File transferring apparatus and method thereof

• US 6,385,654 B1
• Filed: 10/23/1998
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINDER, PATRICE L
• Application Number:
  US09/178,465
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 345/340, 345/349, 345/329, 709/211, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/232, 709/223, 709/213, 709/216, 709/231
• US Class Current: 709/231
• 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 user'"'"'s burden is decreased when transferring a file via a network by simplifying the directory changing operation at each node. FTP-C-S/W 114 displays a current directory and a directory/file included therein of a local node and a remote node in a GUI panel. When the user clicks any one of the displayed directories with a mouse, the FTP-C-S/W 114 accepts the clicked directory as a directory specified by the user and selects it as a new current directory in place of the existing current directory. When a current directory of the local node is newly selected, the FTP-C-S/W 114 automatically selects a directory of the remote node corresponding to the new current directory of the local node and makes it a new current directory of the remote node to have both current directories coincide.

Claims

1. A file transferring apparatus for transferring a file containing data across a system of interconnected communication nodes between a local communication node and a remote communication node, comprising:

first current directory selecting means for selecting either a local current directory or a remote current directory;

second current directory selecting means responsive to the directory selection of said first current directory selecting means for automatically selecting a remote current directory corresponding to said selected local current directory when said first current directory selecting means selects a local current directory and for automatically selecting a local current directory corresponding to said selected remote current directory when said first current directory selecting means selects a remote current directory; and

file transfer means for transferring a file correlated to said local current directory to said remote node and/or receiving a file correlated to said remote current directory from said remote node to said local node.

2. A file transferring apparatus in one or more of a plurality of communication nodes interconnected each other (local node) for transferring a file containing data between said local node and another communication node communicating with said local node (remote node), in which each of said communication nodes correlates each of one or more directories configured in a hierarchical structure to at least a directory and/or a file of a lower hierarchy (lower directory), and said remote node at least notifies at least said local node of the directory of said remote node, comprising:

first current directory selecting means for selecting either one of the directories of said local nodes (local directory) or either one of said notified directories of the remote node (remote directory) as a local current directory or a remote current directory;

second current directory selecting means for selecting said remote directory corresponding to said selected local current directory or said local directory corresponding to said selected remote directory as said remote current directory or said local current directory;

file transfer means for transferring a file by sending a file correlated to said local current directory to said remote node and/or receiving a file correlated to said remote current directory from said remote node;

directory display means for displaying at least said selected local current directory and said selected remote current directory and/or said lower directory and a directory of higher hierarchy (higher directory) of said selected local current directory and said selected remote current directory;

directory designation accepting means for accepting designation of said lower directory or said higher directory of said local current directory and said remote current directory;

said first current directory selecting means selecting said lower directory or said higher directory of said local current directory and said remote current directory as a new local current directory and a new remote current directory; and

said second current directory selecting means selecting said remote current directory or said local current directory corresponding to said newly selected local current directory or said newly selected remote current directory as said new remote current directory or said new local current directory each time said local current directory or said remote current directory is newly selected.

3. A file transferring apparatus of claim 2 in which:

said remote node notifies upon request said local node of said lower directory and/or said higher directory of said remote current directory;

said first current directory selecting means and said second current directory selecting means request said remote node to notify of said lower directory and/or said higher directory of said newly selected remote current directory; and

said directory display means displays said lower directory and/or said higher directory of said selected local current directory and said lower directory and/or said higher directory of said remote current directory notified from said remote node in response to the request.

4. A file transferring apparatus of claim 2 in which:

at least each of said remote nodes notifies at least said local node of the directory name of said remote directory; and

said second current directory selecting means selects said remote directory or said local directory of the same directory name as said selected local current directory or said remote current directory as said remote current director or said local current directory.

5. A file transferring method for transferring a file containing data across a plurality of communication nodes interconnected to each other between a local node thereof and a remote node thereof communicating with said local node, comprising the steps of:

selecting either a local current directory or a remote current directory;

automatically selecting a remote current directory corresponding to said selected local current directory when a local current directory is selected or automatically selecting a local current directory corresponding to said selected remote current directory when a remote current directory is selected instead; and

transferring a file correlated to said local current directory to said remote node and/or receiving a file correlated to said remote current directory from said remote node to said local node.

6. A computer readable recording medium for use in a file transferring apparatus for transferring a file containing data across a plurality of communication nodes interconnected to each other between a local node thereof and a remote node thereof communicating with said local node, said recording medium recording a program for causing a computer to execute:

a first current directory selecting step for selecting either a local current directory or a remote current directory;

a second current directory selecting step for automatically selecting a remote current directory corresponding to said selected local current directory when a local current directory is selected in said first current directory selecting step or automatically selecting a local current directory corresponding to said selected remote current directory when a remote current directory is selected in said first current directory selecting step; and

a file transfer step for transferring a file correlated to said local current directory to said remote node and/or receiving a file correlated to said remote current directory from said remote node to said local node.

7. A computer readable recording medium for use in a file transferring apparatus for transferring a file containing data between one or more of a plurality of communication nodes interconnected each other (local node) and another communication node communicating with said local node (remote node) in which each of said communication nodes correlates each of one or more directories configured in a hierarchical structure to at least a directory of a lower hierarchy (lower directory) and/or a file, and said remote node at least notifies at least said local node of the directory of said remote node, said recording medium recording a program for causing a computer to execute:

a first current directory selecting step for selecting either one of the directories of said local nodes (local directory) or either one of said notified directories of the remote node (remote directory) as a local current directory or a remote current directory;

a second current directory selecting step for selecting said remote directory corresponding to said selected local current directory or said local directory corresponding to said selected remote directory as said remote current directory or said local current directory;

a file transfer step for transferring a file by sending a file correlated to said local current directory to said remote node and/or receiving a file correlated to said remote current directory from said remote node;

a directory display step for displaying at least said selected local current directory and said selected remote current directory and/or said lower directory and a directory of higher hierarchy (higher directory) of said selected local current directory and said selected remote current directory;

a directory designation accepting step for accepting designation of said lower directory or said higher directory of said local current directory and said remote current directory;

said first current directory selecting step including a step for selecting said lower directory or said higher directory of said local current directory and said remote current directory as a new local current directory and a new remote current directory; and

said second current directory selecting step including a step for selecting said remote current directory or said local current directory corresponding to said newly selected local current directory or said newly selected remote current directory as said new remote current directory or said new local current directory each time said local current directory or said remote current directory is newly selected.

8. A computer readable recording medium of claim 7 in which:

said remote node notifies upon request said local node of said lower directory and/or said higher directory of said remote current directory;

said first current directory selecting step and said second current directory selecting step request said remote node to notify of said lower directory and/or said higher directory of said newly selected remote current directory; and

said directory display step includes a step for displaying said lower directory and/or said higher directory of said selected local current directory and said lower directory and/or said higher directory of said remote current directory notified from said remote node in response to the request.

9. A computer readable recording medium of claim 7 in which:

at least each of said remote nodes notifies at least said local node of the directory name of said remote directory; and

said second current directory selecting step includes a step for selecting said remote directory or said local directory of the same directory name as said selected local current directory or said remote current directory as said remote current director or said local current directory.