Distributed group activity data network system and corresponding method

• US 6,161,146 A
• Filed: 11/03/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Distributed Media Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Metadigm LLC
• Inventors: Kley, Victor B., Lovejoy, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US09/185,231
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 709/243, 709/200, 709/201, 709/203, 709/248
• US Class Current: 709/248
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A distributed group activity network system and corresponding method over a computer network. It synchronizes and provides access by system users to shared data files of a group activity. The distributed group activity network system comprises one or more server computers and client computers that are connected to the server computer(s) by network connections. Each of the server computers comprises a network server and a memory system. The network server runs on the server computer and provides basic network services that are available at the server computer. The memory systems of the server computers store synchronization files and shared data files of the group activity. Each of the client computers comprises a memory system and a system module running on the client computer. The system modules of the client computers use the memory systems of the client computers and the available basic network services at the server computer(s) to synchronize and provide access to the shared data files by the system users by also using the memory systems of the client computers and the available basic network services at the server computer(s) to synchronize access to and access the synchronization files.

Claims

1. A distributed group activity network system over a computer network that synchronizes and provides access by system users to shared data files of a group activity, the distributed group activity network system comprising:

a server computer that is configured to (a) make basic network services of a standard network protocol available thereat, and (b) store the shared data files and also synchronization files for the group activity; and

client computers that are not directly connected to each other or the server computer over the computer network;

each specific client computer of the client computers being configured so that, each time a specific user of the system users requests that a selected shared data file of the shared data files be updated at the specific client computer, the specific client computer (a) accesses the synchronization files using the network services available at the server computer so as to determine if the selected shared data file is checked out by another user of the system users and to check out the selected shared data file if the selected shared data file is not checked out, (b) accesses the checked out shared data file using the network services available at the server computer so as to update the shared data file, (c) accesses the synchronization files using the network services available at the server computer so as to check in the updated shared data file, (d) establishes network connections between the specific client and server computers over the computer network in order to perform the accesses, and (e) performs the accesses without using any dedicated processes which may reside on the server computer.

2. A distributed group activity network system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the network connections may be interrupted;

each specific client computer of the client computers being further configured so that, each time a specific user of the system users requests that a selected shared data file of the shared data files be updated at the specific client computer, the specific client computer (f) suspends a particular access of the accesses when a corresponding network connection of the established network connections is interrupted, and (g) establishes the corresponding network connection again in order to complete the particular access.

3. A distributed group activity network system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the synchronization files comprise a locking file and a checkout file;

each specific client computer of the client computers is further configured so that, each time a specific user of the system users requests that a selected shared data file of the shared data files be updated at the specific client computer, the specific client computer performs;

the access of the synchronization files to check out the shared data file by (i) deleting from or transferring to the server computer a locking file using the network services available at the server computer so as to indicate to the other client computers that access to the checkout file is locked, (ii) transferring the checkout file to the specific client computer using the network services available at the server computer, (iii) updating the transferred checkout file to indicate to the other client computers that the shared data file has been checked out by the user, (iv) transferring the updated checkout file to the server computer using the network services available at the server computer, (v) transferring to or deleting from the server computer the locking file using the network services available at the server computer so as to indicate to the other client computers that access to the checkout file is no longer locked;

the access of the selected shared data file to update the shared data file by (i) transferring the shared data file to the specific client computer using the network services available at the server computer, (ii) updating the transferred shared data file at the client computer in response to commands issued by the specific user, (iii) transferring the updated shared data file to the server computer using the network services available at the server computer;

the access of the synchronization files to check in the shared data file by (i) deleting from or transferring to the server computer the locking file using the network services available at the server computer so as to indicate to the other client computers that access to the checkout file is locked, (ii) transferring the checkout file to the specific client computer using the network services available at the server computer, (iii) updating the transferred checkout file to indicate to the other client computers that the shared data file has been checked in by the user, (iv) transferring the updated checkout file to the server computer using the network services available at the server computer, and (v) transferring to or deleting from the server computer the locking file using the network services available at the server computer so as to indicate to the other client computers that access to the checkout file is no longer locked.

4. A distributed group activity network system as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

each of the client computers stores a corresponding access control file for a corresponding user of the system users;

the shared data files and the checkout file are stored at the server computer in encrypted form;

each specific client computer of the client computers being further configured so that, each time a specific user of the system users requests that a selected shared data file of the shared data files be updated at the specific client computer, the specific client computer performs;

the access of the synchronization files to check out and in the shared data file further by (vi) decrypting the transferred checkout file according to the corresponding access control file for the specific user before the transferred checkout file is updated, and (vii) encrypting the updated checkout file according to the corresponding access control file for the specific user before the updated checkout file is transferred to the server computer; and

the access of the selected shared data file to update the shared data file further by (iv) decrypting the transferred data file according to the corresponding access control file for the specific user before the transferred date file is updated, and (v) encrypting the updated data file according to the corresponding access control file for the specific user before the updated data file is transferred to the server computer.

5. A distributed group activity network system as claimed in claim 4 wherein:

the access control file stored by each particular client computer of the client computers contains a corresponding public encryption key and a corresponding private encryption key for the corresponding user;

each specific client computer of the client computers being further configured so that, each time a specific user of the system users requests that a selected shared data file of the shared data files be updated at the specific client computer, the specific client computer decrypts the transferred checkout and data files according to the corresponding public encryption key for the specific user and encrypts the updated checkout and data files according to the corresponding private encryption key for the specific user.

