Computer method and apparatus for a table driven file interface

Patent 5421001 Issued on May 30, 1995. Estimated Expiration Date:

May 30, 2012. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventor

Methe, Edward G.

Assignee

Wang Laboratories, Inc.

Application

No. 877409 filed on 05/01/1992

US Classes:

707/1, DATABASE OR FILE ACCESSING707/101, Manipulating data structure (e.g., compression, compaction, compilation)707/200FILE OR DATABASE MAINTENANCE

Examiners

Primary: Black, Thomas G.
Assistant: Loomis, John C.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Milik; Kenenth

Foreign Patent References

0408132 EP. 01/13/2012

International Class

G06F 005/00

Abstract

An interface between different file formats employs a table for parsing component parts of each file format. The table cross references or categorizes each of the different file formats according to file type from a predefined set of file types. For each file type, the table provides an indication and description of each component part of a file of that type. Each component part description of the table is in a common format. Thus, the present invention method and apparatus employs a table driven parser which utilizes a common form of representation for defining multiple file formats.