METHOD OF SHARING CONTENTS BY USING PERSONAL CLOUD DEVICE, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND PERSONAL CLOUD SYSTEM

• US 20140195805A1
• Filed: 12/30/2013
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KOO, Bon-hyun, OH, Su-byeong, NOH, Kyoung-lae, SHIN, Ki-eun
• Granted Patent: US 9,813,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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]

Abstract

A method of sharing content by using a personal cloud device and an electronic device and a personal cloud system using the method are provided. The method includes connecting to a personal cloud device configured to share the content with another electronic device, if a new first content is added to a set first folder, determining an upload condition of the electronic device, and if the upload condition satisfies a set condition, transmitting the first content to the personal cloud device. Accordingly, a user is able to share contents between a plurality of electronic devices by using a personal cloud device in real time.

Claims

1. A method of sharing content of an electronic device, the method comprising:

connecting to a personal cloud device configured to share the content with another electronic device;

if a new first content is added to a set first folder, determining an upload condition of the electronic device; and

if the upload condition satisfies a set condition, transmitting the first content to the personal cloud device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the upload condition comprises at least one of a status of a network connected between the electronic device and the personal cloud and battery information of the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, if the electronic device and the personal cloud device are connected to each other through a set network interface, and a residual amount of a battery of the electronic device is higher than or equal to a set value, the first content is transmitted to the personal cloud device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the first content is transmitted, the personal cloud device stores the first content in a set folder and updates a DataBase (DB) configured to manage contents.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a download condition of the electronic device;

if the download condition of the electronic device satisfies a set condition, periodically requesting update information of a DataBase (DB) from the personal cloud device;

if the update information exists in the DB, downloading an updated second content from the personal cloud device; and

storing the second content in a second folder,

wherein the DB is configured to manage contents of the personal cloud device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the download condition comprises at least one of a status of a network connected between the electronic device and the personal cloud device, battery information of the electronic device, and memory information of the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein content information and a time stamp that are recorded in the DB of the personal cloud device and lastly downloaded by the electronic device are determined to request updated content information from the personal cloud device.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

if the second content is completely downloaded, transmitting a download result to the personal cloud device,

wherein the personal cloud device updates content information and a time stamp lastly updated by the electronic device based on the download result.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the first content stored in the first folder is revised to generate a third content, determining an upload condition of the electronic device; and

if the upload condition satisfies a set condition, transmitting the third content to the personal cloud device,

wherein the personal cloud device stores the first and second contents together.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

if a fourth content generated by revising the second content exists in the DB of the personal cloud device, downloading the fourth content from the personal cloud device; and

storing the downloaded fourth content and the second content together in the second folder.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein, if an external device is connected to the personal cloud device through a wire, and content stored in the external device is uploaded into the personal cloud device, the personal cloud device updates the DB of the personal cloud device, and the electronic device downloads the content stored in the external device from the personal cloud device.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein, if an external device is connected to the personal cloud device through a wire, and a new sixth content is overwritten on a fifth content stored in the personal cloud device through the external device, the personal cloud device stores the sixth content and a time stamp when the sixth content is overwritten, in the DB, and the electronic device determines the time stamp to download the sixth content in order to store the sixth content and the fifth content together.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a communicator configured to communicate with a personal cloud device configured to share contents with another device;

a storage unit configured to store the contents; and

a controller configured to control the communicator to determine an upload condition of the electronic device if a new first content is added to a set first folder of the storage unit, and to transmit the first content to the personal cloud device if the upload condition satisfies a set condition.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the upload condition comprises at least one of a status of a network connected between the electronic device and the personal cloud and battery information of the electronic device.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein, if the electronic device and the personal cloud device are connected to each other through a set network interface, and a residual amount of a battery of the electronic device is higher than or equal to a set value, the controller controls the communicator to transmit the first content to the personal cloud device.

16. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein, if the first content is transmitted, the personal cloud device stores the first content in a set folder and updates a DataBase (DB) configured to manage contents.

17. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the controller determines a download condition of the electronic device, periodically requests update information of a DataBase (DB) from the personal cloud device if the download condition of the electronic device satisfies a set condition, controls the communicator to download an updated second content from the personal cloud device if the update information exists in the DB, and stores the second content in a second folder, and wherein the DB is configured to manage contents of the personal cloud device.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the download condition comprises at least one of a status of a network connected between the electronic device and the personal cloud device, battery information of the electronic device, and memory information of the electronic device.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the controller controls the communicator to determine content information and a time stamp that are recorded in the DB of the personal cloud device and lastly downloaded by the electronic device to request updated content information from the personal cloud device.

20. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein, if the second content is completely downloaded, the controller controls the communicator to transmit a download result to the personal cloud device,

wherein the personal cloud device updates content information and a time stamp lastly downloaded by the electronic device based on the download result.

21. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein, if the first content stored in the first folder is revised to generate a third content, the controller determines an upload condition of the electronic device and, if the upload condition satisfies a set condition, controls the communicator to transmit the third content to the personal cloud device,

wherein the personal cloud device stores the first and second contents together.

22. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein, if a fourth content generated by revising the second content exists in the DB of the personal cloud device, the controller controls the communicator to download the fourth content from the personal cloud device and controls the storage unit to store the downloaded fourth content and the second content together in the second folder.

23. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein, if an external device is connected to the personal cloud device through a wire, and content stored in the external device is uploaded into the personal cloud device, the personal cloud device updates the DB of the personal cloud device, and the controller controls the communicator to download the content stored in the external device from the personal cloud device.

24. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein, if an external device is connected to the personal cloud device through a wire, and a new sixth content is overwritten on a fifth content stored in the personal cloud device through the external device, the personal cloud device stores the sixth content and a time stamp when the sixth content is overwritten, in the DB, and the controller controls the communicator to determine the time stamp in order to download the sixth content and controls the storage unit to store the sixth content and the fifth content together.

25. A method of sharing content in a personal cloud system comprising a first electronic device, a second electronic device, and a personal cloud device, the method comprising:

connecting between the first electronic device, the second electronic device, and the personal cloud device;

if a new first content is added to a set first folder of the first electronic device, determining an upload condition of the first electronic device through the first electronic device;

if the upload condition satisfies a set condition, transmitting the first content from the first electronic device to the personal cloud device;

storing the first content in the personal cloud device and updating information of a DataBase (DB);

determining update information of the DB of the personal cloud device through the second electronic device to download the first content from the personal cloud device; and

storing the first content in a set second folder of the second electronic device.

26. A method of authenticating a user between an electronic device and a personal cloud device, the method comprising:

inputting a password into the electronic device;

encoding the password by using a public key in the electronic device;

transmitting the encoded password from the electronic device to the personal cloud device;

verifying the encoded password by using a private key in the personal cloud device;

if the encoded password is verified, generating and storing a session key for a user authentication in the personal cloud device;

encoding the session key by using the private key in the personal cloud device;

transmitting the encoded session key from the personal cloud device to the electronic device; and

decoding the encoded session key by using the private key in the electronic device.