MESH-MANAGING DATA ACROSS A DISTRIBUTED SET OF DEVICES

• US 20130110801A1
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Published: 05/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Moromisato, George P., Edelstein, Noah B., Parasnis, Abhay V., Andrews, Anthony D., Ozzie, Raymond E., Devlin, William D., Sagar, Akash J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,135,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Data files, applications and/or corresponding user interfaces may be accessed at a device that collaborates in a mesh. The mesh may include any number or type of devices that collaborate in a network. Data, applications and/or corresponding user interfaces may be stored within a core object that may be shared over the mesh. Information in the core object may be identified with a corresponding user such that a user may use any collaborating device in the mesh to access the information. In one example, the information is stored remotely from a device used to access the information. A remote source may store the desired information or may determine the storage location of the desired information in the mesh and may further provide the desired information to a corresponding user.

Claims

1. A method performed on any computing device of a plurality of computing devices, the method comprising:

receiving a request to access an object that is stored at any of a plurality of storage locations that include cloud storage and each of the plurality of computing devices, and where the object is identified with a user as opposed to any of the plurality of storage locations;

determining, in response to the received request, a storage location of the plurality of storage locations at which the core object is stored; and

accessing, by the user via the any computing device, the stored object from the determined storage location.

2. The method of claim 1 where a representation of at least a portion of the object is available to the user via each of the plurality of computing devices regardless of whether or not the object itself is stored on the each of the plurality of devices.

3. The method of claim 1 where none of the plurality of computing devices is associated with the user.

4. The method of claim 1 where the accessing is based at least in art on an identifier of the user.

5. The method of claim 1 where the stored object comprises:

data;

an application program corresponding to the data; and

a user interface of the application program.

6. The method of claim 5 where the accessing includes executing the application program.

7. The method of claim 6 where the determined storage location is distinct from the any computing device.

8. At least one computer storage device storing instructions that, when executed by any computing device of a plurality of computing devices, cause the any computing device to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request to access an object that is stored at any of a plurality of storage locations that include cloud storage and each of the plurality of computing devices, and where the object is identified with a user as opposed to any of the plurality of storage locations;

determining, in response to the received request, a storage location of the plurality of storage locations at which the core object is stored; and

accessing, by the user via the any computing device, the stored object from the determined storage location.

9. The at least one computer storage device of claim 8 where a representation of at least a portion of the object is available to the user via each of the plurality of computing devices regardless of whether or not the object itself is stored on the each of the plurality of devices.

10. The at least one computer storage device of claim 8 where none of the plurality of computing devices is associated with the user.

11. The at least one computer storage device of claim 8 where the accessing is based at least in art on an identifier of the user.

12. The at least one computer storage device of claim 8 where the stored object comprises:

data;

an application program corresponding to the data; and

a user interface of the application program.

13. The at least one computer storage device of claim 12 where the accessing includes executing the application program.

14. The at least one computer storage device of claim 13 where the determined storage location is distinct from the any computing device.

15. Any computing device of a plurality of computing devices comprising at least one software module configured for causing the any computing device to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request to access an object that is stored at any of a plurality of storage locations that include cloud storage and each of the plurality of computing devices, and where the object is identified with a user as opposed to any of the plurality of storage locations;

determining, in response to the received request, a storage location of the plurality of storage locations at which the core object is stored; and

accessing, by the user via the any computing device, the stored object from the determined storage location.

16. The any computing device of claim 15 where a representation of at least a portion of the object is available to the user via each of the plurality of computing devices regardless of whether or not the object itself is stored on the each of the plurality of devices.

17. The any computing device of claim 15 where none of the plurality of computing devices is associated with the user.

18. The any computing device of claim 15 where the accessing is based at least in art on an identifier of the user.

19. The any computing device of claim 15 where the stored object comprises:

data;

an application program corresponding to the data; and

a user interface of the application program.

20. The any computing device of claim 19 where the accessing includes executing the application program, or where the determined storage location is distinct from the any computing device.