Content sharing with limited cloud storage
First Claim
1. A method of sharing content between a plurality of devices adapted to communicate in a data communications network, the method comprising:
- receiving an indication, at a first device of the plurality of devices, of an association of a first content tag with a first content stored on the first device, wherein the first content has been designated to be shared with at least one second device of the plurality of devices;
generating, at the first device without interaction from a user, a first action metadata message that identifies the first content to be shared with the at least one second device;
transmitting, by the first device without interaction from the user, the first action metadata message directed to the at least one second device, wherein the generating and transmitting are executed automatically responsive to the association of the first content tag with the first content;
transmitting automatically, by the first device and responsive to receiving the indication, a notification directed to a super data-storage node in the data communications network, the notification informing the super data-storage node that the content is available at the first device for transmission to the super data-storage node;
receiving, at the first device, a second action metadata message from one device of the at least one second device of the plurality of devices, wherein the second action metadata message identifies a second content that has been associated with the first content tag by the one device;
processing, automatically and without interaction from the user, the second action metadata message to identify at least one address from which the second content may be retrieved; and
retrieving, automatically and without interaction from the user, at least portions of the second content from the at least one address.
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for sharing electronically rendered information between a plurality of devices over a data communications network with limited used of network data storage is described. Content may be shared automatically between members of a share group, without interactive content-sharing operations being executed by users. The embodiments include content tagging, commenting, searching, and syncing of content. Action metadata messages, that are not viewed by a user of a device, may be sent separately from content portions to notify share-group members of content to be shared. Sharing of content can be accomplished via peer-to-peer links as well as intermediary links, which may execute concurrently.
41 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of sharing content between a plurality of devices adapted to communicate in a data communications network, the method comprising:
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receiving an indication, at a first device of the plurality of devices, of an association of a first content tag with a first content stored on the first device, wherein the first content has been designated to be shared with at least one second device of the plurality of devices; generating, at the first device without interaction from a user, a first action metadata message that identifies the first content to be shared with the at least one second device; transmitting, by the first device without interaction from the user, the first action metadata message directed to the at least one second device, wherein the generating and transmitting are executed automatically responsive to the association of the first content tag with the first content; transmitting automatically, by the first device and responsive to receiving the indication, a notification directed to a super data-storage node in the data communications network, the notification informing the super data-storage node that the content is available at the first device for transmission to the super data-storage node; receiving, at the first device, a second action metadata message from one device of the at least one second device of the plurality of devices, wherein the second action metadata message identifies a second content that has been associated with the first content tag by the one device; processing, automatically and without interaction from the user, the second action metadata message to identify at least one address from which the second content may be retrieved; and retrieving, automatically and without interaction from the user, at least portions of the second content from the at least one address. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding machine-readable instructions that, when executed by at least one microprocessor of a first device that is adapted to communicate with a plurality of devices in a data communications network, control the first device to:
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receive an indication of a first content tag being associated with a first content by a user of the first device, wherein the first content is stored at the first device and has been designated to be shared with at least one second device of a plurality of devices configured to communicate over the data communications network; and generate, without interaction from the user, a first action metadata message that identifies the first content to be shared with the at least one second device; transmit, without interaction from the user, the first action metadata message directed to the at least one second device, wherein the generating and transmitting are executed automatically responsive to the association of the first content tag with the first content; transmit automatically, responsive to receiving the indication, a notification directed to a super data-storage node in the data communications network, the notification informing the super data-storage node that the content is available at the first device for transmission to the super data-storage node; receive a second action metadata message from one device of the at least one second device of the plurality of devices, wherein the second action metadata message identifies a second content that has been associated with the first content tag by the one device; process, automatically and without interaction from the user, the second action metadata message to identify at least one address from which the second content may be retrieved; and retrieve, automatically and without interaction from the user, at least portions of the second content from the at least one address. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A content-share server adapted for sharing content between a plurality of devices in a data communications network, the server comprising:
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at least one data communications port; and at least one microprocessor, wherein the at least one microprocessor is configured to; receive a first action metadata message from a first device of the plurality of devices; process the first action metadata message to determine a first identifier of the first device, at least a second identifier of a second device of the plurality of devices with which the first device wishes to share first content, and a first content identifier that identifies the first content that the first device wishes to share with at least the second device and is stored at the first device; generate at least a second action metadata message directed to at least the second device, the second action metadata message including the first identifier and the first content identifier; add at least a third identifier to the second action metadata message, wherein the third identifier identifies a data storage node from which a copy of at least portions of the first content is available; transmit a notification to the data storage node that the first content is available at the first device; receive a third action metadata message from one device of the at least the second device, wherein the third action metadata message identifies a second content to be shared with the first device; process the third action metadata message to identify at least one address from which the second content may be retrieved; and generate at least a fourth action metadata message directed to at least the first device, wherein the fourth action metadata message identifies a data storage node from which a copy of at least portions of the second content is available. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification