Telemetry File Hash Conflict Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current crash telemetry systems face challenges in accurately identifying and routing crash data to the correct software vendor, especially when multiple vendors upload information about the same executable file, leading to conflicts and misidentification.

Innovation Solution

A server computes a hash identifier based on file metadata, such as name, version, and link date, using a hash function like SHA-1, to uniquely identify executable files and prevent conflicts by transforming input data into a consistent format, ensuring accurate matching and routing of crash data to the appropriate vendor.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If multiple vendors upload information about the same executable file, then the system can collect more crash data, but conflicts and misidentification occur leading to inaccurate routing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecrash dataVSAvoidfile identification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the file identification approach by computing a hash identifier from file metadata parameters (name, version, link date) rather than relying on direct vendor-provided identifiers. This transformation enables accurate matching of the same executable file across multiple vendors by converting variable metadata into a consistent hash value, resolving the contradiction between collecting data from multiple vendors and maintaining identification accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The hash identifier acts as an intermediary element between the diverse file metadata from multiple vendors and the crash data routing system. By introducing this intermediate hash value, the system can accurately match and route crash data to the correct vendor even when multiple vendors upload information about the same executable file, preventing conflicts and misidentification

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If the system uses detailed file metadata for identification, then accuracy improves, but the complexity of data processing increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefile identification accuracyVSAvoiddata processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential identification parameters from file metadata (name, version, link date) to compute the hash identifier, rather than processing entire file contents or all metadata attributes. This extraction approach maintains high identification accuracy by focusing on key distinguishing features while significantly reducing data processing complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system transforms multiple metadata parameters into a single hash identifier through a mathematical transformation. This parameter consolidation reduces the complexity of data processing by converting diverse metadata fields into one unified identification value, while maintaining the precision needed for accurate file identification

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2769304B1Telemetry file hash and conflict detection
Publication Date: 2023.05.03 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP2769304B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2769304B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2769304B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

In one embodiment, a server may identify an executable file using a hash identifier. The server (110) may compute a hash identifier based on a file metadata set associated with an executable file. The server (110) may identify the executable file using the hash identifier.