Network file transfer and caching system

• US 8,412,792 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brent Young
• Original Assignee: Brent Young
• Inventors: Young, Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, KIET G
• Application Number:
  US11/831,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,072 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-229, 709/238, 709/206, 705/51, 711/133, 711/100, 707/202, 707/10, 707/752
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

A network file transfer and caching system is presented. The system provides multiple access utilities to select and transfer files to other users. The system is of particular use where the size of the files precludes transfer by other means such as e-mail attachments. The system is uniquely integrated into the operating systems by providing right click context menu file selection and process initiation. New utilities enable improved workflow by providing download information without the need to wait for completion of the network transfer process. Network transfer processes may progress in the background without user oversight or intervention. Files are cached and securely available to selected receivers of the files. The caching process may be managed by selected parameters related to number of downloads and time limits for availability of downloads.

Claims

1. A method for transferring digital files from a source user system in a communications network to a plurality of recipient user systems in said network through a server system that comprises mass storage for digital files and is connected to said network comprising:

a. running an application program that comprises i.) a process for communicating requests for file transfer and caching events, ii.) a process for communicating lists of selected files, iii.) a process for uploading selected files to said server system, and iv.) a process for managing the uploaded files,

b. communicating a request for a file transfer and caching event from said source user system to said server system via said application,

c. communicating a list of selected files for transfer and caching from said source user system to said server system via said application,

d. generating a destination network address unique to the selected files and the requested file transfer and caching event by said server system,

e. allocating a cache within said mass storage to said source user system at the destination network address generated by said server system,

f. communicating said destination network address to said source user system prior to completion of the file transfer and caching event by said server system wherein said source user system can communicate said destination network address to selected recipient user systems prior to completion of the file transfer and caching event,

g. uploading the selected files from said source user system to said cache allocated within said mass storage provided by said server system at said destination network address using said file upload process running as a background task on said source user system wherein said source user system can execute other tasks during the uploading of the selected files,

h. managing the cache allocated within said mass storage provided by said server system at the destination network address by said source user system wherein said source user system controls the content of the cache and monitors and controls access to the cache via said application, and

i. downloading any or all of the contents of the cache allocated within said mass storage provided by said server system at the destination network address to one or more recipient user systems designated by said source user system, which recipient user systems access the cache at the destination network address provided by said source user system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the said application program is implemented as a web-based application or as a locally executable application.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the list of selected files is produced using a right-click context menu.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein file uploading can be interrupted and restarted wherein the file uploading process continues upon restarting from its state at the interruption.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the list of selected files includes files from multiple different storage locations.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein managing the cache is accomplished using a cache management parameter set for each file transfer and caching event, said parameter set comprising a list of recipient users and limits to the number of downloads and the period of time over which downloads are allowed.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the cache management parameter set can be overridden.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the management of the cache includes establishing file transfer and caching status and history.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said network includes the internet and said destination network address is a URL.

9. A method for transferring files from a source client in a client-server communications network to a plurality of recipient clients in a client-server communications network through a server system comprising mass storage for files in said client-server communications network comprising:

a. running an application program that comprises i.) a process for communicating requests for file transfer and caching events, ii.) a process for communicating lists of selected files, iii.) a process for uploading selected files to said server system, and iv.) a process for managing the uploaded files,

b. communicating a request for a file transfer and caching event from said source client to said server system via said application,

c. communicating a list of selected files for transfer and caching from said source client to said server system via said application,

d. generating a destination network address unique to the selected files and the requested file transfer and caching event by said server system,

e. allocating a cache within said mass storage to said source client at the destination network address generated by said server system,

f. communicating said destination network address to said source client prior to completion of the file transfer and caching event by said server system wherein said source client can communicate said destination network address to selected recipient clients prior to completion of the file transfer and caching event,

g. uploading the selected files from said source client to a the cache allocated within said mass storage provided by said server system at said destination network address using said file upload process running as a background task on said source client wherein said source client can execute other tasks during the uploading of the selected files,

h. managing the cache allocated within said mass storage provided by said server system at the destination network address by said source client wherein said source client controls the content of the cache and monitors and controls access to the cache via said application, and

i. downloading any or all of the contents of the cache defined within said mass storage provided by said server system at destination network address to a one or more recipient clients designated by said source client, which recipient clients access the cache at the destination network address provided by said source client.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said application is implemented as a web-based application available to all clients from the server or as a locally executable application at each client.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the list of selected files is produced using a right-click context menu.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein file uploading can be interrupted and restarted wherein the file uploading process continues upon restarting from its state at the interruption.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the list of selected files includes files from multiple different storage locations and from one or more of the plurality of clients.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein managing the cache is accomplished using a cache management parameter set for each file transfer and caching event, said parameter set comprising a list of recipient clients and limits to the number of downloads and the period of time over which downloads are allowed.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the cache management parameter set can be overridden.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein the management of the cache includes establishing file transfer and caching status and history.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein a user of said client-server communications network may optionally access a source client to initiate a file transfer and caching event, to select files, to generate a destination network address prior to completion of the file transfer and caching event, to upload files from the source client in a background process, and to select cache management parameters;

or access a recipient client to download files to the recipient client;

or access the server to initiate a file transfer and caching event, to select files, to generate a destination network address prior to completion of the file transfer and caching event, to upload files from a source client in a background process, to select cache management parameters and to download files to recipient clients.

19. The method of claim 9 wherein said network includes the internet and said destination network address is a URL.