File system management with user-definable functional attributes stored in a token action log

• US 6,804,687 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott E. Sampson
• Original Assignee: Scott E. Sampson
• Inventors: Sampson, Scott E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Channavajjala, Srirama
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, KHANH B
• Application Number:
  US10/443,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20040064434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 707/101, 707/200, 707/205, 707/206, 705/51, 705/52
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/389 Keeping log of transactions for guaranteeing non-repudiation of a transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A file system or other system that manages information entities includes a subsystem to store one or more tokens, as well as a token action log to associate each token with a customizable set of one or more actions, where each token is to trigger the associated set of one or more actions in response to accompanying a file-system/information entity that experiences an event. The file system also includes a token log manager, which initiates the appropriate actions corresponding to file-system entities that experience an event.

Claims

1. A method for managing a file system comprising:

providing a token action log as a data structure that contains user-extensible set of tokens, each token including a set of symbols;

storing new entry in the token action log comprising;

a) a new token as a set of symbols that together have no prior functional meaning within the file system,

b) one or more user-customizable sets of actions associated with the new token, and,

c) an indication of a specific event that is designated to trigger the one or more user-customizable actions;

attaching the new token to one or more file-system entities such that the token is stored together with each attached file-system entity;

detecting an event involving a file-system entity that has an attached token, which token is from the set of tokens previously stored in the token action log;

identifying the attached token stored with the file-system entity involved in the detected event;

retrieving from the token action log one or more actions are associated in the token action log with the identified token and the detected event; and

executing the retrieved actions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the file-system is a system that stores an organized collection of information entities.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the file-system entities are one or more of files, directories, links to files, links to directories, data structures, data structure elements, images, video data, audio data, messages, and message attachments.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein storing a new entry in the token action log includes receiving a configuration from a system operator of a specific token.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein storing a new entry in the token action log includes receiving a configuration from a system operator of a configuration of a second specific token.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein storing a new entry in the token action log includes receiving the configuration of the one or more tokens from an external source.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein storing a new entry in the token action log includes one or more of recording the token in system memory, recording the token on a system storage device, and recording the token on an external device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is selected from the set consisting of deleting the file-system entity, opening the file-system entity, copying the file-system entity, printing the file-system entity, receiving the file-system entity over a network connection, sending the file-system entity over a network connection, backing up the file-system entity, moving the file-system entity, executing the file-system entity, creating the file-system entity, modifying the file-system entity, and associating a token with the file-system entity.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating one or more time-dependent alarms with one or more tokens and one or more token actions as recorded in the token action log.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the event comprises passing a designated time as indicated by one or more alarms associated with one or more tokens.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the token action log is stored in the file system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the token action log is stored outside of the file system.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the token action log is affiliated with a given user of the file system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the token action log is affiliated with a given group of users of the file system.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein specific entries in the token action log are affiliated with a given user of the file system.

16. The method of claim 1, specific entries in the token action log are affiliated with a given group of users of the file system.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein specific tokens together with specific file-system entities comprises including one or more tokens in a set of extended attributes pertaining to specific file-system entities.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein storing specific tokens together with specific file-system entities comprises storing the token in meta-information which is stored with the file-system entities.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein storing specific tokens together with specific file-system entitles comprises recording in a data structure which tokens are considered attached to specific file-system entities.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an event involving a file-system entity associated with a specific token previously stored within the file system;

searching the token action log for a set of one or more actions associated with the specific token; and

executing the set of one or more actions.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the file-system entity is accompanied by a second specific token previously stored within the file system, the method further comprising:

searching the token action log for a second set of one or more actions associated with the second specific token; and

executing the second set of one or more actions.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an event that pertains to a specific token previously recorded in the token action log;

identifying entities within the file system that are associated with the specific taken pertaining to the detected event;

searching the token action log for a set of one or more actions associated with the specific token; and

executing the set of one or more actions for each of the identified files-system entities.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one action includes conditional logic.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified token is accompanied by a set of parameters, and wherein executing the set of one or more actions comprises calling a function with the set of parameters.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the identified token is associated with one or more conditions for use, and wherein searching the token action log includes verifying that the one or more conditions for use are satisfied.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one token is associated with an indication of an intended purpose for the at least one token.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the new token to one or more file-system entities comprises associating multiple tokens with different purposes to two or more file-system entities.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the new token to specific entities comprises associating multiple tokens with different purposes to one file-system entity.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating two or more actions in the token action log to different specific events.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one action in the token action log includes a reference to one or more standard action sets.

