Providing a user access to data files distributed in a plurality of different types of user devices
First Claim
1. A method of providing a user access to data files distributed in a plurality of different types of user devices, said method comprising:
- receiving at a server a copy of data files stored locally at each user device via a respective network communication link;
generating index information based on said received data files, wherein said index information facilitates performing a search operation using user-provided search information to select any of said data files; and
if a selected data file from said search operation is not stored locally at a desired user device, sending a copy of said selected data file from said server via said respective network communication link to provide said user access to said selected data file at said desired user device.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of providing a user access to data files distributed in a plurality of different types of user devices is described. According to the method, a copy of data files stored locally at each user device is received at a server via a respective network communication link. Index information is generated based on the received data files. The index information facilitates performing a search operation using user-provided search information to select any of the data files. If a selected data file from the search operation is not stored locally at a desired user device, a copy of the selected data file is sent from the server via the respective network communication link to provide the user access to the selected data file at the desired user device.
71 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method of providing a user access to data files distributed in a plurality of different types of user devices, said method comprising:
-
receiving at a server a copy of data files stored locally at each user device via a respective network communication link; generating index information based on said received data files, wherein said index information facilitates performing a search operation using user-provided search information to select any of said data files; and if a selected data file from said search operation is not stored locally at a desired user device, sending a copy of said selected data file from said server via said respective network communication link to provide said user access to said selected data file at said desired user device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A server comprising:
-
a network communication unit; a data storage for storing data files and index information that facilitates performing a search operation using user-provided search information to select any of said data files; and a user device interface adapted to facilitate receiving via said network communication unit said stored data files representing a copy of data files stored locally at each of a plurality of different types of user devices and adapted to generate said index information based on said stored data files. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A user device comprising:
-
a network communication unit; a data storage for storing data files and index information that facilitates performing a search operation using user-provided search information to select any of said data files and to select from data files that are stored in a server and represent a copy of data files received from each of a plurality of different types of user devices; and a local user interface adapted to facilitate sending via said network communication unit a copy of said stored data files to said server, adapted to receive via said network communication unit said index information from said server, and adapted to enable a user to perform said search operation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A user device comprising:
-
a network communication unit; a data storage for storing data files; and a local user interface adapted to facilitate sending via said network communication unit a copy of said stored data files to a server, and adapted to enable a user to use said server to perform a search operation, wherein said server stores index information that facilitates performing said search operation using user-provided search information to select any of said data files and to select from data files that are stored in said server and represent a copy of data files received from each of a plurality of different types of user devices. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
-
Specification