Methods and systems for providing storage of a data file over a computer network

• US 8,145,701 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2005
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Distributed Media Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Jordaan Consulting Ltd III LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kley, Victor B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US11/151,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20060218284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,479 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-203, 709225-226, 709/229, 709243-248, 707200-204, 7079992-999205, 7079992-999205, 707694-695
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/184 implemented as replicated file system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

A distributed group activity network system and corresponding method over a computer network. It synchronizes and provides access by system users to shared data files of a group activity. The distributed group activity network system comprises one or more server computers and client computers that are connected to the server computer(s) by network connections. Each of the server computers comprises a network server and a memory system. The network server runs on the server computer and provides basic network services that are available at the server computer. The memory systems of the server computers store synchronization files and shared data files of the group activity. Each of the client computers comprises a memory system and a system module running on the client computer. The system modules of the client computers use the memory systems of the client computers and the available basic network services at the server computer(s) to synchronize and provide access to the shared data files by the system users by also using the memory systems of the client computers and the available basic network services at the server computer(s) to synchronize access to and access the synchronization files.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server memory system; and

a central processing unit, wherein the central processing unit is configured to send a group activity data file from the server memory system to a client, wherein the group activity data file is associated with a portion of a group activity, wherein the system does not require any dedicated group activity processes at the server memory system to support the group activity, and wherein the central processing unit is further configured to send a group file from the server memory system to the client, wherein the group file is associated with at least the portion of the group activity, and wherein the group file is used to control, synchronize, and provide access to the group activity data file.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the central processing unit is further configured to delete the group activity data file from the server memory system, and delete the group file from the server memory system.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a version control system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the group file is at least one of the following:

a checkout and status synchronization file;

a locking synchronization file;

a group tracking status file;

a group portion checkout synchronization file;

or a group portion locking synchronization file.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the group activity data file comprises a file representing a version of the portion of the group activity.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the group activity data file comprises a file containing editable content.

7. A method comprising:

sending at least one group activity data file from a server memory system to a client, wherein the at least one group activity data file is associated with a portion of a group activity, and wherein the server memory system does not require any dedicated group activity processes at the server memory system to support the group activity; and

sending at least one group file from the server memory system to the client, wherein the at least one group file is associated with at least the portion of the group activity, wherein the at least one group file is used to control, synchronize, and provide access to the at least one group activity data file, and wherein the at least one group file is at least one of the following;

a checkout and status synchronization file;

a locking synchronization file;

a group tracking status file;

a group portion checkout synchronization file;

or a group portion locking synchronization file.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

deleting the at least one group activity data file from the server memory system; and

deleting the at least one group file from the server memory system.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the group activity comprises a plurality of files representing a project.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one group activity data file comprises a file representing a version of the portion of the group activity.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one group activity data file comprises a file containing editable content.

12. A method comprising:

receiving at least one group activity data file from a server, wherein the at least one group activity data file is associated with a portion of a group activity, and wherein the server does not require any dedicated group activity processes at the server to support the group activity; and

receiving at least one group file from the server, wherein the at least one group file is associated with at least the portion of the group activity, wherein the at least one group file is used to control, synchronize, and provide access to the at least one group activity data file, and wherein the at least one group file is at least one of the following;

a checkout and status synchronization file;

a locking synchronization file;

a group tracking status file;

a group portion checkout synchronization file;

or a group portion locking synchronization file.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the group activity comprises a plurality of files representing a project.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one group activity data file comprises a file representing a version of the portion of the group activity.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one group activity data file comprises a file containing editable content.

16. A computer readable medium with instructions encoded thereon for causing a computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a group activity data file from a server, wherein the group activity data file is associated with a portion of a group activity, and wherein the server does not require any dedicated group activity processes at the server to support the group activity; and

receiving a group file from the server, wherein the group file is associated with at least the portion of the group activity, wherein the group file is used to control, synchronize, and provide access to the group activity data file, and wherein the group file is at least one of the following;

a checkout and status synchronization file;

a locking synchronization file;

a group tracking status file;

a group portion checkout synchronization file;

or a group portion locking synchronization file.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the group activity comprises a plurality of files representing a project.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the group activity data file comprises a file representing a version of the portion of the group activity.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the group activity data file comprises a file containing editable content.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the group portion checkout synchronization file is configured to identify that a system user has checked out the group activity data file.