31. A system comprising:

a token action log including a user-extensible set of tokens, each token being a set of symbols, at least one entry in the token action log comprising;

a) a new token as a set of symbols that together have no prior functional meaning within the file system,

b) one or more user-customizable actions associated with the new token, and,

c) an event that is designated to trigger the one or more user-customizable actions, wherein the new token is to be attached to one or more file-system entities such that the token is stored together with each attached file-system entity;

an event detector to detect an event involving a file-system entity that has an attached token previously stored within the file system;

a lookup module to search the token action log for a set of one or more actions associated with the specific token; and

an action manager to execute the set of one or more actions.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the event is selected from the set consisting of deleting the file-system entity, opening the file-system entity, copying the file-system entity, printing the file-system entity, emailing the file-system entity, backing up the file-system entity, moving the file-system entity, executing the file-system entity, creating the file-system entity, modifying the file-system entity, and associating a token with the file-system entity.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the event comprises passing a designated time.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the file-system entity is accompanied by a second specific token previously stored within the file system, and wherein the lookup module is to search the token action log for a second set of one or more actions associated with the second specific token;

and wherein the action manager is to execute the second set of one or more actions.

35. The system of claim 31,

wherein the event detector is to detect a file-system entity experiencing an event, which file-system entity is accompanied by a specific token previously stored within the file system; and

wherein the lookup module is to search the token action log for a set of one or more time-lagged actions associated with the specific token;

the system further comprising

an alarm event manager to initiate the actions after the designated time lag.

36. The system of claim 31, further comprising:

a subsystem to detect an event pertaining to one or more tokens recorded in the token action log; and

a search module to identify file-system entitles associated with the one or more tokens.

37. The system of claim 36, further comprising:

a processing module to process the identified file-system entities according to actions recorded in the token action log corresponding to the one or more tokens.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein each token corresponds to a group of file-system entities.

39. The system of claim 31, wherein the detection subsystem, In response to encountering a file-system entity without a token, associates the file-system entity with a designated token.

40. The system of claim 31,

wherein the event detector is to detect a file-system entity experiencing an event, which file-system entity is not accompanied by a token previously stored in the token action log;

wherein the lookup module is to search the token action log for a set of one or more actions associated with file-system entities that are not accompanied by a token; and

wherein the action manager is to execute the set of one or more actions.

41. The system of claim 31, wherein an action executed by the action manager is to attach one or more tokens to one or more entities already in the file system.

42. The system of claim 31, wherein at least one action is selected from the group consisting of tagging the file-system entity with an identifier, deleting the file-system entity, moving the file-system entity, activating a device, sending a file to a designated recipient, sending the file-system entity to a designated recipient, audibly alerting an operator of the file system, visually alerting an operator of the file system, extracting information from the file-system entity, modifying the token action log, generating a new token, executing a program, and setting an option in a program acting on the file system entity.

43. The system of claim 31, wherein at least one action includes conditional logic.

44. The system of claim 31, wherein the specific token is accompanied by a set of parameters, and wherein the action manager is to execute the set of one or more actions by calling a function with the set of parameters.

45. The system of claim 31, wherein the specific token is associated with conditions for use, and wherein the file system is to perform one or more operations in response to the conditions for use being satisfied.

46. The system of claim 31, further comprising:

a searchable data structure for recording which tokens have been assigned to which entities within the file system.

47. The system of claim 46, further comprising:

a subsystem for identifying within the searchable data structure the entities that have a specified token assigned to them.

48. The system of claim 47, further comprising:

a subsystem for presenting the identified entities to the file system operator.

49. The system of claim 47, further comprising:

a subsystem for performing a specific set of one or more actions on the identified file system entities.

50. A file-system management apparatus comprising:

means for providing a token action log as a data structure that contains a user-extensible set of tokens, each token being a set of symbols;

means for storing a new entry in the token action log comprising;

a) a new token as a set of symbols that together have no prior functional meaning within the file system,

b) one or more user-customizable actions associated with the new token, and,

c) an event that is designated to trigger the one or more user-customizable actions;

means for attaching the new token to one or more file-system entities such that the token is stored together with each attached file-system entity;

means for detecting an event involving a file-system entity that has an attached token previously stored within the file system;

means for searching the token action log for a set of one or more actions associated with the specific token; and

means for executing the set of one or more actions.

51. A computer program product comprising program code for performing a method, the method comprising:

providing a token action log as a data structure that contains a user-extensible set of tokens, each token being a set of symbols;

storing a new entry in the token action log comprising;

a) a new token as a set of symbols that together have no prior functional meaning within the file system,

b) one or more user-customizable actions associated with the new token, and,

c) an event that is designated to trigger the one or more user-customizable actions;

attaching the new token to one or more file-system entities such that the token is stored together with each attached file-system entity;

detecting an event involving a file-system entity that has an attached token previously stored within the file system;

searching the token action log for a set of one or more actions associated with the specific token; and

executing the set of one or more actions.

