SHARING AND SYNCHRONIZING ELECTRONICALLY STORED FILES

• US 20130282658A1
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Besen, Adam, Cheong, Hwi, Mueller, Hendrik, Pape, Frank, Wurtz, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,949,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/634
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1794 Details of file format conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1844 Management specifically adapted to replicated file systems

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to architectures, methods and systems and structures that facilitate the sharing and synchronization of electronically stored files among and between cloud entities and a number of computers, systems, devices and/or users. One particular exemplary aspect includes the mapping and/or translation of files electronically stored in a cloud file system when synchronized and/or shared with client computer systems.

Claims

1. A method of sharing and synchronizing an electronically stored file between a cloud file system and a client file system comprising the computer implemented steps of:

determining that the electronically stored file is associated with a plurality of directories in the cloud file system; and

generating, from the electronically stored file, in the client file system a plurality of replicates of the electronically stored file, a number of replicates in the plurality of replicates equal to a number of directories in the plurality of directories in the cloud file system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

generating in the client file system a plurality of local directories, one for each of the plurality of directories in the cloud file system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein each of the local directories contains a replicate of the electronically stored file.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the replicates of the electronically stored file comprises a link to the electronically stored file.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the electronically stored file is stored in the cloud file system and is accessible via a browser utilizing the link.

6. A method of sharing and synchronizing an electronically stored file between a cloud file system and a client file system comprising the computer implemented steps of:

generating in the client file system a replicate of the electronically stored file;

naming the replicate with an indicia of the date on which the electronically stored file was created in the cloud file system.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

naming the replicate with an indicia of the time at which the electronically stored file was created in the cloud file system.

8. A method of sharing and synchronizing an electronically stored file between a cloud file system and a client file system comprising the computer implemented steps of:

determining that the cloud file system has multiple, electronically stored files in a common folder wherein the multiple files have identical names;

generating in the client file system replicates of the electronically stored filed; and

naming the replicates with an incremental counter indicative of the particular replicate.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

naming the replicates with an indicia of the date and time at which the electronically stored file was created in the cloud file system.

10. A non-transitory computer storage medium having computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

determining whether a file electronically stored in a cloud file system is associated with a plurality of directories in the cloud file system; and

generating, from the electronically stored file, in a client file system a plurality of replicates of the electronically stored file, a number of replicates in the plurality of replicates equal to a number of directories in the plurality of directories in the cloud file system.

11. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 10 having computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to additionally perform operations comprising:

generating in the client file system a plurality of local directories, one for each of the plurality of directories in the cloud file system.

12. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 10 wherein each of the local directories contains a replicate of the electronically stored file.

13. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 12 wherein each replicate comprises a link to the file electronically stored in the cloud file system.

14. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 13 having computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer cause to computer to additionally perform operations comprising:

accessing the file electronically stored in the cloud file system via a browser utilizing the link.