Method and apparatus for a file sharing and synchronization system
First Claim
1. A method for sharing and synchronizing data across a plurality of client devices, the method comprising:
- providing a client application on each of the client devices; and
providing a server application on a server;
wherein each client application on a client device monitors a datastore on such client device for any changes, and, in response to a change in the datastore on such client device, the client application automatically notifies the server application of the change;
wherein each client application, when running on a client device that is online and connected via a network with the server, opens a connection with the server application and registers for notices of changes to data in which such client application is interested;
wherein the server application maintains a copy of each client devices'"'"' datastore on the server and is able to receive a notification from client applications of changes to datastores on client devices; and
wherein, in response to receiving a notification from a client application of a change to a datastore on a client device, the server application updates the server'"'"'s copy of the datastore with the change, determines if there are any other client applications with open connections to the server that have registered for notices related to the data that was changed in the data store, and, if one or more of such other client applications exist, immediately pushes notice of the change to such other client application(s).
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-implemented method is provided for managing and sharing picture files. In one embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises providing a server platform and providing a datastore on the server platform for maintaining full resolution copies of the files shared between a plurality of sharing clients. A synchronization engine is provided on the server platform and is configured to send real-time updates to a plurality of sharing clients when at least one of the sharing clients updates or changes one of said files. A web interface may also be provided that allows a user to access files in the datastore through the use of a web browser.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for sharing and synchronizing data across a plurality of client devices, the method comprising:
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providing a client application on each of the client devices; and providing a server application on a server; wherein each client application on a client device monitors a datastore on such client device for any changes, and, in response to a change in the datastore on such client device, the client application automatically notifies the server application of the change; wherein each client application, when running on a client device that is online and connected via a network with the server, opens a connection with the server application and registers for notices of changes to data in which such client application is interested; wherein the server application maintains a copy of each client devices'"'"' datastore on the server and is able to receive a notification from client applications of changes to datastores on client devices; and wherein, in response to receiving a notification from a client application of a change to a datastore on a client device, the server application updates the server'"'"'s copy of the datastore with the change, determines if there are any other client applications with open connections to the server that have registered for notices related to the data that was changed in the data store, and, if one or more of such other client applications exist, immediately pushes notice of the change to such other client application(s). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for sharing and synchronizing data across a plurality of client devices, the method comprising:
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providing a client application on each of the plurality of client devices, wherein, for each client device, the client application monitors a datastore on such client device for changes; for each of the client applications that is online, opening up a connection between the client application and a server, wherein the client application notifies the server of any changes to the datastore monitored by the client device; enabling each client application to register at the server for notices to changes to select data on other client devices, provided such client application is associated with a user that is permitted to have access to such select data; in response to a client application on a client device detecting a change to a monitored datastore on such client device, receiving at the server a notification of the change from such client application when such client application has an open connection with the server; determining whether or not any other client applications have registered for notices of changes to the data that was changed in such monitored datastore; and in response to determining that one or more other online client application has registered for notices of changes to such data, immediately pushing a notice of the change to such other client application(s). - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification