File folder transmission on network

• US 9,128,952 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• 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:
  US13/916,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20130275478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/213, 709/214, 707/711
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 implemented by one or more computing devices, the method comprising:

generating an index identifier of a directory structure file of a file folder;

sending the index identifier to a receiving end such that the receiving end determines whether the receiving end has the directory structure file based at least in part on the index identifier;

in an event that the receiving end does not have the directory structure file, sending the directory structure file to the receiving end, the directory structure file having one or more properties associated with the file folder;

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 at least in part on whether a size of the file folder is less than or equal to a predetermined size; and

transmitting one or more files in 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 at least in part on a result of the determining.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the directory structure file comprises information of the one or more properties associated with the file folder.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more properties associated with the file folder comprise one or more of:

the size of the file folder, a path of at least one file or a path length of the at least one file in the file folder.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving a file acquisition request from the receiving end, the file acquisition request comprising a request for the one or more files in the file folder.

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

acquiring breakpoint information of an interruption of a transmission of the directory structure file or the one or more files in the file folder upon an occurrence of a network connection interruption with the receiving end; and

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

6. One or more storage devices storing executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

sending a file folder transmission request from a sending end to a 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 between the sending end and the receiving end based at least in part on a network condition between the sending end and the receiving end, the network data transmission channel being different from the messaging communication channel;

generating an index identifier of a directory structure file of a file folder;

sending the index identifier to the receiving end such that the receiving end determines whether the receiving end has the directory structure file based at least in part on the index identifier;

in an event that the receiving end does not have the directory structure file, sending the directory structure file to the receiving end through the network data transmission channel, the directory structure file comprising one or more properties associated with the file folder;

receiving an acquisition request that includes information specifying one or more files in the file folder that are requested by the receiving end; and

transmitting the one or more files in the file folder to the receiving end according to the acquisition request.

7. The one or more storage devices as recited in claim 6, the acts further comprising:

acquiring breakpoint information of an interruption of a transmission of the directory structure file or one or more files in the file folder upon an occurrence of a network connection interruption with the receiving end; and

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

8. The one or more storage devices as recited in claim 6, wherein the network data transmission channel comprises a peer-to-peer transmission channel or a relay channel of a server.

9. The one or more storage devices as recited in claim 6, the acts further comprising generating the directory structure file of the file folder.

10. The one or more storage devices as recited in claim 9, wherein generating the directory structure file comprises traversing the file folder and computing the one or more properties of the file folder.

11. The one or more storage devices as recited in claim 6, wherein the one or more properties of the file folder comprise one or more of:

a size of a subfolder in the file folder, a path of a file in the subfolder or one or more path lengths of the one or more files in the subfolder.

12. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising;

receiving an identifier of a directory structure file of a file folder at a receiving end from a sending end;

determining whether the directory structure file exists in the receiving end based at least in part on the identifier of the directory structure file;

in an event that the directory structure file does not exist in the receiving end, receiving the directory structure file from the sending end, the directory structure file having one or more properties associated with the file folder;

determining one or more files in the file folder that are to be requested from the sending end by comparing the directory structure file with files stored in the receiving end;

sending a file acquisition request to the sending end; and

receiving the one or more files from the sending end.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, the acts further comprising receiving a file folder transmission request from the sending end through a messaging communication channel.

14. The system as recited in claim 12, the acts further comprising establishing a network data transmission channel between the sending end and the receiving end based at least in part on a network condition between the sending end and the receiving end.

15. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the one or more properties of the file folder comprise one or more of:

a size of a subfolder in the file folder, a path of a file in the subfolder or one or more path lengths of the one or more files in the subfolder.