Determining a preferred modified version from among multiple modified versions for synchronized files

• US 9,348,836 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Sachs, Robert R., Reasoner, Robin W., Avrunin, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Leslie
• Application Number:
  US14/604,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20150134614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

A server stores files and manages the synchronization of those files across client devices in accordance with user preferences that may be embodied in change management rules. A first version of a file has been designated to be synchronized across at least a first client and a second client. The first client accesses the first version of the file and creates a first modified version of the file, and the second client accesses the first version of the file and creates a second modified version of the file. When the first and second clients attempt to re-synchronize their respective modified versions of the file, the server determines a preferred version from among the available modified versions of the file according to change management rules. Then, the preferred version is stored by the server and is subsequently served for synchronization across the client devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving notification of a first user-modified version of a file at a synchronized file system;

receiving notification of a second user-modified version of the file at the synchronized file system;

determining, by a software module of the synchronized file system, a preferred version of the file from among the first and second user-modified versions of the file according to change management rules, wherein the change management rules specify which user-modified version of the file is the preferred version based on at least one respective attribute of the first and second modified versions, wherein the at least one respective attribute is selected from a group consisting of type of client device that generated the versions, geocoded information associated with the versions, quantity of edits in the versions, and file type of the versions, and wherein the other modified version is non-preferred; and

supplying the preferred version of the file, the non-preferred version of the file, and an indication of the preferred version to an edit-merge tool for merging edits of the two versions to produce an updated version of the user-generated file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the change management rules specify a version created on a desktop device is the preferred version and a version created on a mobile device is the non-preferred version.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the change management rules specify a version created by a client device that is online is the preferred version and a version created by a client device that is offline is the non-preferred version.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the change management rules specify a version from a predetermined location is the preferred version and a version from another location is the non-preferred version.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the change management rules specify a version associated with a location closest to a specified location is the preferred version and a version associated with a location further away from the specified location is the non-preferred version.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the change management rules specify a version with more edits is the preferred version and a version with fewer edits is the non-preferred version.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the change management rules specify a version with the fewer deletions is the preferred version and a version with more deletions is the non-preferred version.

8. A computer server comprising:

a computer processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by the computer processor and performing actions comprising;

receiving notification of a first user-modified version of a file at a synchronized file system;

receiving notification of a second user-modified version of the file at the synchronized file system;

determining, by a software module of the synchronized file system, a preferred version of the file from among the first and second user-modified versions of the file according to change management rules, wherein the change management rules specify which user-modified version of the file is the preferred version based on at least one respective attribute of the first and second modified versions, wherein the at least one respective attribute is selected from a group consisting of type of client device that generated the versions, geocoded information associated with the versions, quantity of edits in the versions, and file type of the versions, and wherein the other modified version is non-preferred; and

supplying the preferred version of the file, the non-preferred version of the file, and an indication of the preferred version to an edit-merge tool for merging edits of the two versions to produce an updated version of the user-generated file.

9. The computer server of claim 8, wherein the change management rules specify a version created on a desktop device is the preferred version and a version created on a mobile device is the non-preferred version.

10. The computer server of claim 8, wherein the change management rules specify a version created by a client device that is online is the preferred version and a version created by a client device that is offline is the non-preferred version.

11. The computer server of claim 8, wherein the change management rules specify a version from a predetermined location is the preferred version and a version from another location is the non-preferred version.

12. The computer server of claim 8, wherein the change management rules specify a version associated with a location closest to a specified location is the preferred version and a version associated with a location further away from the specified location is the non-preferred version.

13. The computer server of claim 8, wherein the change management rules specify a version with more edits is the preferred version and a version with fewer edits is the non-preferred version.

14. The computer server of claim 8, wherein the change management rules specify a version with the fewer deletions is the preferred version and a version with more deletions is the non-preferred version.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having executable computer program instructions embodied therein that when executed in a computer system perform actions, comprising:

receiving notification of a first user-modified version of a file at a synchronized file system;

receiving notification of a second user-modified version of the file at the synchronized file system;

determining, by a software module of the synchronized file system, a preferred version of the file from among the first and second user-modified versions of the file according to change management rules, wherein the change management rules specify which user-modified version of the file is the preferred version based on at least one respective attribute of the first and second modified versions, wherein the at least one respective attribute is selected from a group consisting of type of client device that generated the versions, geocoded information associated with the versions, quantity of edits in the versions, and file type of the versions, and wherein the other modified version is non-preferred; and

supplying the preferred version of the file, the non-preferred version of the file, and an indication of the preferred version to an edit-merge tool for merging edits of the two versions to produce an updated version of the user-generated file.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein the change management rules specify a version created on a desktop device is the preferred version and a version created on a mobile device is the non-preferred version.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein the change management rules specify a version created by a client device that is online is the preferred version and a version created by a client device that is offline is the non-preferred version.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein the change management rules specify a version from a predetermined location is the preferred version and a version from another location is the non-preferred version.

19. The medium of claim 15, wherein the change management rules specify a version associated with a location closest to a specified location is the preferred version and a version associated with a location further away from the specified location.

20. The medium of claim 15, wherein the change management rules specify a version with more edits is the preferred version and a version with fewer edits is the non-preferred version.

21. The medium of claim 15, wherein the change management rules specify a version with the fewer deletions is the preferred version and a version with more deletions is the non-preferred version.