites and importing additional new versions of the files from remote replicas. Thus, different branches of files, which are stored in multiple replicas geographically distributed at various developm…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.