52. A method for managing a file system comprising:

providing a token action log as a data structure that contains a user-extensible set of tokens, each token being a set of symbols;

storing a new entry in the token action log comprising;

a) a new token as a set of symbols that together have no prior functional meaning within the file system,

b) one or more user-customizable sets of actions associated with the new token,

c) an indication of a specific event that is designated to trigger the one or more user-customizable actions, and

d) an associated action lag-time which is the period of time after detecting the designated event before automatically executing the one or more user-customizable actions;

attaching the new token to one or more file-system entities such that the token is stored together with each attached file-system entity;

detecting an event involving a file-system entity that has an attached token, which token is from the set of tokens previously stored in the token action log;

identifying the attached token stored with the file-system entity involved in the detected event;

retrieving from the token action log the one or more actions and action lag-times which correspond to the identified token and the detected event;

automatically executing each retrieved action that correspond to zero lag-time; and

automatically setting an alarm for each non-zero action lag-time after the detected event time, at which alarm time the corresponding retrieved actions are to be automatically executed by the system.

53. A method for managing a file system comprising:

providing a token action log as a data structure that contains a user-extensible set of tokens, each token being a set of symbols;

storing a new entry in the token action log comprising;

a) a new token as a set of symbols, and

b) one or more actions associated with the new token, which actions are to be automatically executed in the event of an attempt to delete a file-system entity that has the new token attached;

attaching the new token to one or more file-system entities such that the token is stored together with each attached file-system entity;

detecting an event involving the deletion of a file-system entity that has an attached token, which token is from the set of tokens previously stored in the token action log;

identifying the attached token stored with the file-system entity involved in the detected event;

retrieving from the token action log the one or more actions which correspond to the identified token and the detected event;

executing the retrieved actions.

54. A method for managing a file system comprising:

providing a token action log as a data structure that contains a user-extensible set of tokens, each token being a set of symbols;

storing a new entry in the token action log comprising;

a) a new token as a set of symbols, and

b) one or more actions associated with the new token, which actions are to be automatically executed at the event of receiving a file-system entity that has the new token attached via a communication network;

attaching the new token to one or more file-system entities such that the token is stored together with each attached file-system entity;

detecting an event involving receiving a file-system entity that has an attached token via a communication network, which token as from the set of tokens previously stored in the token action log;

identifying the attached token stored with the file-system entity involved in the detected event;

retrieving from the token action log the one or more actions which correspond to the identified token and the detected event; and

executing the retrieved actions.

55. A method for managing a file system comprising:

providing a token action log as a data structure that contains a user-extensible set of tokens, each token being a set of symbols;

storing a new entry in the token action log comprising;

a) a new token as a set of symbols, and

b) one or more actions associated with the new token, which actions are to be automatically executed at the event of an attempt to modify a file-system entity that has the new token attached;

attaching the new token to one or more file-system entities such that the token is stored together with each attached file-system entity;

detecting an event involving an attempt to modify a file-system entity that has an attached token, which token is from the set of tokens previously stored in the token action log;

identifying the attached token stored with the file-system entity involved in the detected event;

retrieving from the token action log the one or more actions which correspond to the identified token and the detected event; and

executing the retrieved actions.

56. A method for managing a file system comprising:

providing a token action log as a data structure that contains a user-extensible set of tokens, each token being a set of symbols;

storing a new entry in the token action log comprising;

a) a new token as a set of symbols, and

b) one or more actions associated with the new token, which actions are to be automatically executed at the event of an attempt to move a file-system entity that has the new token attached;

attaching the new token to one or more file-system entities such that the token is stored together with each attached file-system entity;

detecting an event involving an attempt to move a file-system entity that has an attached token, which token is from the set of tokens previously stored in the token action log;

identifying the attached token stored with the file-system entity involved in the detected event;

retrieving from the token action log the one or more actions which correspond to the identified token and the detected event; and

executing the retrieved actions.

57. A method for managing a file system comprising:

providing a token action log as a data structure that contains a user-extensible set of tokens, each token being a set of symbols;

storing a new entry in the token action log comprising;

a) a new token as a set of symbols, and

b) one or more actions associated with the new token, which actions are to be automatically executed at the event of an attempt to execute a file-system entity that has the new token attached;

attaching the new token to one or more file-system entities such that the token is stored together with each attached file-system entity;

detecting an event involving an attempt to execute a file-system entity that has an attached token, which token is from the set of tokens previously stored in the token action log;

identifying the attached token stored with the file-system entity involved in the detected event;

retrieving from the token action log the one or more actions which correspond to the identified token and the detected event; and

executing the retrieved actions.

58. A method for managing a file system comprising:

providing a token action log as a data structure that contains a user-extensible set of tokens, each token being a set of symbols;

storing a new entry in the token action log comprising;

a) a new token as a set of symbols, and

b) one or more actions associated with the new token, which actions are to be automatically executed at the event of an attempt to access a file-system entity that has the new token attached;

attaching the new token to one or more file-system entities such that the token is stored together with each attached file-system entity;

detecting an event involving an attempt to access a file-system entity that has an attached token, which token is from the set of tokens previously stored in the token action log;

identifying the attached token stored with the file-system entity involved in the detected event;

retrieving from the token action log the one or more actions which correspond to the identified token and the detected event;

executing the retrieved actions.