System and method for synchronizing unstructured documents

• US 7,313,603 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Issued: 12/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gold Charm Limited (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Chung-I, Lin, Floye, Fan, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Khanh
• Assistant Examiner(s): MADAMBA, GLENFORD J
• Application Number:
  US10/335,375
• Publication Number:
  US 20040049558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,821 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

A system for synchronizing unstructured documents includes sub-nodes (110, 120, 130) and a network connecting the sub-nodes together. Each sub-node includes a database server (113, 123, 133), an FTP (file transfer protocol) server, and client computers (111, 121, 131). The database server includes a summary table (400) for storing a summary of all unstructured documents, and has the function of synchronizing with summary tables stored in other sub-nodes. The FTP server stores unstructured documents, and has the function of downloading unstructured documents from the FTP servers of other sub-nodes. Each client computer includes a client proxy. The client proxy includes a database processing module for generating instructions on updating, searching, and deleting data stored in the database server, a file processing module for generating instructions on downloading unstructured documents from the FTP servers of other sub-nodes, and a client processing module for receiving sync orders from users.

Claims

1. A system for synchronizing unstructured documents, the system comprising a plurality of sub-nodes and a network connecting the sub-nodes together, wherein:

each of the sub-nodes comprises a file transfer protocol (FTP) server, an application server system, a database server, and a plurality of client computers, wherein;

the database server comprises a summary table for storing a summary of all unstructured documents and for recording Internet Protocol addresses of locations of the unstructured documents, and has a function of synchronizing with the summary table stored in one or more other sub-nodes;

the FTP server stores unstructured documents, and has a function of sending sync requests and downloading unstructured documents from the FTP server of one or more other sub-nodes;

the application server system comprises a sync controlling module configured for generating sync orders in accordance with the sync requests, and a file transfer controlling module configured for converting the sync orders into instructions on downloading the unstructured documents and sending the instructions to the FTP server; and

each of the client computers comprises a client proxy, the client proxy comprises a client processing module, a database processing module, and a file processing module, wherein;

the client processing module is configured for receiving file processing orders, and for sending the file processing orders to the database processing module for implementation;

the database processing module is configured for generating instructions on updating, searching, and deleting data stored in the database server according to the file processing orders, and for sending results of the implementation of the instructions to the file processing module; and

the file processing module is configured for receiving the results from the database processing module.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the summary tables includes columns for ID, title, location, directory and update time of the documents.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the summary tables is periodically updated.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distributed stored documents include various formats including any one or more of image, words sound and other media.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the client proxy is configured for separating executions for users from executions for the system so as to simplify executions for users.

5. A method for synchronizing unstructured documents, the method comprising the steps of:

synchronizing periodically summary tables of all unstructured documents between a plurality of sub-nodes, wherein each summary table stores a summary of all unstructured documents and records Internet Protocol addresses of locations of the unstructured documents;

sending a sync request from a first sub-node to a second sub-node where a latest edition of the unstructured document is located, the sending step comprising;

generating a sync order for a particular unstructured document in accordance with the sync request;

searching for a summary of the unstructured document in the summary table to find a location of the unstructured document; and

determining that the unstructured document in the second sub-node is the latest edition according to the location;

downloading the latest edition of the unstructured document from the second sub-node; and

modifying the summary table of all unstructured documents stored in the first sub-node.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of the summary tables includes columns for ID, title, location, directory and update time of the unstructured documents.

9. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the sending step further comprises the step of:

converting the sync order into an instruction for downloading the unstructured document.

10. The method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising the step of:

uploading the latest edition of the unstructured document to the second sub-node if the latest edition of the unstructured document is not located in the second sub-node.

7. A method of synchronizing unstructured documents at different Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of sub-nodes with different versions of one of said unstructured documents;

synchronizing periodically a summary table of all versions of said unstructured document among said sub-nodes, in a local sub-node, wherein each summary table stores a summary of all said unstructured documents and records Internet Protocol addresses of locations of said unstructured documents;

requesting one specific version of said unstructured document;

searching for a summary of said unstructured document in said summary table to find a location of said unstructured document;

determining that said unstructured document in another sub-node is said specific version according to the location;

downloading said specific version of said unstructured document from either said local sub-node or said another sub-node according to said summary table; and

updating said summary table.