System and method for synchronizing unstructured documents

• US 20040049558A1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gold Charm Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Chung-I, Fan, David, Lin, Floye
• Granted Patent: US 7,313,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

A system for synchronizing unstructured documents includes sub-nodes (110, 120, 130) and a network connecting the sub-nodes together. Each sub-node includes a database server (113, 123, 133), an FTP (file transfer protocol) server, and client computers (111, 121, 131). The database server includes a summary table (400) for storing a summary of all unstructured documents, and has the function of synchronizing with summary tables stored in other sub-nodes. The FTP server stores unstructured documents, and has the function of downloading unstructured documents from the FTP servers of other sub-nodes. Each client computer includes a client proxy. The client proxy includes a database processing module for generating instructions on updating, searching, and deleting data stored in the database server, a file processing module for generating instructions on downloading unstructured documents from the FTP servers of other sub-nodes, and a client processing module for receiving sync orders from users.

Claims

1. A system for synchronizing unstructured documents, the system comprising a plurality of sub-nodes and a network connecting the sub-nodes together, wherein:

each of the sub-nodes comprises an FTP server, a database server and a plurality of client computers, wherein;

the database server comprises a summary table for storing a summary of all unstructured documents, and has the function of synchronizing with the summary table stored in one or more other sub-nodes;

the FTP server stores unstructured documents, and has the function of downloading unstructured documents from the FTP server of one or more other sub-nodes; and

each of the client computers comprises a client proxy, the client proxy comprises a database processing module for generating instructions on updating, searching, and deleting data stored in the database server, a file processing module for generating instructions on downloading unstructured documents from the FTP server of one or more other sub-nodes, and a client processing module for receiving sync orders from users.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the summary tables includes columns for ID, title, location, directory and update time of the documents.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the summary tables is periodically updated.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distributed stored documents include various formats including any one or more of image, word, sound and other media.

5. A method for synchronizing unstructured documents, the method comprising the steps of:

synchronizing periodically summary tables of all unstructured documents between a plurality of sub-nodes;

sending a document sync message from a first sub-node to a second sub-node where a latest edition of the document is located;

downloading the latest edition of the document from the second sub-node; and

modifying the summary table of all unstructured documents stored in the first sub-node.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the summary tables includes columns for ID, title, location, directory and update time of the unstructured documents.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of sending a document sync message from the first sub-node to the second sub-node where the latest edition of the document is located further comprises the steps of:

receiving a user order for processing a particular unstructured document;

searching for a summary of the document in the summary table to find a location of the document;

opening the document if the latest edition of the document is located at the first sub-node; and

sending a sync message to the second sub-node where the latest edition of the document is located if the latest edition of the document is not located at the first sub-node.

8. A method of synchronizing unstructured documents at different IP addresses, comprising steps of:

providing a plurality of sub-nodes with different versions of one of said unstructured documents;

synchronizing periodically a summary table of all versions of said document among said sub-nodes, in a local sub-node;

requesting one specific version of said document;

downloading said specific version of the document from either said local sub-node or other sub-node according to said table; and

updating said table.