Hierarchical structured abstract file system

• US 20080281788A1
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Illinois Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Frieder, Ophir, Kapoor, Sanjiv, Kirubanandan, Nandakiran
• Granted Patent: US 7,720,869 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/14 Details of searching files based on file metadata

Abstract

A method in a data processing system of searching a plurality of electronic files identified by filenames in a first hierarchical file structure that is on a recordable medium of the data processing system. A user-defined metalabel is assigned to each of the electronic files. The electronic files are organized as a function of the metalabels into a second hierarchical file structure existing simultaneously with the first hierarchical file structure on the recordable medium of the data processing system. A search query is received from a user and the metalabels of the second hierarchical file structure are searched as a function of the query. Each electronic file having a metalabel matching the query is returned to the user as a search result.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system of searching electronic files on a recordable medium of the data processing system, the method comprising:

providing an electronic file in a first hierarchical file structure, the electronic files including a filename;

assigning a user-defined metalabel to the electronic file, wherein the electronic file includes the filename and the metalabel;

organizing the electronic file into a second hierarchical file structure as a function of the metalabel;

receiving a query from a user;

searching the second hierarchical file structure as a function of the query; and

returning to the user the electronic file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metalabel is not displayed with the filename in the first hierarchical file structure to the user through a user interface associated with the data processing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein organizing the electronic file into the second hierarchical file structure comprises linking the metalabel to a matching metalabel assigned to a second electronic file.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the electronic file includes a second metalabel and further comprising linking the second metalabel to a matching second metalabel, wherein the matching second metalabel is assigned to at least one of the second electronic file and a third electronic file.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically updating the second hierarchical file structure when the electronic file is moved within, copied, or deleted from the first hierarchical file structure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second hierarchical file structure comprises a Patricia trie and organizing the electronic file into the second hierarchical file structure comprises:

locating or creating a node in the trie that is identified with the metalabel; and

associating the filename to the metalabel in the trie.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second hierarchical file structure comprises a Patricia trie and organizing the metalabel into the second hierarchical file structure comprises:

locating or creating a node in the trie that is identified with the filename; and

associating the metalabel to the filename in the trie.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first hierarchical file structure comprises a plurality of directories and subdirectories.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the query includes the metalabel or a portion of the metalabel coupled with a wildcard symbol.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second hierarchical file structure comprises a UNIX file structure, wherein changes in the UNIX file structure are handled in inode.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second hierarchical file structures are partitioned across a network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is a software process.

13. A method in a data processing system of searching a plurality of electronic files in a first hierarchical file structure on a recordable medium of the data processing system, each of the electronic files including a filename, the method comprising:

assigning a user-defined metalabel to each of the electronic files;

organizing the electronic files as a function of the metalabels into a second hierarchical file structure existing simultaneously with the first hierarchical file structure on the recordable medium of the data processing system;

receiving a query from a user;

searching the metalabels of the second hierarchical file structure as a function of the query; and

returning to the user as a search result each of the electronic files having a metalabel matching the query.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the metalabel of each of the electronic files is not displayed in the first hierarchical file structure to the user through a user interface associated with the data processing system.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein organizing the electronic files into the second hierarchical file structure comprises linking the metalabel of each of the electronic files to a matching metalabel assigned to one or more other of the electronic files.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising automatically updating the second hierarchical file structure when one of the electronic files is moved within, copied, or deleted from the first hierarchical file structure.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the second hierarchical file structure comprises a Patricia trie including a plurality of nodes, each node for one of the metalabels, and organizing the electronic files into the second hierarchical file structure comprises associating with each of the nodes the filename of each of the electronic files having a metalabel matching the node.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the first hierarchical file structure comprises a plurality of directories and subdirectories.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the query includes the metalabel or a portion of the metalabel coupled with a wildcard symbol.

20. A computer-readable medium encoded with instructions for organizing a plurality of electronic files of a data processing system, the encoded instructions comprising:

a first program code establishing a first hierarchical file structure including the plurality of electronic files, each of the plurality of electronic files identified by a filename in the first hierarchical file structure; and

a second program code establishing a second hierarchical file structure including the plurality of electronic files, each of the plurality of electronic files identified by a user-defined metalabel in the second hierarchical file structure; and

the first and second hierarchical file structures existing simultaneously for the plurality of electronic files.

21. The computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the second program code establishes a plurality of hierarchical file structures including the plurality of electronic files identified by user-defined metalabels and existing simultaneously with the first hierarchical file structure.

22. The computer-readable medium according to claim 20, further comprising a third program code for searching the second hierarchical file structure according to a user entered query.

23. The computer-readable medium according to claim 20, wherein the second hierarchical file structure comprises a trie with a plurality of nodes, each of the nodes of the trie corresponding to one of the user-defined metalabels, and each of the nodes comprising an internal trie structure of the electronic files that have a matching metalabel.