# US 8,180,814 B1 · System and method for file management > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,180,814 B1 - Document ID: US8180814B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 13/028,773 - Filed: 2011-02-16 - Granted: 2012-05-15 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-16 - Assignees: Docbert, LLC - Inventors: Paul Stuart Swengler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8180814B1 ## CPC - G06F 16/164: {File meta data generation} - G06F 16/192: {Implementing virtual folder structures} - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract Embodiments of the invention provide, among other things, an improved system and method for building logical associations (links) between files and for assigning attributes to the files and/or links. In embodiments of the invention, such attribute data is indexed in a data store according to Universally Unique Identifiers (UUIDs) in each file header. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A file management system comprising: a virtual file system module configured to provide at least one abstraction of a plurality of files; a media retrieval/storage engine coupled to the virtual file system module; and a data store coupled to the media retrieval/storage system, the data store configured to store file attribute data associated with each of the plurality of files, each of the plurality of files having a universally unique identifier (UUID) in a header, the UUID being independent of a filename, the file attribute data indexed in the data store using the UUID as a unique key. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The file management system of claim 1, wherein the file attribute data includes at least one of a keyword, a description, a label, and a tag. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The file management system of claim 1, wherein the file attribute data associated with a first one of the plurality of files includes a logical reference to a second one of the plurality of files. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The file management system of claim 1, wherein the UUID is time-based. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The file management system of claim 1, wherein the UUID is name-based, a namespace associated with the name-based UUID being independent of the filename. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The file management system of claim 1, further comprising a visualization module coupled to the virtual file system, the visualization module configured to allow a user to define a logical link between a selected pair of the plurality of files. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The file management system of claim 6, wherein the data store is configured to store at least one logical link attribute, the at least one logical link attribute including at least one of a keyword, a description, a label and a tag. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The file management system of claim 1, further comprising a file key determining module coupled to the virtual file system module and the media retrieval/storage engine, the file key determining module configured to perform a file key determining process, the file key determining process including: determining whether the UUID exists in a header of a selected one of the plurality of files; and if the UUID does not exist, generating the UUID and writing the generated UUID to the header of the selected one of the plurality of files. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The file management system of claim 1, the file management system configured to execute a process, the process including: creating a virtual file structure based on user inputs; receiving a first file selection, the first file being one of the plurality of files; associating the first file with the virtual file structure; determining a first file UUID; receiving first file attributes; and saving the first file attributes in the data store using the first file UUID as the unique key. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The file management system of claim 9, the process further including: receiving a second file selection, the second file being one of the plurality of files; associating the second file with the virtual file structure; determining a second file UUID; receiving second file attributes; and saving the second file attributes in the data store using the second file UUID as the unique key. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The file management system of claim 10, the process further including: receiving a logical association between the first and second files, the logical association being a link; receiving link attributes; and saving the link attributes in the data store. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The file management system of claim 11, wherein the link attributes includes at least one of a keyword, a description, a label, and a tag. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The file management system of claim 11, the process further including saving file attributes, wherein saving the file attributes includes: saving indicia of the first file as the file attribute of the second file; and saving indicia of the second file as the file attribute of the first file. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The file management system of claim 1, further including a graphical user interface (GUI) module coupled to the virtual file system module, the GUI module configured to display an operating system (OS) file manager window, at least one virtual file manager window, a visualization window, and an attributes window. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The file management system of claim 14, wherein the GUI module is configured such that a user can drag and drop each of the plurality of files from the OS file manager window to the at least one virtual file manager window. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The file management system of claim 14, wherein the GUI module is configured such that a user can drag and drop each of the plurality of files from the at least one virtual file manager window to the visualization window. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The file management system of claim 14, wherein the GUI module is configured such that a user can define a logical link between any two of the plurality of files represented in the visualization window. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The file management system of claim 14, wherein the GUI module is configured such that a user can: select one of the plurality of files in the at least one virtual file manager window; and view the file attribute data associated with the selected one of the plurality of files in the attributes window. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The file management system of claim 14, wherein the GUI module is configured such that a user can: select one of the plurality of files in the visualization window; and view the file attribute data associated with the selected one of the plurality of files in the attributes window. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The file management system of claim 14, wherein the GUI module is configured such that a user can: select a logical link in the visualization window; and view link attribute data associated with the selected link in the attributes window.