Patent · US Expired

Method and system for preserving document integrity

US5983242A · kind A · utility

34Cited by
15References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 1, 1997
Grant dateNov 9, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 1, 2017

Classification

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

Abstract

A method and system for preserving document integrity between potentially partially incompatible versions of a program module by maintaining forwards compatibility and backwards compatibility. Version (n') of the program module is released after version (n). A "saved by version (n)" bit may be activated any time that version (n) saves a file. The "saved by version (n)" bit indicates to subsequently-released versions, such as version (n'), that the file has been saved by version (n) and, based upon this information, appropriate action should be taken by the subsequently-released version. A "warning from future version" bit may be activated to indicate that a feature or features of the subsequently-released version is not supported by version (n). Based upon receiving this bit, version (n) may open the file with these features disabled or may take some other appropriate action.

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