Methods, systems and program products for communicating file modification information

• US 8,121,990 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Iocom UK Limited
• Original Assignee: inSORS Integrated Communications, Inc.
• Inventors: Swanson, Jon N., Chapweske, Adam M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vy, Hung T
• Application Number:
  US12/150,619
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 707/609, 707/636, 707/694, 707/695, 715/511, 709/203, 709/206, 709/228
• US Class Current: 707/695
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems

Abstract

According to one feature of the system, a method for updating a file maintained by first, second and third computers. The method comprises steps of the first computer communicating to the second computer a file modification instruction, the file modification instruction including the file identifier and a modification for the file. The third computer issuing to the second computer a request to notify the third computer of a file modification when the master property identifier does not match the property identifier maintained by the third computer. The second computer receiving the request to notify and, in response to the file modification instruction, implementing the modification of the master file whereby the master property identifier changes, and, upon noting that the master property identifier does not match the property identifier maintained by the third computer, issuing a master update to the third computer, the master update including the file identifier, the master property identifier and the modification for the file. The third computer receiving the master update and responsively modifying the version of the file that it maintains and updating the property identifier that it maintains for the file.

Claims

1. A method for updating a file maintained by first, second and third computers, where the first and third computers are in communication with the second computer, the first, second and third computers each maintain a file identifier corresponding to the file, the first and third computers each maintain a property identifier corresponding to a version of the file that it maintains, comprising:

the first computer communicating to the second computer a file modification instruction, the file modification instruction including the file identifier and a modification for the file;

the third computer issuing to the second computer a request to notify the third computer of a file modification when a master property identifier does not match the property identifier maintained by the third computer;

the second computer receiving the request to notify and, in response to the file modification instruction, implementing the modification of the master file whereby the master property identifier changes, and, upon noting that the master property identifier does not match the property identifier maintained by the third computer, issuing a master update to only the third computer that communicated a request to be notified of modifications to the second computer and the second computer does not communicate the master update to the first computer that did not communicate a request to be notified of modifications, the master update including the file identifier, the master property identifier and the modification for the file; and

the third computer receiving the master update and responsively modifying the version of the file that it maintains and updating the property identifier that it maintains for the file.

2. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein, upon receiving the modification request from the first computer, the second computer sends an acknowledgment to the first computer, the acknowledgment indicating that the master file has been modified in accordance with the modification request and indicating the master property identifier.

3. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein, on average, the master file includes at least ten times more data than the file modification.

4. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein the second computer issues the master update on a substantially real time basis.

5. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein the second computer maintains a plurality of prior versions of the master file in an electronic memory.

6. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein the first computer transmits and receives data via a first data network and the second computer transmits and receives data via a second data network operating at a different speed than the first data network.

7. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein one of the first and second data networks is the Internet, and another of the first and second data networks is a fast version of the Internet.

8. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein the third computer also creates file modification instructions.

9. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein at least one of the client computers includes a controller for a machine, and the master update includes data on a status of the machine.

10. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein the file pertains to object locations.

11. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 10 wherein at least one of the client computers includes a computer monitoring inventory location, and the master update includes data on the location of the inventory.

12. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein the file pertains to a map, and the master update includes data on changed traffic conditions.

13. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein the file pertains to weather conditions, and the master update includes data on changed weather conditions.

14. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein the data pertains to one or more of the prices of securities, volume of sales of securities, and price changes of securities, and the master update includes data on one or more of price of securities, changed security prices and volume of sales securities.

15. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein the file pertains to news information, and the master update includes data on recent new stories.

16. A computer-readable medium containing instructions to enable a computer to carry out the process defined in claim 1.

17. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 1 wherein the second computer compares a version of the master file corresponding to the property identifier maintained by the third computer to the current version of the master file to identify the modifications to the master file that are communicated to the third computer in the master update.

18. A method for updating a file maintained by first, second and third computers, where the first and third computers are in communication with the second computer, the first, second and third computers each maintain a file identifier corresponding to the file, the first and third computers each maintain a property identifier corresponding to a version of the file that it maintains, comprising:

the first computer communicating to the second computer a file modification instruction, the file modification instruction including the file identifier and a modification for the file;

the third computer issuing to the second computer a request to notify the third computer of a file modification when a master property identifier does not match the property identifier maintained by the third computer;

the second computer receiving the request to notify and, in response to the file modification instruction, implementing the modification of the master file whereby the master property identifier changes, and, only after determining that the master property identifier does not match the property identifier maintained by the third computer and only after having received the request to notify the third computer of a file modification, comparing a version of the master file that corresponds to the property identifier communicated from the third computer to the current version of the master file to identify changes made to the master file, and issuing a master update to only the third computer that communicated a request to be notified of modifications while not communicating the master update to the first computer that did not communicate a request to be notified of modifications, the master update including the file identifier, the master property identifier and the changes made to the master file;

the third computer receiving the master update and responsively modifying the version of the file that it maintains and updating the property identifier that it maintains for the file; and

wherein the master file includes at least 10 times the amount of data as is contained in the master update, and wherein the second computer stores at least five versions of the master file on an electronic memory for future comparison to newly created current versions of the master file.

19. A system for updating a file maintained by computers interconnected to a data network comprising:

a first client computer configured to maintain a version of the file and a file identifier corresponding to the file and also configured to issue via the data network a file modification instruction, the file modification instruction including the file identifier and modification for the file;

a server computer configured to maintain a master version of the file, the file identifier corresponding to the file and a master version identifier corresponding to a master version of the file that the server computer maintains;

a second client computer configured to maintain a version of the file and the file identifier corresponding to the file and also configured to issue via the data network a request to notify the second client computer of a file modification when the master version identifier does not match the version identifier maintained by the second client computer,

the server computer further configured to receive the file modification instruction and responsively implement the modification of the master file whereby the master version identifier changes,

the server computer further configured to receive the request to notify and only in response to receiving the request to notify and only after determining that the condition of the master version identifier and the version identifier maintained by the third computer are not matching, responsively issue a master update to only the second computer but not communicating the master update to the first computer that did not communicate a request to be notified of modifications, the master update including the file identifier, master version identifier and the modification for the file,

the second client computer further configured to receive the master update and responsively implement the file modification on the version of the file it maintains and to update the version identifier that it maintains.

20. A system for updating a file as defined by claim 19, wherein the server computer is configured, upon receiving the modification request from the first client computer, to send an acknowledgment to the first client computer, the acknowledgment indicating that the master version of the file has been modified in accordance with the file modification instruction and also indicating an updated master version identifier.

21. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 19 wherein, on average, the master file includes at least ten times more data than the file modification, and wherein the second computer issues the master update on a substantially real time basis.

22. A system for updating a file as defined by claim 19 wherein the server computer maintains at least 5 prior master file versions in an electronic memory.

23. A method for updating a file as defined by claim 22 wherein the server computer and second client computer also create file modification instructions, and wherein at least one of the first and second client computers is a mobile device that transmits and receives data via a wireless network.

24. A system for updating a file as defined by claim 19 wherein the first client computer transmits and receives data via a first data network and the second client computer transmits and receives data via a second data network, and wherein the first and second data networks operate at different speeds.

25. A system for updating a file as defined by claim 19 wherein the second computer compares a version of the master file corresponding to the version identifier maintained by the third computer to the current version of the master file to identify the modifications to the master file that are communicated to the third computer in the master update.