Method and apparatus for providing attributes of a collaboration system in an operating system folder-based file system
First Claim
1. A method for providing information and services of a collaboration system adapted for communicating changes to at least one shared space in a data change format that allows a plurality of members to interact collaboratively in a shared folder in a folder-based file system that is part of an operating system with a user interface, the method comprising:
- (a) including a collaborative interface in the operating system user interface, the collaborative interface adapted to receive user input identifying at least one synchronized file;
(b) using the collaborative interface to display information regarding the members collaborating within the context of a shared folder through the use of the collaboration system;
(c) automatically determining changes made in the folder-based file system;
(d) in response to a determined change, determining whether the change relates to the at least one synchronized file; and
(e) when the change relates to the at least one synchronized file, communicating the change to other members via at least one data change message formatted in accordance with the data change format of the collaboration system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A conventional operating system folder or directory based file system is implemented with, or enhanced to provide, attributes of shared collaborative workspaces. In particular, the conventional file system is connected to either a server based or a distributed collaboration system and the user interface of the operating system file system is augmented to allow it to control aspects of the collaboration system. Each folder or directory can be synchronized and treated as a “workspace” that can be viewed and shared with other users or groups of users. Folder can also be provided with “awareness” information that indicates collaborators that are present and those that are sharing the workspace.
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Citations
55 Claims
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1. A method for providing information and services of a collaboration system adapted for communicating changes to at least one shared space in a data change format that allows a plurality of members to interact collaboratively in a shared folder in a folder-based file system that is part of an operating system with a user interface, the method comprising:
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(a) including a collaborative interface in the operating system user interface, the collaborative interface adapted to receive user input identifying at least one synchronized file; (b) using the collaborative interface to display information regarding the members collaborating within the context of a shared folder through the use of the collaboration system; (c) automatically determining changes made in the folder-based file system; (d) in response to a determined change, determining whether the change relates to the at least one synchronized file; and (e) when the change relates to the at least one synchronized file, communicating the change to other members via at least one data change message formatted in accordance with the data change format of the collaboration system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus at a first end point of a collaboration system for providing information and services that allows a plurality of members to interact collaboratively in a shared folder in a folder-based file system that is part of an operating system with a user interface, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor; means for including a collaborative interface in the user interface through which a user may select at least one file in the folder-based file system as a synchronized file; an interface that connects the collaborative interface to the collaboration system in order to retrieve and display information regarding the members in the user interface; a file synchronizer that determines a change made in the folder-based file system; and a document share engine that communicates the change to at least one of the plurality of members of the collaboration system at a second end point and that receives changes to the at least one synchronized file from at least one of the plurality of members at the second end point - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A computer program product for providing information and services of a collaboration system that allows a plurality of members to interact collaboratively in a shred folder in a folder-based file system that is part of an operating system with a user interface, the computer program product comprising a computer storage medium having computer readable program code thereon, including:
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program code for including a collaborative interface in the user interface through which a user may select at least one shared folder; program code for using the collaborative interface to display information regarding the plurality of members collaborating within the context of the shared folder through the use of the collaborative system; program code for receiving from the operating system an event notification indicating a change within the folder-based file system; program code for determining whether the change made in the folder-based file system relates to the at least one shared folder, the program code for determining comprises program code for maintaining a snapshot of at least one file in the shared folder; and program code for communicating the change to other members via the collaboration system. - View Dependent Claims (55)
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54. (canceled)
Specification