File folder transmission on network

• US 8,359,358 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Inventors: Bai, Zhenguo
• Primary Examiner(s): Yohannes, Tesfay
• Application Number:
  US12/600,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/225, 707/781, 707/741
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and a system for transmitting a file folder from the sending end to the receiving end. The system uses a file folder transmission unit at the sending end side to generate a directory structure file of the file folder. The directory structure file may have properties such as the size of the file folder, paths and path lengths of the files in the file folder. The sending end then sends the directory structure file to the receiving end through the file folder transmission unit to allow the system to determine which files in the file folder need to be transmitted. The needed files in the file folder are then transmitted to the receiving end according to the determination. The sending end and the receiving end may communicate using an instant messaging tool. The disclosed method and system allow a faster and more convenient file folder network transmission.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting a file folder from a sending end to a receiving end using an instant messaging system, the method comprising:

receiving a selection of a file folder that is to be transmitted from a sending end to a receiving end using an instant messaging system from a user;

in response to receiving the selection of the file folder that is to be transmitted, generating a directory structure file of the file folder, the directory structure file comprising properties including a size of the file folder, paths and path lengths of files in the file folder, wherein generating the directory structure file comprises traversing the file folder and computing the properties of the directory structure file;

sending the directory structure file from the sending end to the receiving end using the instant messaging system;

determining files in the file folder that need to be transmitted from the sending end to the receiving end; and

transmitting the files in the file folder that need to be transmitted to the receiving end using the instant messaging system and without compressing the files in the file folder.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the properties of the directory structure file further include a size of a subfolder in the file folder and paths and path lengths of files in the subfolder.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining the files in the file folder that need to be transmitted comprises analyzing the directory structure file at the receiving end.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending a file acquisition request from the receiving end to the sending end to request the files in the file folder that need to be transmitted.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

sending a file folder transmission request to the receiving end through an instant messaging channel.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a network data transmission channel based on network condition between the sending end and the receiving end before sending the directory structure file from the sending end to the receiving end.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the receiving end already has the directory structure file before transmitting the directory structure file.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein determining whether the receiving end already has the directory structure file comprises:

generating an index identifier of the directory structure file;

sending the index identifier to the receiving end; and

determining whether the receiving end already has the directory structure file using the index identifier.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the index identifier is a 16-bit unique identifier extracted from the directory structure file using a message digest algorithm.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein, upon an occurrence of a network connection interruption between the receiving end and the sending end, the method further comprises:

acquiring breakpoint information of transmission interruption of the directory structure file or the file folder; and

resuming the transmission from a position indicated by the breakpoint information.

11. An apparatus for transmitting a file folder from a sending end to a receiving end, the apparatus comprising:

a file directory management module adapted for generating a directory structure file of the file folder, the directory structure file comprising properties including a size of the file folder, paths and path lengths of files in the file folder, wherein generating the directory structure file comprises traversing the file folder and computing the properties of the directory structure file; and

a network transmission module adapted for;

sending the directory structure file from the sending end to the receiving end,

determining whether a network data communication channel established with the receiving end or a file relay server is used for transmitting the file folder to the receiving end based on whether the size of the file folder is less than or equal to a predetermined size, and

transmitting the file folder to the receiving end through the network data communication channel established with the receiving end or through the file relay server based on the determining.

12. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, further comprising a file folder transmission operation logic module adapted for determining files in the file folder that need to be transmitted from the sending end to the receiving end according to the directory structure file.

13. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, the apparatus being adapted for sending a file folder transmission request to the receiving end through an instant messaging channel.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the network transmission module is further adapted for establishing the network data transmission channel based on network condition between the sending end and the receiving end before sending the directory structure file from the sending end to the receiving end.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the file folder transmission operating logic module is further adapted for receiving a file acquisition request from the receiving end, the file acquisition request requesting the files in the file folder that need to be transmitted.

15. An instant messaging system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory, communicatively coupled to the one or more processors, storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

generating a directory structure file of a file folder, the directory structure file comprising properties including a size of the file folder, paths and path lengths of files in the file folder, and the directory structure file further enabling a receiving end to determine whether a directory of the receiving end is allowed to store the determined files of the file folder to be transmitted, wherein generating the directory structure file comprises traversing the file folder and computing the properties of the directory structure file;

prior to sending the directory structure file from the sending end to the receiving end, sending a file folder transmission request from the sending end to the receiving end through a messaging communication channel;

in response to receiving an agreement from the receiving end regarding the file folder transmission request, establishing a network data transmission channel with the receiving end based on a network condition between the sending end and the receiving end, the network data transmission channel being different from the messaging communication channel;

sending the directory structure file from the sending end to the receiving end through the network data transmission channel;

receiving, from the receiving end, an acquisition request specifying one or more files in the file folder that need to be transmitted from the sending end to the receiving end; and

transmitting the one or more files in the file folder that need to be transmitted to the receiving end according to the acquisition request without compressing the one or more files.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the properties of the directory structure file further include timestamps of the files in the file folder, and the directory structure file further enables the receiving end to identify and request a new version of a file in the file folder when the receiving end includes an old version of the file in the file folder.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein generating the directory structure file, sending the file folder transmission request, establishing the network data transmission channel, sending the directory structure file, receiving the acquisition request and transmitting the one or more files are achieved by a single click operation from a user.

19. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein enabling the receiving end to determine whether the directory of the receiving end is allowed to store the determined files of the file folder to be transmitted comprises:

enabling the receiving end to determine whether the directory of the receiving end arranged for storing the determined files of the file folder to be transmitted satisfies a disk space requirement for storing the determined files of the file folder to be transmitted; and

enabling the receiving end to determine whether a path length of a sub-file folder or a sub-file in the file folder to be transmitted exceeds a path length limit of an operating system of the receiving end.