Sharing and synchronizing electronically stored files

• US 8,949,179 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Besen, Adam, Cheong, Hwi, Mueller, Hendrik, Pape, Frank, Wurtz, David
• Primary Examiner(s): LO, ANN J
• Application Number:
  US13/453,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20130282658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 707/637, 707/802
• US Class Current: 707/610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1794 Details of file format conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1844 Management specifically adapted to replicated file systems

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to architectures, methods and systems and structures that facilitate the sharing and synchronization of electronically stored files among and between cloud entities and a number of computers, systems, devices and/or users. One particular exemplary aspect includes the mapping and/or translation of files electronically stored in a cloud file system when synchronized and/or shared with client computer systems.

Claims

1. A method of sharing and synchronizing an electronically stored file between a cloud file system and a client file system comprising the computer implemented steps of:

determining that the electronically stored file is associated with a plurality of folders in the cloud file system by determining that the plurality of folders in the cloud file system share the electronically stored file;

generating, from the same electronically stored file, in the client file system a plurality of replicates of the same electronically stored file, wherein a number of replicates in the plurality of replicates is equal to a number of folders in the plurality of folders in the cloud file system that are associated with the same electronically stored file.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

generating in the client file system a plurality of local folders, one for each of the plurality of folders in the cloud file system that are associated with the same electronically stored file.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein each of the local folders contains a replicate of the electronically stored file in the plurality of replicates.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the replicates of the electronically stored file comprises a link to the same shared electronically stored file.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the electronically stored file is stored in the cloud file system and is accessible via a browser utilizing the link.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising synchronizing each of the plurality of replicates in the client file system to the electronically stored file.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the synchronizing is performed in response to detecting a modification to any one of the plurality of replicates in the client file system.

6. A non-transitory computer storage medium having computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

determining whether a file electronically stored in a cloud file system is associated with a plurality of folders in the cloud file system by determining that the plurality of folders in the cloud file system share the electronically stored file;

generating, from the same electronically stored file, in a client file system a plurality of replicates of the same electronically stored file, wherein a number of replicates in the plurality of replicates is equal to a number of folders in the plurality of folders in the cloud file system that are associated with the same electronically stored file.

7. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 6 having computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to additionally perform operations comprising:

generating in the client file system a plurality of local folders, one for each of the plurality of folders in the cloud file system that are associated with the same electronically stored file.

8. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 6 wherein each of the local folders contains a replicate of the electronically stored file.

9. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 8 wherein each replicate comprises a link to the same file electronically stored in the cloud file system.

10. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 9 having computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer cause to computer to additionally perform operations comprising:

accessing the file electronically stored in the cloud file system via a browser utilizing the link.

13. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 6 having computer executable instructions which when executed by the computer cause the computer to additionally perform operations comprising:

synchronizing each of the plurality of replicates in the client file system to the electronically stored file.

14. The non-transitory computer storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the synchronizing is performed in response to detecting a modification to any one of the plurality of replicates in the client file system.