Distributed object computer system with hierarchical name space versioning

Abstract

The present invention is a method and apparatus for providing a hierarchical networked database which supports multiple versions of the same underlying data. Structurally, the present invention is based on hierarchical tree-like structure known which includes one or more nodes connected by labeled branches. Any node in the tree may be reached by specifying a sequence of names which correspond to the branch labels between the root node and the desired node. The root node contains one or more name/attribute pairs which define an initial revision. Each descendent node inherits the revision defined by its ancestors and forms a new revision by including the changed name/attribute pairs which differ from the inherited revision. In this way, a particular revision is defined to be the changed name/attribute pairs contained in a node and the most recent instance of each unchanged name/attribute pair contained in the node's ancestors.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.