MEMORY CONSERVING VERSIONING OF AN ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT

• US 20170185573A1
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Published: 06/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Milvaney, Douglas Lane
• Granted Patent: US 10,102,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• 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

Memory conserving versioning of an electronic document is provided. Client versioning factors are analyzed by a client versioning engine and server versioning factors are analyzed by a server versioning engine for determining when an electronic document should be stored as a new version. Accordingly, new versions of an electronic document are only created when determined to be sufficiently important, thus reducing the amount of memory required for increased version payload.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for memory conserving versioning of an electronic document, comprising:

receiving, at a server, client edits to the electronic document;

analyzing, by the server, a plurality of server versioning factors for determining whether to save the client edits as a new version of the electronic document, wherein one of the plurality of server versioning factors is based on a client request to save the client edits as a new version of the electronic document; and

in response to a positive determination;

generating a new version identifier for the electronic document; and

saving the client edits to a storage repository using the new version identifier.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving client edits to the electronic document comprises receiving an update request from a client, and wherein the update request is a request for the server to update the electronic document with the client edits.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein receiving the update request from the client comprises receiving an update request comprising a client request to save the client edits as a new version of the electronic document.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein receiving an update request comprising a client request to save the client edits as a new version of the electronic document is in response to analyzing, by the client, a plurality of client versioning factors.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein analyzing a plurality of client versioning factors comprises:

deriving a value for each of the plurality of client versioning factors;

generating a versioning score based on the derived values;

comparing the versioning score against a versioning threshold score; and

when the versioning score meets or exceeds the versioning threshold score, determining that a new version of the electronic document should be created.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein deriving a value for each of the plurality of client versioning factors comprises deriving a value for at least one of:

a time interval client versioning factor;

an edit size client versioning factor;

an edit type client versioning factor; and

an application-dependent edit type client versioning factor.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising including the versioning score in the client request to save the client edits as a new version of the electronic document.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein analyzing, by the server, a plurality of server versioning factors comprises:

deriving a value for each of the plurality of server versioning factors;

generating a versioning score based on the derived values;

comparing the versioning score against a versioning threshold score; and

when the versioning score meets or exceeds the versioning threshold score, determining that a new version of the electronic document should be created.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein deriving a value for each of the plurality of server versioning factors comprises deriving a value for at least one of:

a client version request versioning factor;

a save time interval server versioning factor;

a version time interval server versioning factor; and

a storage server versioning factor.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein deriving a value for the client version request versioning factor comprises deriving a value based on the client-generated versioning score.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein in response to a negative determination, saving the client edits to a current version of the electronic document.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether at least one additional client is concurrently editing the electronic document; and

in response to a positive determination, generating and transmitting an update notification to the at least one additional client, wherein the update notification provides a notification to the at least one additional client that the electronic document has been updated with client edits.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the update notification provides a notification to the at least one additional client that the client edits have been saved to a new version of the electronic document.

14. A system for memory conserving versioning of an electronic document, comprising:

one or more processors for executing programmed instructions;

memory, coupled to the one or more processors, for storing program instruction steps for execution by the computer processor; and

a server versioning engine comprising;

a server document synchronizer operative to receive a client-generated update request including client edits to the electronic document; and

a server versioning analyzer operative to analyze a plurality of server versioning factors for determining whether to save the client edits as a new version of the electronic document, wherein one of the plurality of server versioning factors is based on a client request to save the client edits as a new version of the electronic document; and

a server document versioner operative to;

in response to a positive determination;

generate a new version identifier for the electronic document; and

save the client edits to a storage repository using the new version identifier; and

in response to a negative determination, save the client edits to a current version of the electronic document.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the client-generated update request includes a client request to save the client edits as a new version of the electronic document.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the client request to save the client edits as a new version of the electronic document is included in the update request in response to an analysis performed by a client versioning analyzer, the client versioning analyzer operative to:

derive a value for each of the plurality of client versioning factors;

generate a versioning score based on the derived values;

compare the versioning score against a versioning threshold score; and

when the versioning score meets or exceeds the versioning threshold score, determine that a new version of the electronic document should be created.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein in deriving a value for each of the plurality of client versioning factors, the client versioning analyzer is operative to derive a value for at least one of:

a time interval client versioning factor;

an edit size client versioning factor;

an edit type client versioning factor; and

an application-dependent edit type client versioning factor.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein in analyzing a plurality of server versioning factors, the server versioning analyzer is operative to:

derive a value for each of the plurality of server versioning factors;

generate a versioning score based on the derived values;

compare the versioning score against a versioning threshold score; and

when the versioning score meets or exceeds the versioning threshold score, determine that a new version of the electronic document should be created.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein in deriving a value for each of the plurality of server versioning factors, the server versioning analyzer is operative to derive a value for at least one of:

a client version request versioning factor based on a client-generated versioning score;

a save time interval server versioning factor;

a version time interval server versioning factor; and

a storage server versioning factor.

20. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform a method for memory conserving versioning of an electronic document, the method comprising:

receiving a client-generated update request including client edits to the electronic document and a client request to save the client edits as a new version of the electronic document;

deriving a value for each of a plurality of server versioning factors, wherein one of the plurality of server versioning factors is based on the client request to save the client edits as a new version of the electronic document;

generating a versioning score based on the derived values;

comparing the versioning score against a versioning threshold score; and

in response the versioning score meeting or exceeding the versioning threshold score;

determining that a new version of the electronic document should be created;

generating a new version identifier for the electronic document; and

saving the client edits to a storage repository using the new version identifier; and

in response to the versioning score not meeting or exceeding the versioning threshold score, saving the client edits to a current version of the electronic document.