{
  "patent_number": "US 5579517",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Windows 95 Supported Long Filenames While Staying Compatible",
  "original_title": "Common name space for long and short filenames",
  "summary": "A clever method for storing long filenames in older file systems by hiding them in extra directory entries that older programs simply ignore.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a way to add long filename support to the FAT file system without breaking older programs that only understand the old 8.3 character limit. It works by creating two types of entries in the file directory: a standard 'short' entry that older operating systems see, and one or more 'long' entries that store the actual long name. The long entries use a special attribute field to mark themselves as 'invisible' or 'hidden' to older software, preventing those programs from crashing or misinterpreting the data. When a modern program accesses the file, it reads both entries to reconstruct the full name, while older programs just see the short, truncated version.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover file systems that were designed for long filenames from the start, like NTFS or ext4.",
    "Does not cover the actual logic for generating the short 8.3 alias from a long filename.",
    "Does not cover methods for storing file metadata beyond the filename itself.",
    "Does not cover systems that do not use a directory entry structure to track file names."
  ],
  "filed": "1995-04-24",
  "granted": "1996-11-26",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Microsoft Corp",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/microsoft-corp",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Jeffrey T. Parsons",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/jeffrey-t-parsons"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ray D. Pedrizetti",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/ray-d-pedrizetti"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ralph A. Lipe",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/ralph-a-lipe"
    },
    {
      "name": "Aaron R. Reynolds",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/aaron-r-reynolds"
    },
    {
      "name": "Rasipuram V. Arun",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/rasipuram-v-arun"
    },
    {
      "name": "Dennis R. Adler",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/dennis-r-adler"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 39,
  "tags": [
    "software",
    "consumer_electronics"
  ],
  "abstract": "An operating system provides a common name space for both long filenames and short filenames. In this common namespace, a long filename and a short filename are provided for each file. Each file has a short filename directory entry and may have at least one long filename directory entry associated with it. The number of long filename directory entries that are associated with a file depends on the number of characters in the long filename of the file. The long filename directory entries are configured to minimize compatibility problems with existing installed program bases.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5579517/windows-95-start-menu",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5579517/windows-95-start-menu/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US5579517",
  "relatedPatents": []
}