Collaborative asset management

• US 7,603,357 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2004
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Schaffel, Robert, Jamrosy, Michael, Gourdol, Arno, Brotsky, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus; Jean M
• Application Number:
  US10/858,857
• Time in Patent Office: 1,960 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/1, 707/8, 718/100, 718/104, 718/107, 709/205, 709/201, 709/202, 709/224
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1774 Locking methods, e.g. locking methods for file systems allowing shared and concurrent access to files
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer systems and program products, for enabling collaborative asset management. In one implementation, a computer program product includes instructions to perform the operations of providing a first copy of an asset for use by a first user. The asset is available for use and editing by multiple users, and the asset and the first copy each has a corresponding state. The instructions include monitoring changes in the states of the asset, the first copy, and/one or more additional copies of the asset. The additional copies of the asset correspond to one or more concurrent users. If a conflict is detected between the state of the first copy and the state of the asset, or between the state of the first copy and the states of the additional copies, the instructions include providing guidance to the first user about how to resolve the conflict.

Claims

1. A computer program product, stored on a machine-readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions to perform operations comprising:

proving a first copy of an original asset for use by a first user, the original asset being available for use and editing by multiple users, the original asset and the first copy each having a corresponding state;

monitoring changes in the state of the original asset, in the state of the first copy, and in one or more additional states corresponding to one or more additional copies of the original asset, the additional copies of the original asset corresponding to one or more concurrent users from the multiple users, the changes being caused by actions of the first user and the concurrent users;

if a conflict is detected between the state of the first copy and the state of the original asset, or between the state of the first copy and the states of the additional copies, providing guidance to the first user about how to resolve the conflict;

detecting when the first user has made one or more changes to the first copy of the original asset; and

upon detecting that the first user has made one or more changes to the first copy of the original asset, automatically attempting to lock the original asset on behalf of the first user,

wherein detecting the conflict comprises determining whether the original asset is already locked on behalf of one of the multiple users, and

wherein the instructions providing guidance comprises providing the first user with an option to disregard the changes made to the first copy of the original asset.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first copy of the original asset is obtained from a repository.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the repository is a remote repository.

4. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the repository comprises multiple distinct storage locations.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the multiple distinct storage locations are arranged in a peer-to-peer configuration.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein monitoring changes comprises communicating with a registry, the registry being operable to store a status of one or more of the additional copies of the original asset, each copy of the original asset corresponding to a distinct storage location.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

the original asset is stored in a repository;

detecting the conflict comprises determining whether the original asset stored in the repository is newer than the first copy of the original asset; and

the instructions providing guidance comprises providing the first user with an option to replace the first copy of the original asset with the original asset in the repository.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

the instructions providing guidance are provided in a graphical user interface.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein:

detecting the conflict comprises determining whether one of the concurrent users is editing one or more of the additional copies of the original asset; and

the instructions providing guidance comprises providing the first user with an option to close the first copy of the original asset.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions to perform operations comprising:

when the conflict cannot be detected, warning the first user that the computer program product cannot provide assurance of detecting conflicting states for the original asset.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions to perform operations comprising:

when the conflict can once again be detected after not being able to be detected, determining whether there are changes to the first copy of the original asset; and

upon determining there are changes to the first copy of the original asset, providing the first user with an option to discard the changes to the first copy of the original asset.

12. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein metadata is associated with the original asset, the metadata having a state, and wherein detecting the conflict comprises detecting a conflict in the state of the metadata.

13. A computer program product, stored on a machine-readable medium, the computer program product comprising instructions to perform operations comprising:

providing a first copy of an original asset for use by a first user, the original asset being available for use and editing by multiple users, the original asset and the first copy each having a corresponding state;

monitoring changes in the state of the original asset, in the state of the first copy, and in one or more additional states corresponding to one or more additional copies of the original asset, the additional copies of the original asset corresponding to one or more concurrent users from the multiple users, the changes being caused by actions of the first user and the concurrent users;

if a conflict is detected between the state of the first copy and the state of the original asset, or between the state of the first copy and the states of the additional copies, providing guidance to the first user about how to resolve the conflict;

receiving one or more changes made to the first copy of the original asset by the first user;

receiving user input from the first user, the user input indicating that the first copy of the original asset should be saved to a repository, wherein the original asset is stored in the repository;

determining if the original asset is locked on behalf of the first user;

if the original asset is locked on behalf of the first user;

saving the first copy of the original asset in the repository; and

automatically unlocking the original asset,

wherein detecting the conflict comprises determining whether the original asset is already locked on behalf of one of the multiple users, and

wherein the providing guidance comprises;

notifying the first user that one of the multiple users had made conflicting changes to the original asset; and

providing the first user with an option to save the first copy of the original asset in the repository; and

if the original asset is locked on behalf of one of the multiple users and the first user indicates to save the first copy of the original asset in the repository, the computer program product further comprises instructions to perform operations comprising;

attempting to unlock the original asset; and

if the attempt to unlock the original asset is successful, saving the first copy of the original asset in the repository.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions to perform operations comprising:

receiving another user input from the first user, the another user input comprising a selection to close the original asset;

determining if the changes have been saved to the first copy of the original asset;

if the changes have not been saved to the first copy of the original asset, providing the first user with an option to save the changes to the first copy of the original asset or to the original asset; and

if the changes have been saved to the first copy of the original asset, providing the first user with an option to save the changes to the original asset stored in the repository.

