Method and apparatus for peer-to-peer file sharing

• US 7,574,488 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi America Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsubara, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue; Larry D
• Assistant Examiner(s): BHATIA, AJAY M
• Application Number:
  US10/159,144
• Publication Number:
  US 20030225796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,629 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/208, 709/209, 709/248, 709/219, 709/222
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1834 implemented based on peer-to-peer networks, e.g. gnutella p2p communication protocols H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]

Abstract

A peer-to-peer file sharing system includes software components for providing and maintaining a virtual directory in a server system component of the file sharing system. Client system components of the file sharing system cooperate with the server system to facilitate manipulations to the virtual directory.

Claims

1. A peer-to-peer file sharing method for sharing a file between a plurality of client computers coupled to a server via a network, comprising steps of:

the server for peer-to-peer file sharing;

storing a first table which includes one or more relationships between file identification information which identifies the file, location information which indicates a client computer where the file is stored, and file access control information for the file;

storing a second table which includes one or more relationships between directory identification information which identifies a directory, directory content information which associates at least one file with the directory, and directory access control information for the directory;

and sending a plurality of directories to the plurality of client computers;

a first client computer sending a first request to associate a first file with a first directory;

the server receiving the first request from the first client computer;

the server determining whether the first file can be associated with the first directory based upon a first directory access control information;

if the first file can be associated with the first directory, then updating the second table to associate the first file with the first directory and sending by the server the first directory associated with the first file to the plurality of client computers;

a second client computer sending a second request to access the first file associated with the first directory to the server;

the server receiving the second request from the second client computer;

the server determining whether the first file can be downloaded to the second client computer based upon a first file access control information;

and if the first file can be downloaded by the second client computer, then sending by the server first location information which includes where the first file is stored to the second client computer and downloading by the second client computer the first file based upon the first location information;

the second client computer sending a third request to remove the first file from the first directory;

the server receiving the third request from the second client computer;

determining whether the association between the first directory and the first file can be removed;

if the association between the first directory and the first file can be removed, then deleting by the server the association between the first directory and the first file and providing by the server the first directory without association between the first directory and the first file to the second client computer;

determining whether there is an association between the first file and at least one of the plurality of directories;

and if there is no association between the first file and at least one of the plurality of directories, then sending by the server a fourth request to remove the first file in the first client computer to the first client computer.

2. A peer-to-peer file sharing method according to claim 1 wherein:

the file access information for the file includes authorization to access files, including reference operations and download operations; and

the directory access control information for the directory includes authorization to access the directory, including association operations between a file and a directory.

3. A peer-to-peer file sharing method for sharing a file between a plurality of client computers coupled to a server via a network comprising steps of:

the server for peer-to-peer file sharing;

storing a first table which includes one or more relationships between identification information which identifies the file, location information which indicates where the file is stored in a client computer, and access control information for the file;

storing a second table which includes one or more relationships between a directory identification for a directory, the file associated with the directory, and directory access control information for the directory;

sending a plurality of directories to the plurality of client computers;

receiving a first request to associate a first file with a first directory from a first client computer;

and determining whether the first file can be associated with the first directory based upon a first directory access control information;

if the first file can be associated with the first directory, then updating the second table to associate the first file with the first directory and providing by the server the first directory to the plurality of client computers;

the server receiving a second request to download the first file from a second client computer;

the server determining whether the first file can be downloaded from the first client computer to the second client computer based upon a first file access control information;

and if the first file can be downloaded to the second client computer, then sending by the server a first location information which includes where the first file is stored to the second client computer;

receiving from the second client computer a third request to remove the first file from the first directory;

determining whether the association between the first file and the first directory can be removed based upon the first directory access control information;

if the association between the first directory and the first file can be removed, then removing by the server the association between the first file and the first directory from the first directory;

and sending by the server the first directory without the association between the first directory and the first file to the second computer;

determining whether there is an association between at least one of the plurality of directories and the first file;

and if there is no association with the first file, then sending by the server a fourth request to remove the first file from the first client computer to the first client computer.

4. The peer-to-peer file sharing method according to claim 3 wherein:

the file access control information for the file includes authorization for access to the files, including reference operations and download operations; and

the directory access control information for the directory includes authorization for access to the directories, including association operations between the directory and the file.