Notifying Users of File Updates on Computing Devices Using Content Signatures

• US 20120016850A1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Carmenso Data Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Borden, Bruce, Brand, Russell
• Granted Patent: US 8,868,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/695
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1458 Management of the backup or restore process
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/137 Hash-based content-based indexing of textual data G06F16/31
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/162 Delete operations erasing in storage systems G06F3/0652
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1756 based on delta files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1873 Versioning file systems, temporal file systems, e.g. file system supporting different historic versions of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/20 of structured data, e.g. relational data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and apparatus for managing file updates using content signatures that use file identicality properties are provided. A method and computer program product are provided for the notification of receipt of a new version of the old file using content signatures that take advantage of file identicality properties. Content signature application modules and registries exist within information source clients and centralized servers to support the notification methods. An apparatus is provided that associates a file it has received, that is a new version of an old file, with previously stored content signatures in an indexed archive system. The information source clients that have the previously stored content signatures are then identified. These information source clients are then notified that the new version of the file exists.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

comparing a received file with previously stored content signatures stored in an indexed archive system to determine an association between the received file and one of the previously stored content signatures, the received file being a new version of a current file;

identifying information source clients having the previously stored content signature; and

notifying the identified information source clients that the new version of the file exists.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing comprises using a file update application in an application module on the indexed archive system to review metadata contained within a metadata repository on the indexed archive system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises reviewing information contained in a content repository on the indexed archive system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the notifying comprises sending a message from the indexed archive system to the at least one information source client to cause the associated computing device to display a notification message that the file has been updated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notifying comprises sending a message from the indexed archive system to the at least one information source client that causes an information agent on the at least one information source client to identify that the file has been updated when the file is next opened.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the notifying comprises sending file owners an email, calling the file owners, or messaging the file owners that a file update has occurred.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the file is a web page.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the content signature is a unique file identifier generated by hashing using one or more of the SHA-1, MD2, MD4, MD5, HAVAL, RIPEMD-128, RIPEMD-256, RIPEMD-160, RIPEMD-320, Tiger, SHA-2, SHA-224, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512, Panama, or Whirlpool algorithms.

9. A computer program product having stored thereon in digital form computer-executable instructions that, in response to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations, comprising:

comparing a received file with previously stored content signatures stored in an indexed archive system to determine an association between the received file and one of the previously stored content signatures, the received file being a new version of a current file;

identifying information source clients having the previously stored content signature; and

notifying the identified information source clients that the new version of the file exists.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the comparing comprises using a file update application in an application module on the indexed archive system to review metadata contained within a metadata repository on the indexed archive system.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the identifying comprises reviewing information contained in a content repository on the indexed archive system.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the notifying comprises sending a message from the indexed archive system to the at least one information source client to cause the associated computing device to display a notification message that the file has been updated.

13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the notifying comprises sending a message from the indexed archive system to the at least one information source client that causes an information agent on the at least one information source client to identify that the file has been updated when the file is next opened.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the notifying comprises sending file owners an email, calling the file owners, or messaging the file owners that a file update has occurred.

15. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the file is a web page, and wherein the content signature is a unique file identifier generated by hashing using one or more of the SHA-1, MD2, MD4, MD5, HAVAL, RIPEMD-128, RIPEMD-256, RIPEMD-160, RIPEMD-320, Tiger, SHA-2, SHA-224, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512, Panama, or Whirlpool algorithms.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store instructions that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to perform operations, comprising;

comparing a received file with previously stored content signatures stored in an indexed archive system to determine an association between the received file and one of the previously stored content signatures, the received file being a new version of a current file;

identifying information source clients having the previously stored content signature; and

notifying the identified information source clients that the new version of the file exists.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the comparing comprises using a file update application in an application module on the indexed archive system to review metadata contained within a metadata repository on the indexed archive system.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the identifying comprises reviewing information contained in a content repository on the indexed archive system.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the notifying comprises:

sending a message from the indexed archive system to the at least one information source client to cause the associated computing device to display a notification message that the file has been updated;

sending a message from the indexed archive system to the at least one information source client that causes an information agent on the at least one information source client to identify that the file has been updated when the file is next opened; and

sending file owners an email, calling the file owners, or messaging the file owners that a file update has occurred.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the file is a web page, and wherein the content signature is a unique file identifier generated by hashing using one or more of the SHA-1, MD2, MD4, MD5, HAVAL, RIPEMD-128, RIPEMD-256, RIPEMD-160, RIPEMD-320, Tiger, SHA-2, SHA-224, SHA-256, SHA-384, and SHA-512, Panama, or Whirlpool algorithms.