System and method for synchronizing distributed stored documents

• US 6,976,030 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gold Charm Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Chung-I, Lin, Floye, Fan, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Kindred, Alford
• Assistant Examiner(s): AL HASHEMI, SANA A
• Application Number:
  US10/329,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20040044704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 707/204, 707/203, 707/103.R, 707/101, 709/251
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1787 Details of non-transparently synchronising file systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

A system for synchronizing distributed stored documents includes a core-node (110), a plurality of branch-nodes (120, 130), and a network (140) connecting the core-node with the branch-nodes. Each branch-node includes: a branch-database server (123, 133) for storing a summary of all distributed stored documents, wherein the summary can be updated in accordance with a sync message received from the core-node; and a branch-FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server for storing the distributed stored documents, the branch-FTP server having the function of exchanging documents with the core-node. The core-node includes a core-database server (113), a core-FTP server (309), and an application server (310). The core-database server stores a summary of all distributed stored documents. The core-FTP server is used for storing the distributed stored documents. The application server comprises a sync controlling module (313) that controls data exchange between the core-FTP server and the branch-FTP servers. A related method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for synchronizing distributed stored documents, the system comprising a core-node, a plurality of branch-nodes and a network connecting the core-node with the branch-nodes;

wherein

each of the branch-nodes comprises a branch-database server and a branch-FTP server, wherein;

the branch-database server stores a summary of all distributed stored documents, and the summary can be updated in accordance with a sync message received from the core-node; and

the branch-FTP server is used for storing the distributed stored documents, and has the function of exchanging documents with the core-node; and

the core-node comprises a core-database server, a core-FTP server and an application server, wherein;

the core-database server stores a summary of all distributed stored documents, and has the function of sending sync messages to each of the branch-database servers;

the core-FTP server is used for storing the distributed stored documents, and has the function of exchanging documents with the branch-node; and

the application server comprises a sync controlling module for controlling data exchange between the core-FTP server and the branch-FTP servers, and the sync controlling module has the function of updating the summary of the distributed stored documents stored in the core-database server.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the core-node and the branch-nodes each comprise a plurality of client computers.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the core-database server comprises a summary table for storing a summary of distributed stored documents, and the summary table includes columns for ID, title, location, directory and update time of the documents.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the branch-database servers comprises a summary table for storing a summary of distributed stored documents, and the summary table includes columns for number, title, location, directory and update time of the documents.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distributed stored documents include image, word, sound and other media documents.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application server of the core-node comprises a database connecting module for searching, modifying, and deleting data stored in the core-database server.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application server of the core-node comprises a file transfer controlling module for controlling document transfer between the core-FTP server and each of the branch-FTP servers.

8. A method for synchronizing distributed stored documents, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) synchronizing periodically a summary of all distributed stored documents stored in a core-node and a plurality of branch-nodes;

(b) receiving a document processing order from a client computer of a first branch-node, and searching the summary of all distributed stored documents to ascertain a location of the document;

(c) opening the document if a latest edition of the document is located in a branch-FTP server of the first branch-node;

(d) sending a sync message to the core-node if the latest edition of the document is not located in the branch-FTP server of the first branch-node;

(e) finding the location of the document;

(f) proceeding directly to step (h) herein if the latest edition of the document is located in a core-FTP server;

(g) downloading the latest edition of the document from a second branch-node, and storing the latest edition of the document to the core-FTP server;

(h) uploading the latest edition of the document to the first branch-node; and

(i) modifying the summary of all distributed stored documents.

9. A system for synchronizing distributed stored documents, the system comprising a network connecting a core-node and a plurality of branch-nodes, respectively,

each of the branch-nodes including a branch-database server and a branch-FTP server;

the core-node comprising a core-database server and a core-FTP server;

both said core-database server and said branch-database server including a summary of all distributed stored documents wherein the summary contained by the branch-database server is updated by the core-database server;

the branch-FTP server containing the distributed stored documents different from those of others;

wherein

each of said branch-FTP servers is allowed to retrieve a desired document from another branch-FTP server and further modifies said document to create a revision, and said revision is stored in said each of the branch-FTP servers without interfering with the original one stored in said another branch-FTP server while recognized by all the branch-nodes and the core-node for easily be retrieved by other branch-FTP servers if required.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said retrieval is made through said core-FTP server.