21. A computer readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a computing device to perform operations comprising:

setting up at least one group activity;

establishing ownership of a group activity data file;

developing and maintaining versions of the group activity data file, wherein a group activity system module operates without any dedicated group activity processes at a server memory system to support the at least one group activity;

controlling, synchronizing, and providing access to the group activity data file by utilizing a group file, wherein the group file is at least one of the following;

a checkout and status synchronization file;

a locking synchronization file;

a group tracking status file;

a group portion checkout synchronization file;

or a group portion locking synchronization file; and

making a copy of the group activity data file.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, the operations further comprising:

encrypting and decrypting the group activity data file.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein controlling, synchronizing, and providing access to the group activity data file comprises providing read file access, copy file access, update file access, create new file access, compare files access, and track progress of file access.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, the operations further comprising:

storing a state of an entire group activity so that storage of the state is backed up and adequately protected.

25. A client computer comprising:

means for enabling the client computer to set up at least one group activity;

means for establishing ownership of at least one group activity data file corresponding to the at least one group activity;

means for developing and maintaining versions of the at least one group activity data file without any dedicated group activity processes at a server memory system to support the at least one group activity;

means for controlling, synchronizing, and providing access to the at least one group activity data file by utilizing a group file; and

means for making a copy of the at least one group activity data file.

26. The client computer of claim 25, wherein the group file is at least one of the following:

a checkout and status synchronization file;

a locking synchronization file;

a group tracking status file;

a group portion checkout synchronization file;

a group portion locking synchronization file;

or

a progress tracking status file,

wherein the checkout and status synchronization file and the locking synchronization file are used to provide a user with ownership of the at least one group activity data file.

27. The client computer of claim 25, wherein the group file further comprises encryption keys used to encrypt and decrypt the at least one group activity data file.

28. The client computer of claim 25, wherein the means for controlling, synchronizing, and providing access to the at least one group activity data file comprise means for providing read file access, copy file access, update file access, create new file access, compare files access, and track progress of file access.

29. The client computer of claim 25, further comprising means for distributing a group activity system module to additional client computers so that no dedicated group activity process is needed to support group activity.

30. The client computer of claim 25, further comprising means for storing a state of an entire group activity so that storage of the state is backed up and adequately protected.

31. A client computer comprising:

means for receiving a request to access a shared data file;

means for receiving a synchronization file in response to receiving the request to access the shared data file, wherein the synchronization file corresponds to the shared data file, and wherein the synchronization file is generated and provided to a server computer by at least one of the client computer or a second client computer;

means for using the received synchronization file to determine whether the shared data file is checked out;

means for allowing access to the shared data file in response to determining that the shared data file is not checked out; and

means for terminating the request to access the shared data file in response to determining that the shared data file is checked out.

32. The client computer of claim 31, wherein the means for allowing access to the shared data file comprise means for receiving the shared data file.

33. The client computer of claim 31, further comprising:

means for updating the received synchronization file, in response to providing access to the shared data file, to reflect that the shared data file is checked out; and

means for providing the server computer with the updated synchronization file.

34. A computer readable medium with instructions encoded thereon for causing a client computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request to access a shared data file;

receiving a synchronization file in response to receiving the request to access the shared data file, wherein the synchronization file corresponds to the shared data file, and wherein the synchronization file is generated and provided to a server computer by at least one of the client computer or a second client computer;

using the received synchronization file to determine whether the shared data file is checked out;

allowing access to the shared data file in response to determining that the shared data file is not checked out; and

terminating the request to access the shared data file in response to determining that the shared data file is checked out.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein allowing access to the shared data file comprise instructions for receiving the shared data file.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 34, further comprising instructions for:

updating the received synchronization file, in response to providing access to the shared data file, to reflect that the shared data file is checked out; and

providing the server computer with the updated synchronization file.

37. A method comprising:

a client computer receiving a request to access a shared data file;

the client computer receiving a synchronization file in response to receiving the request to access the shared data file, wherein the synchronization file corresponds to the shared data file, and wherein the synchronization file is generated and provided to a server computer by at least one of the client computer or a second client computer;

the client computer using the received synchronization file to determine whether the shared data file is checked out;

the client computer allowing access to the shared data file in response to determining that the shared data file is not checked out; and

the client computer terminating the request to access the shared data file in response to determining that the shared data file is checked out.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein allowing access to the shared data file comprises receiving the shared data file.

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

the client computer updating the received synchronization file, in response to providing access to the shared data file, to reflect that the shared data file is checked out; and

the client computer providing the server computer with the updated synchronization file.