6. A distributed group activity network system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the network comprises the Internet and the standard network protocol comprises an Internet protocol.

7. A distributed group activity network system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the Internet protocol comprises HTTP.

8. A distributed group activity network system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the Internet protocol comprises FTP.

9. A distributed group activity network system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

each particular client computer of the client computers is configured using a platform independent programming language that is independent of the particular client computer'"'"'s platform;

each particular client computer of the client computers is further configured with a virtual machine module to execute the platform independent programming language on the particular client computer'"'"'s platform.

10. A distributed group activity network system as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

each specific client computer of the client computers is further configured so that each time a specific user of the system users requests that a selected shared data file of the shared data files be updated at the specific client computer, the specific client computer (f) accesses the synchronization files using the network services available at the server computer to identify shared data files of the shared data files that have not yet been archived at the specific client computer, and (g) accesses the identified shared data files using the network services available at the server computer to archive the identified shared data files at the specific client computer.

11. A method of performing a distributed group activity over a computer network that synchronizes and provides access by system users to shared data files of a group activity, the method comprising the steps of:

utilizing a server computer that (a) makes basic network services of a standard network protocol available thereat, and (b) stores the shared data files and synchronization files of the group activity;

utilizing client computers that are not directly connected to each other or the server computer over the computer network; and

each time that a specific user of the system users requests that a selected shared data file of the shared data files be updated at a specific client computer of the client computers,

accessing the synchronization files with the specific client computer using the network services available at the server computer so as to determine if the selected shared data file is checked out by another user of the system users and to check out the selected shared data file if the selected shared data file is not checked out,

accessing the checked out shared data file with the specific client computer using the network services available at the server computer so as to update the shared data file,

accessing the synchronization files with the specific client computer using the network services available at the server computer so as to check in the updated shared data file, and

establishing network connections over the computer network between the specific client computer and server computers in order to perform the accessing steps;

performing the accessing steps without using any dedicated processes which may reside on the server computer.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein:

the network connections may be interrupted; and

the method further comprises the steps of;

each time that a specific user of the system users requests that a selected shared data file of the shared data files be updated at a specific client computer of the client computers,

suspending a particular step of the accessing steps when a corresponding network connection of the network connections is interrupted; and

establishing the corresponding network connection again in order to complete the particular step.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein:

the synchronization files comprise a locking file and a checkout file;

the step of accessing the synchronization files to check out the shared data file comprises the steps of;

deleting from or transferring to the server computer a locking file using the network services available at the server computer so as to indicate to the other client computers that access to the checkout file is locked;

transferring the checkout file to the specific client computer using the network services available at the server computer;

updating the transferred checkout file to indicate to the other client computers that the shared data file has been checked out by the user;

transferring the updated checkout file to the server computer using the network services available at the server computer; and

transferring to or deleting from the server computer the locking file using the network services available at the server computer so as to indicate to the other client computers that access to the checkout file is no longer locked;

the step of accessing the selected shared data file to update the shared data file comprises the steps of;

transferring the shared data file to the specific client computer using the network services available at the server computer;

updating the transferred shared data file at the client computer in response to commands issued by the specific user; and

transferring the updated shared data file to the server computer using the network services available at the server computer;

the step of accessing the synchronization files to check in the shared data file comprises the steps of;

deleting from or transferring to the server computer the locking file using the network services available at the server computer so as to indicate to the other client computers that access to the checkout file is locked;

transferring the checkout file to the specific client computer using the network services available at the server computer;

updating the transferred checkout file to indicate to the other client computers that the shared data file has been checked in by the user;

transferring the updated checkout file to the server computer using the network services available at the server computer; and

transferring to or deleting from the server computer the locking file using the network services available at the server computer so as to indicate to the other client computers that access to the checkout file is no longer locked.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein:

each of the client computers stores a corresponding access control file for a corresponding user of the system users;

the shared data files and the checkout file are stored at the server computer in encrypted form;

the step of accessing the synchronization files to check out and in the shared data file further comprises the steps of;

decrypting the transferred checkout file according to the corresponding access control file for the specific user before the transferred checkout file is updated; and

encrypting the updated checkout file according to the corresponding access control file for the specific user before the updated checkout file is transferred to the server computer; and

the step of accessing the selected shared data file to update the shared data file further comprises the steps of;

decrypting the transferred data file according to the corresponding access control file for the specific user before the transferred date file is updated; and

encrypting the updated data file according to the corresponding access control file for the specific user before the updated data file is transferred to the server computer.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein:

the access control file stored by each particular client computer of the client computers contains a corresponding public encryption key and a corresponding private encryption key for the corresponding user;

the transferred checkout and data files are decrypted in the decrypting step according to the corresponding public encryption key for the specific user and the updated checkout and data files are encrypted in the encrypting step according to the corresponding private encryption key for the specific user.

16. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the network comprises the Internet and the standard network protocol comprises an Internet protocol.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the Internet protocol comprises HTTP.

18. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the Internet protocol comprises FTP.

19. A method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising the steps of:

each time that a specific user of the system users requests that a selected shared data file of the shared data files be updated at a specific client computer of the client computers,

accessing the synchronization files with the specific client computer using the network services available at the server computer to identify shared data files of the shared data files that have not yet been archived at the specific client computer; and

accessing the identified shared data files using the network services available at the server computer to archive the identified shared data files at the specific client computer.