Method and apparatus for a file sharing and synchronization system

• US 20110106880A1
• Filed: 12/23/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gibu Thomas, Jack B. Strong
• Inventors: Thomas, Gibu, Strong, Jack B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1767 Concurrency control, e.g. optimistic or pessimistic approaches
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• 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

Abstract

A computer-implemented method is provided for managing and sharing picture files. In one embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises providing a server platform and providing a datastore on the server platform for maintaining full resolution copies of the files shared between a plurality of sharing clients. A synchronization engine is provided on the server platform and is configured to send real-time updates to a plurality of sharing clients when at least one of the sharing clients updates or changes one of said files. A web interface may also be provided that allows a user to access files in the datastore through the use of a web browser.

Claims

1. A method for sharing and synchronizing data across a plurality of client devices, the method comprising:

providing a client application on each of the client devices; and

providing a server application on a server;

wherein each client application on a client device monitors a datastore on such client device for any changes, and, in response to a change in the datastore on such client device, the client application automatically notifies the server application of the change;

wherein each client application, when running on a client device that is online and connected via a network with the server, opens a connection with the server application and registers for notices of changes to data in which such client application is interested;

wherein the server application maintains a copy of each client devices'"'"' datastore on the server and is able to receive a notification from client applications of changes to datastores on client devices; and

wherein, in response to receiving a notification from a client application of a change to a datastore on a client device, the server application updates the server'"'"'s copy of the datastore with the change, determines if there are any other client applications with open connections to the server that have registered for notices related to the data that was changed in the data store, and, if one or more of such other client applications exist, immediately pushes notice of the change to such other client application(s).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, when a client application opens a connection with the server and registers for notices of changes to data in which the client application is interested, the servers immediately sends such client application notices related to any changes to such data that occurred while the client application was offline.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, when a client application opens a connection with the server, the client application notifies the server of any changes to the datastore monitored by the client application that occurred while the client application was offline.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein if the server receives notification from two different client applications of conflicting changes to data in a datastore, the server will apply conflict resolution rules to resolve any conflict.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a web interface on the server through which datastores stored on the server can be accessed via a web browser.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein if a user modifies data on the server via a web browser, the server notifies client applications that have registered for notices related to such data of such modification.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein, if a datastore is being accessed by a user via a web browser, the server provides the web browser with real-time updates to the datastore.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the server referenced in claim 1 is comprised of a plurality of servers that are networked together and that propagate notices of changes to datastores amongst themselves on behalf of interested client applications.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a datastore includes files and the metadata associated with files.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the files include photos.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the files include audio files.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the files include video files.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the files include documents.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the datastore includes data objects and metadata associated with the data objects.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein types of client devices include personal computers and mobile communication devices.

16. A method for sharing and synchronizing data across a plurality of client devices, the method comprising:

providing a client application on each of the plurality of client devices, wherein, for each client device, the client application monitors a datastore on such client device for changes;

for each of the client applications that is online, opening up a connection between the client application and a server, wherein the client application notifies the server of any changes to the datastore monitored by the client device;

enabling each client application to register at the server for notices to changes to select data on other client devices, provided such client application is associated with a user that is permitted to have access to such select data;

in response to a client application on a client device detecting a change to a monitored datastore on such client device, receiving at the server a notification of the change from such client application when such client application has an open connection with the server;

determining whether or not any other client applications have registered for notices of changes to the data that was changed in such monitored datastore; and

in response to determining that one or more other online client application has registered for notices of changes to such data, immediately pushing a notice of the change to such other client application(s).

17. The method of claim 16, wherein when a client application opens a connection with the server and registers for notices of changes to data in which the client application is interested, the servers immediately sends such client application notices related to any changes to such data that occurred while the client application was offline.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

storing a copy of all the monitored datastores on a server; and

in response to receiving notification from a client application of a change to a monitored datastore on a client device, updating the copy of such monitored datastore on the server with such change.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

providing a web interface on the server through which datastores stored on the server can be accessed via a web browser.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein if a user modifies a datastore on the server via a web browser, the server notifies client applications that have registered for notices related to the affected portion of the modified datastore of such modification.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein, if a datastore is being accessed by a user via a web browser, the server provides the web browser with real-time updates to the datastore.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein if the server receives notification from two different client applications of conflicting changes to data in a datastore, the server will apply conflict resolution rules to resolve any conflict.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the server referenced in claim 16 is comprised of a plurality of servers that are networked together and that propagate notices of changes to datastores amongst themselves on behalf of interested client applications.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein a datastore includes files and metadata associated with the files.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein a datastore includes data objects and metadata associated with the data objects.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the files include photos.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the files include audio files.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the files include video files.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the files include documents.

30. The method of claim 16, wherein types of client devices include personal computers and mobile communication devices.