Real time backup system for computer users

• US 20040205390A1
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kanevsky, Dimitri, Zlatsin, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 7,499,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1446 Point-in-time backing up or restoration of persistent data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1456 Hardware arrangements for backup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1464 for networked environments
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1471 involving logging of persistent data for recovery
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/80 Database-specific techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/805 Real-time
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99955 Archiving or backup

Abstract

This invention involves tracking and backing all the information that a user generates on its computer devices (including embedded devices) in real time. The local user server records all user actions and gestures (via various means that include TV cameras). All of this information (user actions and saved files in a computer) is then sent to a remote server via the Internet. This remote server has a virtual map of all the embedded devices on a computer that the person uses. The remote server immediately starts to interpret the user'"'"'s actions (including user gestures). In one implementation, the invention stores user actions that are related to data generation (e.g. actions that called some links where data is stored, or executed some programs that generated data). In another variant, the remote server generates and downloads the same files that are downloaded on the local user computer devices. For example, if a person begins to download a program, the server may also download the same program on a remote backup server. This way, if the user loses this program, it can be retrieved automatically through a provided server on the Internet. If user'"'"'s files are backed up by regular backup periodically, relevant data that were stored by real time backup servers can be eliminated.

Claims

1. A system for tracking and backing all the information that a user generates on computer devices,(including embedded devices, in real time, the system comprising:

a local server to record all user actions and gestures; and

means for sending all of this information to a remote server via the Internet for backup.

2. The system as in claim 1, where the remote server has a virtual map of all the embedded devices on a computer that the person uses, and the remote server interprets the user'"'"'s actions, including user gestures.

3. The system as in claim 2, wherein the system stores user actions that are related to data generation (e.g. actions that called some links where data is stored, or executed some programs that generated data).

4. The system as in claim 2, wherein the remote server generates and downloads the same files that are downloaded on the local user computer devices.

5. The system as in claim 1, where the devices are a telephone, a computer, a watch, a recorder, and a calculator, and the user performs various actions on the devices around the user.

6. The system as in claim 5, where the user'"'"'s actions are stored in a database of user actions, the user'"'"'s actions are interpreted by a translator server, the translator interprets which actions made by the user actually change the database, and this information is sent to a backup server, where it is decided what should be saved.

7. The system as in claim 6, where the backup server also downloads files that were downloaded by the user.

8. The system as in claim 7, where, in some cases, a user may generate new data by using a program, the translator of user'"'"'s action would understand that in order to obtain certain data it needs executables.

9. The system as in claim 8, wherein the translator may require that some executables need to be downloaded in order for the server to be able to keep up with the user'"'"'s actions, and wherein if the user has a program that can generate new data, the server would download the same program and enter the same commands as the user did.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein, the data base of user actions is organized as follows:

the start and finish of the time alignment is recorded under one column another column contains the list of devices that user actions were performed on, the form of media used to control these devices is located under another column, changes in the devices are recorded under a next column, correlation, a next column gives the names of users for each device, a next column lists the location of each device, and a next column lists the environment of each place+.

11. A media identifier comprising:

a first, media identifier module interprets what form of media a person used to perform a function;

a second module to tell the difference between a command or a data generation identification, wherein after the data is sent through the first module, the data are sent to the second module where the commands are interpreted, and wherein if the data are identified as data that generates new data, the data are labeled in a third, data labeler module;

wherein the data labeler labels data according to whether they have a link or not;

if the data has a link, the data are processed as a link data;

a fourth, link module for connecting commands with data. For example, if certain data was found using a link; and

a fifth module for listing the addresses of the links that need to be used to get data.

12. A procedure for command vs. data generation identification, comprising:

receiving input labels;

interpreting media used by a user;

representing the form of media that the data are in when the data are received into a backup server;

if data are gesture generated, then determining if the data are related or unrelated to data generation;

verifying text to be a command or not, including the steps of

i) sending the text through a command verifier, and

ii) determining if the text is a command or not;

separating data that is a command from data that is not a command;

if the data is a command, interpreting the data; and

if the data is not a command, storing the data.

13. A method for handling data in a real-time back up system, comprising:

performing a regular back up; and

determining whether data should be removed or not by the following circumstances;

how old the data are, if there are newer versions of this data, and how often the data are being used;

wherein the only condition where a file

cannot be removed is where another database has a link to a file that another database needs.

14. A method of establishing a database of programs, comprising the steps:

listing in a first column the programs used;

listing in a second column the names of the users for each program;

using a third column for keeping track of the time for generation of data and changes;

also using the third column for keeping track of data history;

listing in a fourth column commands used to control programs;

listing in a fifth column the operating system used to hold data;

listing in a sixth column the devices that were used by programs;

listing in a seventh column the sources that were used to obtain data; and

using an eighth column as an index showing where data is to be stored.

15. A method of using a database to explain the history of user'"'"'s actions, comprising the steps:

using a first column to records the actions that are inputted to control a program, wherein each action fits under a designated class;

showing in a second column the class in which each action is placed;

using a third column to keep a count of how often a class is formed by similar actions;

if the actions fall into a class, automatically withdrawing the actions from the input column;

using a fourth column to create a tree of the order of actions that took place when a program was being used; and

using a fifth column for placing an index to a file from the tree index.

16. A method of operating a real-time data backup system, comprising the steps:

recording a user'"'"'s actions;

identifying the actions;

interpreting the user actions are interpreted in a user media recognizor;

labeling actions as commands or data generators;

labeling commands that are related to data generation;

storing data;

storing links to data programs and commands that generate data; and

removing data and links if predefined conditions are satisfied.

17. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for operating a real-time data backup system, the method steps comprising:

recording a user'"'"'s actions;

identifying the actions;

interpreting the user actions are interpreted in a user media recognizor;

labeling actions as commands or data generators;

labeling commands that are related to data generation;

storing data;

storing links to data programs and commands that generate data; and

removing data and links if predefined conditions are satisfied.

18. A program storage device according to claim 17, wherein the removing step includes the step of determining whether data should be removed or not by the following circumstances:

how old the data are, if there are newer versions of this data, and how often the data are being used;

wherein the only condition where a file cannot be removed is where another database has a link to a file that another database needs.