15. A method comprising:

providing a first copy of an original asset for use by a first user, the original asset being available for use and editing by multiple users, the original asset and the first copy each having a corresponding state;

monitoring changes in the state of the original asset, in the state of the first copy, and in one or more additional states corresponding to one or more additional copies of the original asset, the additional copies of the original asset corresponding to one or more concurrent users from the multiple users, the changes being caused by actions of the first user and the concurrent users;

if a conflict is detected between the state of the first copy and the state of the original asset, or between the state of the first copy and the states of the additional copies, providing guidance to the first user about how to resolve the conflict, wherein the guidance is provided in a graphical user interface;

detecting when the first user has made one or more changes to the first copy of the original asset; and

upon detecting that the first user has made one or more changes to the first copy of the original asset, automatically attempting to lock the original asset on behalf of the first user,

wherein detecting the conflict comprises determining whether the original asset is already locked on behalf of one of the multiple users, and

wherein providing guidance comprises providing the first user with an option to disregard the changes made to the first copy of the original asset.

16. A method comprising:

providing a first copy of an original asset for use by a first user, the original asset being available for use and editing by multiple users, the original asset and the first copy each having a corresponding state;

monitoring changes in the state of the original asset, in the state of the first copy, and in one or more additional states corresponding to one or more additional copies of the original asset, the additional copies of the original asset corresponding to one or more concurrent users from the multiple users, the changes being caused by actions of the first user and the concurrent users;

if a conflict is detected between the state of the first copy and the state of the original asset, or between the state of the first copy and the states of the additional copies, providing guidance to the first user about how to resolve the conflict, wherein the guidance is provided in a graphical user interface;

receiving one or more changes made to the first copy of the original asset by the first user;

receiving user input from the first user, the user input indicating that the first copy of the original asset should be saved to a repository, and wherein the original asset is stored in the repository;

determining if the original asset is locked on behalf of the first user; and

if the original asset is locked on behalf of the first user;

saving the first copy of the original asset in the repository; and

automatically unlocking the original asset; and

wherein detecting the conflict comprises determining whether the original asset is already locked on behalf of one of the multiple users, and

wherein the providing guidance comprises;

notifying the first user that one of the multiple users had made conflicting changes to the original asset; and

providing the first user with an option to save the first copy of the original asset in the repository; and

if the original asset is locked on behalf of one of the multiple users and the first user indicates to save the first copy of the original asset in the repository, the method further comprises;

attempting to unlock the original asset; and

if the attempt to unlock the original asset is successful, saving the first copy of the original asset in the repository.

17. An asset management system comprising:

an original asset, wherein the original asset is available for use and editing by multiple users;

a repository configured to store the original asset;

a first copy of the original asset for use by a first user, the original asset and the first copy each having a corresponding state;

a first storage unit for the first copy of the original asset; and

a processor to monitor changes in the state of the original asset, in the state of the first copy, and in one or more additional states corresponding to one or more additional copies of the original asset, the additional copies of the original asset corresponding to one or more concurrent users from the multiple users, the changes being caused by actions of the first user and the concurrent users,

wherein if a conflict is detected between the state of the first copy and the state of the original asset, or between the state of the first copy and the states of the additional copies, the processor is configured to provide guidance to the first user about how to resolve the conflict, wherein the guidance is provided in a graphical user interface,

wherein the processor is configured to detect when the first user has made one or more changes to the first copy of the original asset,

wherein upon detecting that the first user has made one or more changes to the first copy of the original asset, the processor is configured to automatically attempt to lock the original asset on behalf of the first user,

wherein detecting the conflict comprises a determination of whether the original asset is already locked on behalf of one of the multiple users, and

wherein the guidance comprises an option for the first user to disregard the changes made to the first copy of the original asset.

18. An asset management system comprising:

an original asset, wherein the original asset is available for use and editing by multiple users;

a repository configured to store the original asset;

a first copy of the original asset for use by a first user, the original asset and the first copy each having a corresponding state;

a first storage unit for the first copy of the original asset; and

a processor to monitor changes in the state of the original asset, in the state of the first copy, and in one or more additional states corresponding to one or more additional copies of the original asset, the additional copies of the original asset corresponding to one or more concurrent users from the multiple users, the changes being caused by actions of the first user and the concurrent users,

wherein if a conflict is detected between the state of the first copy and the state of the original asset, or between the state of the first copy and the states of the additional copies, the processor is configured to provide guidance to the first user about how to resolve the conflict, wherein the guidance is provided in a graphical user interface,

wherein the system is configured for receiving one or more changes made to the first copy of the original asset by the first user,

wherein the system is configured for receiving user input from the first user, the user input indicating that the first copy of the original asset should be saved to a repository, and wherein the original asset is stored in the repository,

wherein the processor is configured for determining if the original asset is locked on behalf of the first user, and

if the original asset is locked on behalf of the first user, the processor is configured to execute operations for;

saving the first copy of the original asset in the repository, and

automatically unlocking the original asset; and

wherein when detecting the conflict the processor is configured to determine whether the original asset is already locked on behalf of one of the multiple users, and

wherein when providing guidance the processor is configured to perform operations comprising;

notifying the first user that one of the multiple users had made conflicting changes to the original asset; and

providing the first user with an option in the graphical user interface to save the first copy of the original asset in the repository; and

if the original asset is locked on behalf of one of the multiple users and the first user indicates to save the first copy of the original asset in the repository, the processor is configured for operations comprising;

attempting to unlock the original asset; and

if the attempt to unlock the original asset is successful, saving the first copy of the original asset in the repository.