Sending files from one device to another device over a network

• US 9,888,058 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2016
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hurley, Timothy S., Neitzer, Guido, Dickens, Joshua B., Herbold, John K., Gautier, Patrice O.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALGIBHAH, HAMZA N
• Application Number:
  US15/043,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20160164950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 709219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5683 Storage of data provided by user terminals, i.e. reverse caching

Abstract

Techniques are provided for causing a file to be sent from a source device over a network to one or more destination devices. An intermediary receives a notification of a file and determines which destination device(s) are to retrieve the file. The intermediary may determine the destination device(s) based on one or more attributes of the file. The intermediary may cause the file to be stored in persistent storage that is maintained by a separate storage service. The intermediary may cause the file to be deleted after a particular period of time. The source device may send multiple versions of a file to the intermediary, which determines which destination device is to receive which version. The file may be a digital image and a destination device may be a device that displays a slideshow of digital images while the destination device receives the digital image over a network.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing, by a first entity, association data that indicates source information, destination information, and a relationship between the source information and the destination information, wherein the destination information identifies a second device of a plurality of devices;

receiving an indication, by the first entity, over a network from a first device of the plurality of devices, wherein the indication indicates that a file stored on the first device is to be sent to another device of the plurality of devices;

sending, by the first entity, a first address to the first device over the network in response to the indication, wherein the first address indicates a second entity to send the file to, and wherein the second entity is different from the first entity;

identifying, by the first entity, the second device based on the association data, wherein the second device is different from the first device; and

sending, by the first entity, a second address to the second device over the network, wherein the second address indicates the second entity from which to retrieve the file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first address includes identification data that identifies the file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first entity comprises a synchronization server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the second address is performed in response to the first entity receiving, from the second device, a request for information about one or more files.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the second device is based at least in part on failure of a communicative connection between the first entity and the second device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein sending the second address is based at least in part on a successful communicative connection between the first entity and the second device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, from the first device, the file by the second entity in response to the first device receiving the first address.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending, from the second entity, the file to the second device in response to the second device receiving the second address.

9. One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

store, by a first entity, association data that indicates source information, destination information, and a relationship between the source information and the destination information, wherein the destination information identifies a second device of a plurality of devices;

receive an indication, by the first entity, over a network from a first device of the plurality of devices, wherein the indication indicates that a file stored on the first device is to be sent to another device of the plurality of devices;

send, by the first entity, a first address to the first device over the network in response to the indication, wherein the first address indicates a second entity to send the file to, and wherein the second entity is different from the first entity;

identify, by the first entity, the second device based on the association data, wherein the second device is different from the first device; and

send, by the first entity, a second address to the second device over the network, wherein the second address indicates the second entity from which to retrieve the file.

10. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 9, wherein the first address includes identification data that identifies the file.

11. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 9, wherein the first entity comprises a synchronization server.

12. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 9, wherein the one or more storage media store further instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to send the second address in response to the first entity receiving, from the second device, a request for information about one or more files.

13. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 9, wherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors to identify the second device comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors to identify the second device based at least in part on failure of a communicative connection between the first entity and the second device.

14. The one or more non-transitory storage media of claim 13, wherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors to send the second address comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors to send the second address based at least in part on a successful communicative connection between the first entity and the second device.

15. A system comprising:

one or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions; and

one or more computing devices, programmed to perform the instructions, wherein performance of the instructions causes the one or more computing devices to;

store, by a first entity, association data that indicates source information, destination information, and a relationship between the source information and the destination information, wherein the destination information identifies a second device of a plurality of devices;

receive an indication, by the first entity, over a network from a first device of the plurality of devices, wherein the indication indicates that a file stored on the first device is to be sent to another device of the plurality of devices;

send, by the first entity, a first address to the first device over the network in response to the indication, wherein the first address indicates a second entity to send the file to, and wherein the second entity is different from the first entity;

identify, by the first entity, the second device based on the association data, wherein the second device is different from the first device; and

send, by the first entity, a second address to the second device over the network, wherein the second address indicates the second entity from which to retrieve the file.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first address includes identification data that identifies the file.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more computing devices are further programmed to perform further instructions, wherein performance of the further instructions further causes the one or more computing devices to send the second address in response to the first entity receiving, from the second device, a request for information about one or more files.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions that cause the one or more computing devices to identify the second device comprise instructions that cause the one or more computing devices to identify the second device based at least in part on failure of a communicative connection between the first entity and the second device.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause the one or more computing devices to send the second address comprise instructions that cause the one or more computing devices to send the second address based at least in part on a successful communicative connection between the first entity and the second device succeeds.