Method and Apparatus for Peer-to-Peer File Authoring

• US 20140379641A1
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arroware Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arroware Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Medcalf, Harvey Christopher Howard, Kinsman, Adam Bruce, Kinsman, Philip James, Ko, Ho Fai
• Granted Patent: US 10,565,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems

Abstract

Co-authoring of a digital content file using content contributed by peer devices in a peer-to-peer communications network is described. A local copy of the digital content file is stored in each of plural peer communications devices disposed in a multi-node communications network. The contents of the local copies of the digital content file stored in at least two peer communications devices are compared and in an event the local copies of the digital content file stored in a peer communications device is missing content that is contained in the other compared peer communications devices, the missing content is merged into the local copy of the digital content file stored in the peer communications device.

Claims

1. A computerized method for co-authoring a digital content file, the method comprising:

storing a local copy of the digital content file in a plurality of peer communications devices disposed in a multi-node communications network;

comparing contents of the local copies of the digital content file stored in at least two peer communications devices; and

in an event the local copy of the digital content file stored in a peer communications device is missing content contained in the other compared peer communications devices, merging the missing content into the local copy of the digital content file stored in the peer communications device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein storing the local copy of the digital content file includes creating the digital content file by an originating peer communications device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein creating the digital content file includes obtaining a file identifier for uniquely identifying the digital content file within the communications network and propagating the file identifier to other peer communications devices disposed in the multi-node communications network.

4. The method of claim 3 further including identifying each of the local copies of the digital content file using the file identifier.

5. The method of claim 3 further including obtaining the file identifier from a connection manager that monitors connectivity of the plurality of communications peer devices to the communications network.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the connection manager is included in a server.

7. The method of claim 1 further including receiving, at the peer communications device, information regarding the contents of the local copies stored at the other compared peer communications devices and comparing the contents of the local copy of the digital content file stored in the peer communications device with the received information.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the contents of the local copies of the digital content file stored in the at least two peer communications devices includes dividing the contents of the local copies into a number of portions, comparing the portions, and continuing to divide the content portions into smaller portions and comparing the portions until the missing content is identified.

9. The method of claim 1 further including comparing the content of the local copies of the digital content file stored in at least two peer communications devices in response to a trigger signal generated by at least one of the peer communications devices.

10. The method of claim 9 further including generating the trigger signal by at least one of accessing or opening a local copy of the digital content file.

11. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising instructions being operable to cause a data processing system to:

store a local copy of the digital content file in a plurality of peer communications devices disposed in a multi-node communications network;

compare contents of the local copies of the digital content file stored in at least two peer communications devices; and

in an event the local copy of the digital content file stored in a peer communications device is missing content contained in the other compared peer communications devices, merge the missing content into the local copy of the digital content file stored in the peer communications device.

12. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising instructions being operable to cause the data processing system to store a local copy of the digital content file as a function of creating the digital content file in an originating peer communications device.

13. The computer program product of claim 12 further comprising instructions being operable to cause the data processing system to create the digital content file by obtaining a file identifier for uniquely identifying the digital content file within the communications network and propagating the file identifier to other peer communications devices disposed in the multi-node communications network.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising instructions being operable to cause the data processing system to identify each of the local copies of the digital content file using the file identifier.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising instructions being operable to cause the data processing system to obtain the file identifier from a connection manager that monitors connectivity of the plurality of communications peer devices to the communications network.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the connection manager is included in a server.

17. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising instructions being operable to cause the data processing system to receive, at the peer communications device, information regarding the contents of the local copies stored at the other compared peer communications devices and compare the contents of the local copy of the digital content file stored in the peer communications device with the received information.

18. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising instructions being operable to cause the data processing system to compare the contents of the local copies of the digital content file stored in the at least two peer communications devices by dividing the contents of the local copies into a number of portions, comparing the portions, and continuing to divide the content portions into smaller portions and comparing the portions until the missing content is identified.

19. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising instructions being operable to cause the data processing system to compare the content of the local copies of the digital content file stored in at least two peer communications devices in response to a trigger signal generated by at least one of the peer communications devices.

20. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising instructions being operable to cause the data processing system to generate the trigger signal by at least one of accessing or opening a local copy of the digital content file.