Information backup method and apparatus

• US 9,164,748 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tencent Technology Company Limited (Tencent Holdings Limited)
• Original Assignee: Tencent Technology Company Limited (Tencent Holdings Limited)
• Inventors: Zheng, Xiaosheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Ziaul A
• Application Number:
  US14/081,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20140075430A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1451 by selection of backup contents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1461 Backup scheduling policy
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/62 Uninstallation

Abstract

The present invention discloses an information backup method in the field of computer technologies. A log file is monitored at an electronic device that comprises a local memory. A first part of the log file is determined to be associated with a first subset of operations that comprise a first action of uninstalling a specific application. In accordance with the determination, user information that is associated with the specific application is stored in the local memory, and the user information may comprise a user database, a configuration file and a private file generated and updated when a user uses the specific application. A second part of the log file is further determined to be associated with a second subset of operations that comprise a second action of reinstalling the specific application. The user information is extracted from the local memory for use in the second action of reinstalling the specific application.

Claims

1. An information backup method, comprising:

at an electronic device that comprises a local memory, while monitoring a log file that contains information denoting a queue of jobs that comprises a plurality of operations, the queue of jobs further including a first action of uninstalling a user-selected application and a second action of reinstalling the user-selected application;

determining that a first part of the log file is associated with a first subset of the plurality of operations, the first subset of operations comprising the first action of uninstalling the user-selected application;

in accordance with a determination of the first action of uninstalling the user-selected application, storing in the local memory user-selected information that is associated with the user-selected application, the user-selected information comprising a user database, a configuration file and a private file generated and updated when a user uses the user-selected application, wherein the log file, the user database, the configuration file and the private file are distinct from each other;

determining that a second part of the log file is associated with a second subset of the plurality of operations, the second subset of operations comprising the second action of reinstalling the user-selected application; and

in accordance with a determination of the second action of installing the user-selected application, extracting the user-selected information that is stored in the local memory for use in the second action of reinstalling the user-selected application.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reinstalled specific application is an upgraded version of the uninstalled specific application.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining that the first part of the log file is associated with the first subset of the plurality of operations further comprises:

determining that the first part of the log file comprises a corresponding package name of a software package in the specific application.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of storing in the local memory the user information further comprises:

creating a user interface to prompt the user to determine a set of backup options for storing the user information, and

in accordance with the user-determined set of backup options, selectively storing the user information in the local memory.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the set of backup options allow the user to select a subset of the user information for backing up.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of extracting the user information that is stored in the local memory further comprises:

creating a user interface to prompt the user to determine a set of recovery options for recovering the user information in the installed specific application, and

in accordance with the user-determined set of recovery options, selectively extracting the user information that are stored in the local memory.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the set of recovery options allow the user to select a subset of the user information for use in the reinstalled specific application.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user information is automatically stored in the memory without prompting the user to enter a user input that selects options for backing up the user information.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user information is extracted within a certain time window since the user information is stored in the local memory.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the user information is purged from the local memory if it is not used for reinstalling the specific application within the time window.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user information is further transferred from the electronic device to another electronic device for centralized user information storage and management.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the log file is maintained and monitored in real-time to track the plurality of operations that are scheduled for implementation in the electronic device.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the first action of uninstalling the specific application is initialized, and the user information is not purged yet when the information backup method is implemented.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a first electronic device that is coupled to a second device, and the specific application is initially installed on the second device, the log file being created on the second device and transferred to the first device, the user information of the specific application in the second device is thereby being backed up in the first device.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein the specific application comprises a first application in the electronic device, and the electronic device further comprises a second application that includes a first backup plug-in, the first back-up plug-in implementing each step in the information backup method and storing a first subset of the user information, the first subset of the user information comprising at least one of the user database, the configuration file and the private file.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the electronic device comprises a third application that includes a second backup plug-in, and the second back-up plug-in repeat each step in the information backup method and stores a second subset of the user information, the second subset of the user information being distinct from the first set of the user information and comprising at least one of the user database, the configuration file and the private file.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by one or more processors in an electronic device cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

while monitoring a log file that contains information denoting a queue of jobs that comprises a plurality of operations, the queue of jobs further including a first action of uninstalling a user-selected application and a second action of reinstalling the user-selected application;

determining that a first part of the log file is associated with a first subset of the plurality of operations, the first subset of operations comprising the first action of uninstalling the user-selected application;

in accordance with a determination of the first action of uninstalling the user-selected application, storing in the local memory user-selected information that is associated with the user-selected application, the user-selected information comprising a user database, a configuration file and a private file generated and updated when a user uses the user-selected application, wherein the log file, the user database, the configuration file and the private file are distinct from each other;

determining that a second part of the log file is associated with a second subset of the plurality of operations, the second subset of operations comprising the second action of reinstalling the user-selected application; and

in accordance with a determination of the second action of installing the user-selected application, extracting the user-selected information that is stored in the local memory for use in the second action of reinstalling the user-selected application.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the operation of extracting the user information that is stored in the local memory further comprises:

creating a user interface to prompt the user to determine a set of recovery options for recovering the user information in the installed specific application, the set of recovery options allowing the user to select a subset of the user information for use in the reinstalled specific application, and

in accordance with the set of recovery options, selectively extracting the user information that are stored in the local memory.

19. An electronic device, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory having instructions stored thereon, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the processors to perform operations, comprising;

while monitoring a log file that contains information denoting a queue of jobs that comprises a plurality of operations, the queue of jobs further including a first action of uninstalling a user-selected application and a second action of reinstalling the user-selected application;

determining that a first part of the log file is associated with a first subset of the plurality of operations, the first subset of operations comprising the first action of uninstalling the user-selected application;

in accordance with a determination of the first action of uninstalling the user-selected application, storing in the local memory user-selected information that is associated with the user-selected application, the user-selected information comprising a user database, a configuration file and a private file generated and updated when a user uses the user-selected application, wherein the log file, the user database, the configuration file and the private file are distinct from each other;

determining that a second part of the log file is associated with a second subset of the plurality of operations, the second subset of operations comprising the second action of reinstalling the user-selected application; and

in accordance with a determination of the second action of installing the user-selected application, extracting the user-selected information that is stored in the local memory for use in the second action of reinstalling the user-selected application.

20. The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the operation of storing in the local memory the user information further comprises:

creating a user interface to prompt the user to determine a set of backup options for storing the user information, and

in accordance with the set of backup options, storing the user information selectively in the local memory.