Synchronized content library

• US 9,398,090 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2013
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Houston, Drew
• Primary Examiner(s): Henderson, Esther B
• Application Number:
  US13/847,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20140195638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

The disclosed technology addresses the need in the art for synchronizing a content library between a content management system and client devices. Each content item in a user'"'"'s content library is stored on the content management system and a record of each change to the content library is recorded in a content journal. A client device transmits a synchronization request that a portion of the content journal representing unsynchronized changes be processed to update the content library on the client device. The synchronization request includes a content library identifier and a content journal number identifying the content entry in the content journal last processed by the client device. Synchronization commands are sent based on the content entries not processed by the client device. Updated synchronization data representing the processed content entries is sent to the client device after synchronization is completed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a content management system, a synchronization request from a client device, the synchronization request identifying;

a content journal comprising a list of content entries, locations for each of the content entries and recorded changes made to a content library;

a first content journal position identifying a first portion of the content journal representing a state of the content library known to the client device; and

transmitting to the client device by a processor of the content management system;

a second portion of the content journal representing changes made to the content library that are unknown to the client device; and

a second content journal position identifying a third portion of the content journal representing an updated state of the content library known to the client device, wherein the third portion of the content journal includes the first portion of the content journal and the second portion of the content journal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by a processor, the second portion of the content journal representing changes made to the content library that are unknown to the client device based on the first content journal position received from the client device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second content journal position is transmitted as an opaque data type.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

generating, by a processor, an opaque string identifying the second content journal position.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by a processor, the first content journal position from an opaque data string received from the client device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content journal includes a first content entry associated with a content item in the content library, the first content entry recording a change to the content library.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

creating, by a processor, a second content entry in the content journal that records a change to the content item, wherein the second content entry includes a latest flag set to indicate that no content entries associated with the content item have been created after the new content entry was created.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

changing, by a processor, a latest flag in the first content entry to indicate that the new content entry associated with the content item was created after the old content entry was created.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first content entry and the second content entry are not part of the first portion of the content journal, the method further comprising:

excluding, by a processor, the first content entry from the second portion of the content journal based on the latest flag included in the first content entry.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

excluding, by a processor, the second content entry from the second portion of the content journal upon a determination that;

the change to the content item recorded by the second content entry is a deletion of the content item from the content library; and

the synchronization request is the first synchronization request received from the client device.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

deleting, by a processor, the first content entry upon creation of the second content entry.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of a content entry comprises a content pointer.

12. A system comprising:

a processor of a content management system; and

a memory containing processor-executable instructions for causing the processor to;

receive a synchronization request from a client device, the synchronization request identifying;

a content journal comprising a list of content entries, locations for each of the content entries and recorded changes made to a content library; and

a first content journal position identifying a first portion of the content journal representing a state of the content library known to the client device; and

transmit, to the client device;

a second portion of the content journal representing changes made to the content library that are unknown to the client device; and

a second content journal position identifying a third portion of the content journal representing an updated state of the content library known to the client device, wherein the third portion of the content journal includes the first portion of the content journal and the second portion of the content journal.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine the second portion of the content journal representing changes made to the content library that are unknown to the client device based on the first content journal position received from the client device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the second content journal position is transmitted as an opaque data type.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

generate an opaque string identifying the second content journal position.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

determine the first content journal position from an opaque data string received from the client device.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the content journal includes a first content entry associated with a content item in the content library, the first content entry recording a change to the content library.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

create a second content entry in the content journal that records a change to the content item, wherein the second content entry includes a latest flag set to indicate that no content entries associated with the content item have been created after the new content entry was created.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

change a latest flag in the first content entry to indicate that the new content entry associated with the content item was created after the old content entry was created.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first content entry and the second content entry are not part of the first portion of the content journal, and the instructions further cause the processor to:

exclude the first content entry from the second portion of the content journal based on the latest flag included in the first content entry.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

exclude the second content entry from the second portion of the content journal upon a determination that;

the change to the content item recorded by the second content entry is a deletion of the content item from the content library; and

the synchronization request is the first synchronization request received from the client device.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

delete the first content entry upon creation of the second content entry.

35. The system of claim 12, wherein the location of a content entry comprises a content pointer.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing processor-executable instructions for causing a processor of a content management system to:

receive a synchronization request from a client device, the synchronization request identifying;

a content journal comprising a list of content entries, locations for each of the content entries and recorded changes made to a content library; and

a first content journal position identifying a first portion of the content journal representing a state of the content library known to the client device; and

transmit, to the client device;

a second portion of the content journal representing changes made to the content library that are unknown to the client device; and

a second content journal position identifying a third portion of the content journal representing an updated state of the content library known to the client device, wherein the third portion of the content journal includes the first portion of the content journal and the second portion of the content journal.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause a processor to:

determine the second portion of the content journal representing changes made to the content library that are unknown to the client device based on the first content journal position received from the client device.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the second content journal position is transmitted as an opaque data type.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the instructions further cause a processor to:

generate an opaque string identifying the second content journal position.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions further cause a processor to:

determine the first content journal position from an opaque data string received from the client device.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the content journal includes a first content entry associated with a content item in the content library, the first content entry recording a change to the content library.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the instructions further cause a processor to:

create a second content entry in the content journal that records a change to the content item, wherein the second content entry includes a latest flag set to indicate that no content entries associated with the content item have been created after the new content entry was created.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the instructions further cause a processor to:

change a latest flag in the first content entry to indicate that the new content entry associated with the content item was created after the old content entry was created.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the first content entry and the second content entry are not part of the first portion of the content journal and the instructions further cause a processor to:

exclude the first content entry from the second portion of the content journal based on the latest flag included in the first content entry.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the instructions further cause a processor to:

exclude the second content entry from the second portion of the content journal upon a determination that;

the change to the content item recorded by the second content entry is a deletion of the content item from the content library; and

the synchronization request is the first synchronization request received from the client device.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the instructions further cause a processor to:

delete the first content entry upon creation of the second content entry.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the location of a content entry comprises a content pointer.