COMPUTER FILE STORAGE

• US 20100257217A1
• Filed: 11/24/2008
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Kings, Nicholas J., Warren, Paul W.
• Application Number:
  US12/744,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20100257217A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/822
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/16 File or folder operations, e.g. details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems

Abstract

A computer system has storage for data files and can store and retrieval of files in accordance with a folder structure. The system is able to associate a file with more than one folder. Upon receipt of a request to store a file, it determines a measure of degree of association between the file and each of a plurality of folders of the structure; on the basis of these measures it selects folders to associate the file with, and stores the measure in respect of each of the selected folders.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer system having storage for data files and operable for storage and retrieval of files in accordance with a folder structure, the system being able to associate a file with more than one folder comprising

receiving a request to store a file;

determining a measure of degree of association between the file and each of a plurality of folders of the structure;

selecting folders on the basis of the measures of degree of association; and

storing the measure of degree of association in respect of each of the selected folders;

the method further comprising displaying to a user, for potential retrieval, the names of files stored in a particular folder, wherein said display includes indications to the effect that some files have measures of degree of association with the folder that are larger than the measures possessed by other files.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the request is a request to store a file in a specified folder and the measure of degree of association in respect of that folder is forced to a maximum value.

3. A method according to claim 1 in which the request is a request to store a file in a specified folder and the measure of degree of association in respect of that folder is forced to a value specified by the user.

4. A method according to claim 1, in which the step of determining a measure of degree of association is obtained by comparing the file under consideration with other files already associated with that folder.

5. A method according to claim 4 in which the step of determining a measure of degree of association is obtained by computing a measure of similarity between the file under consideration and each other file already associated with that folder, and generating from them a combined measure of degree of association.

6. A method according to claim 4 in which the step of determining a measure of degree of association is obtained by computing a measure of similarity between the file under consideration and a combined characteristic of the other files already associated with that folder.

7. A method according to claim 5 in which the file is a text file or file containing text and the measure of similarity is obtained by comparing the frequency of incidence of words in the text.

8. A method according to claim 7 in which the measure of similarity is the cosine similarity measure.

9. A method according to claim 1 in which the display includes the measure of degree of association.

10. A method according to claim 1 in which the arrangement of display of the names is a function of the respective measures of degree of association.

11. A method according to claim 10 which the names of the files are displayed as a list, in order of measure of degree of association of association.

12. A method according to claim 10 in which the names of the files are displayed at positions whose distance from a reference point is a function of the measure of degree of association.

13. A method according to claim 1 in which the system is able to associate a folder with more than one superordinate folder comprising

receiving a request to create a folder;

as files are added to the folder, updating a measure of degree of association between the folder and each of a plurality of other folders of the structure;

storing the measures of degree of association; and

associating the requested folder with one or more folders selected on the basis of the measures;

the method further comprising displaying to a user, for potential retrieval, the names of folder associated with a particular folder, wherein said display includes indications to the effect that some folders have measures of degree of association with the particular folder that are larger than the measures possessed by other folders.

25. A method according to claim 13 in which the measure of degree of association between a folder and a superordinate folder is a function of the degree of association between files associated with the folder under consideration and files associated with that superordinate folder.

26. A method according to claim 13 in which the files considered in respect of the folder under consideration and/or in respect of the superordinate folder include files associated with subordinated folders associated directly or indirectly with the respective folder.

14. A computer system having storage for data files and control means operable for storage and retrieval of files in accordance with a folder structure, wherein the control means is able to associate a file with more than one folder, and including means operable in response to a request to store a file to determine a measure of degree of association between the file and each of a plurality of folders of the structure, to select folders on the basis of the measures of degree of association and to store the measure in respect of each of the selected folders.

16. A computer system according to claim 14 in which the means for determining a measure of degree of association is operable to compare the file under consideration with other files already associated with that folder.

17. A computer system according to claim 16 in which the means for determining a measure of degree of association is operable to compute a measure of similarity between the file under consideration and each other file already associated with that folder, and generate from them a combined measure of degree of association.

18. A computer system according to claim 16 in which the means for determining a measure of degree of association is operable to compute a measure of similarity between the file under consideration and a combined characteristic of the other files already associated with that folder.

19. A computer system according to claim 17 in which the file is a text file or file containing text and the measure of similarity is obtained by comparing the frequency of incidence of words in the text.

20. A computer system according to claim 19 in which the measure of similarity is the cosine similarity measure.

21. A computer system according to claim 14 in which the control means is operable to display the names of files stored in a particular folder, the display including the measure of degree of association.

22. A computer system according to claim 14 in which the control means is operable to display the names of files stored in a particular folder, the arrangement of display of the names being a function of the respective measures of degree of association.

23. A computer system according to claim 14 in which the system is able to associate a folder with more than one superordinate folder, and comprising means operable to

receive a request to create a folder;

as files are added to the folder, update a measure of degree of association between the folder and each of a plurality of other folders of the structure;

store the measures; and

select one or more folders on the basis of the measures.

15. A computer system having storage for data files and control means operable for storage and retrieval of files in accordance with a folder structure, wherein the control means is able to associate a file with more than one folder, and including means operable in response to a request to store a file in a specified folder to determine a measure of degree of association between the file and the specified folder and to store the measure in respect of each of the selected folders.

24. A method of operating a computer system having storage for data files and operable for storage and retrieval of files in accordance with a hierarchical folder structure, the system being able to associate a folder with more than one superordinate folder comprising

receiving a request to create a folder;

as files are added to the folder, update a measure of degree of association between the folder and each of a plurality of other folders of the structure;

store the measures of degree of association; and

select folders on the basis of the measures of degree of association.