Method and apparatus for dividing, mapping and storing large digital objects in a client/server library system
First Claim
1. A method for storing and managing objects in a distributed information storage management system including a client, an object server for storing an object and a centralized server having information stored therein regarding the location of the object and the client, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) dividing a digital object into a plurality of pieces, wherein each of said pieces is smaller than said digital object;
b) generating a piece map for storing piece identification information identifying each of said pieces, whereby access to the pieces is based on the piece identification information stored in the piece map;
c) transmitting each of said pieces and said piece map from the client to the object server, storing the transmitted pieces and piece map in the object server and storing information about each of said pieces and said piece map in said centralized server.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for supporting large digital objects. More particularly it relates to a client/server library system in which a large digital object is divided into smaller pieces which are stored in the client/server library system. By dividing the large digital object into smaller pieces, system limitations regarding object size are avoided. In one embodiment of the present invention the pieces are stored as files of variable size. Moreover, the pieces can be stored on separate object servers which can be located remotely from one another.
198 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for storing and managing objects in a distributed information storage management system including a client, an object server for storing an object and a centralized server having information stored therein regarding the location of the object and the client, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) dividing a digital object into a plurality of pieces, wherein each of said pieces is smaller than said digital object; b) generating a piece map for storing piece identification information identifying each of said pieces, whereby access to the pieces is based on the piece identification information stored in the piece map; c) transmitting each of said pieces and said piece map from the client to the object server, storing the transmitted pieces and piece map in the object server and storing information about each of said pieces and said piece map in said centralized server. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 34)
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6. A method for storing and managing objects in a distributed information storage management system, the method comprising the steps of:
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a) dividing a digital object into a plurality of pieces, wherein each of said pieces is smaller than said digital object; b) generating a piece map for storing therein piece identification information identifying each of said pieces; c) storing each of said plurality of pieces in one of a plurality of storage devices; and d) storing the piece identification information in said piece map for each of said plurality of pieces stored in step c) and storing said piece map in one of said plurality of storage devices, wherein at least two of said plurality of pieces are stored on different ones of said plurality of storage devices, and whereby access to the pieces is based on the piece identification information stored in the piece map. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for storing and managing objects, comprised of:
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a client for dividing a digital object into a plurality of pieces; one or more object servers for storing a piece map and said plurality of pieces, wherein said piece map includes piece identifying information identifying each of said plurality of pieces, whereby access to the pieces is based on the piece identification information in the piece map; and a centralized server having a parts table for storing said piece identifying information and piece location information identifying which one of said object servers each of said plurality of pieces is stored, and storing piece map identification information identifying said piece map and piece map location information identifying one of said object servers within which said piece map is stored. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 35)
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25. A computer-readable medium of instructions, comprising:
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program code for a client for dividing a digital object into a plurality of pieces; program code for one or more object servers for storing a piece map and said plurality of pieces, wherein said piece map includes piece identifying information identifying each of said plurality of pieces, whereby access to the pieces is based on the piece identifying information in the piece map; and program code for a centralized server having a parts table for storing said piece identifying information and piece location information identifying which one of said object servers each of said plurality of pieces is stored, and storing piece map identification information identifying said piece map and piece map location information identifying one of said object servers upon which said piece map is stored. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 36)
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33. A method performed on or with the aid of a computer, comprising:
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a) dividing a digital object into a plurality of pieces, wherein each of said pieces is smaller than said digital object; b) generating a piece map for storing therein piece identification information identifying each of said pieces, whereby access to the pieces is based on the piece identifying information stored in the piece map; c) storing each of said plurality of pieces in one of a plurality of storage devices; and d) storing the piece identification information in said piece map for each of said plurality of pieces stored in step c) and storing said piece map in one of said plurality of storage devices, wherein at least two of said plurality of pieces are stored on different ones of said plurality of storage devices.
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Specification