System and method for synchronously editing a file on different client computers

• US 20040068505A1
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Chung-I, Xie, Deyi, Lin, Xuechun, Fan, David, Lin, Floye
• Application Number:
  US10/335,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20040068505A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1767 Concurrency control, e.g. optimistic or pessimistic approaches

Abstract

A system and method for synchronously editing an electronic file on different client computers. The system includes a database server (1) for storing original files, an application server (2) electrically connected with the database server for accessing and processing data stored in the database server, and a plurality of client computers (4) electrically connected to the application server for downloading files from and uploading files to the database server. The application server includes a directory managing module (20) for managing directories for the original files stored in the database server, a counter managing module (22) for recording times of downloading of files from and uploading of files to the database server, and a file integrating module (24) for integrating original files and corresponding edited files. The system allows users to edit a file simultaneously, and automatically integrates the original file with edited files uploaded by users.

Claims

1. A system for synchronously editing a file through a plurality of client computers, the system comprising:

a database server for storing original files;

an application server electrically connected with the database server for accessing and processing data stored in the database server, the application server comprising a directory managing module for managing directories for the original files stored in the database server, a counter managing module for recording times of downloading of files from and uploading of files to the database server, and a file integrating module for integrating original files and corresponding edited files; and

a plurality of client computers electrically connected to the application server for downloading files from and uploading files to the database server.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application server further comprises an edition controlling module for users to select edition modes to edit original files stored in the database server.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the edition modes comprise a primary edition mode and a secondary edition mode.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application server further comprises a time controlling module for managing durations of editing.

5. A method for synchronously editing a file through a plurality of client computers, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving download requests for an original file from a plurality of client computers;

downloading the original file to the client computers from a database server;

adding 1 to a value of a counter when implementing each said download operation, an original value of the counter being preset as 0;

receiving upload requests for edited files from the client computers, the edited files being edited versions of the original file;

uploading the edited files to the database server;

subtracting 1 from the value of the counter when implementing each said upload operation; and

integrating the original file with the edited files in the database server when the value of the counter is 0.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

recording a time of each said download operation;

recording a time of each said upload operation;

checking whether a time interval between the time of downloading and the time of uploading for each of the client computers exceeds a preset time limit;

subtracting 1 from the value of the counter for each client computer that has a checked time interval exceeding the preset time limit; and

refusing the upload request sent from each client computer that has a checked time interval exceeding the preset time limit.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of integrating the original file with the edited files comprises the steps of:

comparing the edited files uploaded from the client computers;

checking whether there are any conflicts between the edited files;

integrating the original file with the edited files when there are no conflicts between the edited files;

checking whether a primary edition mode is selected when there are conflicts between the edited files;

integrating the original file with the edited files with priority to the primary edition when the primary edition mode is selected; and

integrating the original file with the edited files with priority to a time of uploading when the primary edition mode is not selected, with the earliest uploaded file having priority over all other uploaded files.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of:

saving the integrated file in the database server by replacing the original file with the integrated file.

9. A method of synchronously editing a same original file on different client computers which are connected to a same database via an application server, comprising:

(1) downloading said same file from the database at said different client computers, respectively;

(2) editing said file at said different client computers, respectively;

(3) uploading said respectively edited files from the client computers to said application server within a preset period;

(4) re-editing said uploading files to be a unified one at said application server; and

(5) uploading said unified file to said database as an updated one for future downloading to said client computers.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein in step (4), said respective edited files are unified as one according to a default primary editing mode.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein in steps (4) if no default primary editing mode exists, an editing mode of the first edited uploading file is set as the default/primary editing mode.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein only portions of the respective edited files without conflicts therebetween from the client computers can be unified and uploaded to the database.