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US 7,885,925 B1Granted
Method and apparatus for a file sharing and synchronization system
AssigneeSugarSync, Inc.
InventorsJack B. Strong, Gibu Thomas
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims30
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 the client device for any changes, and, in response to a change in the datastore on the 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 the client application is interested;
- wherein the server application maintains a copy of each client devices' datastore on the server and receives notifications from client applications of changes to datastores on client devices;
- 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, identifies 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, in response to identifying one or more other client applications that have registered for notices related to the data that was changed in the datastore, immediately pushes notice of the change to the identified other client application(s);
- wherein, in response to a client application opening a connection with the server and registering for notices of changes to data in which the client application is interested, the server immediately sends the client application notices related to any changes to the data of interest that occurred while the client application was offline;
- and
- wherein the client application enables a user to share data objects with other users and includes a contact list for selecting other users with whom to share a data object and data object group management for managing shared data objects.
7 more elements
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 the client device for changes, and wherein the client application enables a user to share data objects with other users and includes a contact list for selecting other users with whom to share a data object and data object group management for managing shared data objects;
- 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 the client application is associated with a user that is permitted to have access to the select data;
- in response to a client application on a client device detecting a change to a monitored datastore on the client device, receiving at the server a notification of the change from the client application when the 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 said monitored datastore;
- in response to determining that one or more other online client application has registered for notices of changes to said data, immediately pushing a notice of the change to the other client application(s) that registered for changes to said data and
- wherein in response to a client application opening a connection with the server and registering for notices of changes to data in which the client application is interested, the servers immediately sends the client application notices related to any changes to the data of interest that occurred while the client application was offline.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.