a2) United States Patent
`US 10,289,607 B2
`do) Patent No.:
`Manzano
`*May 14, 2019
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US010289607B2
`
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`CPC ou... GO6F 17/30082; GO6F 17/30067; GO6F
`17/3023; GO6F 17/30194; GO6F
`17/30174;
`
`(Continued)
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`5,600,834 A
`5,675,802 A *
`
`2/1997 Howard
`10/1997 Allen wo GO6F 8/71
`707/999.202
`
`(Continued)
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
`claimer.
`
`EP
`WO
`WO
`
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`1130 511 AQ
`WO 98/56149 Al
`WO 2007/047302 A2
`
`9/2001
`12/1998
`4/2007
`
`
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`FolderShare—Secure Remote Access VPN Solution; Document
`Management & Real-time File Mirroring Solution; < https://web.
`archive.org/web/20040804020435/http://www.foldershare.com:
`80/>; Aug. 4, 2004.
`
`(Continued)
`
`Primary Examiner — Srirama Channavajjala
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw
`Pittman LLP
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`In certain embodiments, automatic modification-triggered
`transfer of a file among two or more computer systems
`associated with a user. In some embodiments, a copy of a
`first file may be received, via a first application at a first
`computer system, from a second application at a second
`computer system associated with a user. Thefirst file copy
`may be automatically received from the second application
`responsive to the user modifying a content ofthefirst file,
`wherethe first file copy is a version of thefirst file that is
`generated from the user modifying the content of the first
`file. Responsive to receiving the first file copy from the
`(Continued)
`
`(54) ARCHITECTURE FOR MANAGEMENT OF
`DIGITAL FILES ACROSS DISTRIBUTED
`NETWORK
`
`(71) Applicant: TOPIA TECHNOLOGY,INC..,
`Tacoma, WA (US)
`
`(72)
`
`Inventor: Michael R. Manzano,Seattle, WA
`(US)
`
`(73) Assignee: TOPLA TECHNOLOGY, INC.,
`Tacoma, WA (US)
`
`(*)
`
`Notice:
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 16/017,348
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Jun. 25, 2018
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2018/0307698 Al
`
`Oct. 25, 2018
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63)
`
`Continuation of application No. 14/860,289, filed on
`Sep. 21, 2015, now Pat. No. 10,067,942, which is a
`(Continued)
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`GOOF 16/00
`GO6F 16/11
`
`US. Cl.
`
`(52)
`
`(2019.01)
`(2019.01)
`(Continued)
`
`CPC wie GO6F 16/122 (2019.01); G06F 15/16
`(2013.01); GO6F’ 16/00 (2019.01); G06F
`16/128 (2019.01);
`
`(Continued)
`
`STORAGE
`270
`
`
`
`SERVER
`DATABASE
`COMPUTER SYSTEM
`
`240
`230
`260
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`320
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`\
`370
`
`
`370
`370
`
`
`
`a
`
`
`315
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`USERDEVICE
`219
`
`
`
`
`
`USER DEVICE,
`230
`
`
`
`
`
`¥
`STORAGE
`
`
`
`
`
`
`USER DEVICE
`USER DEVICE
`280
`20
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`DISPLAY
`
`250
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`DISPLAY
`
`220
`
`
`
`
`
`J200
`
`370,
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Box & Dropbox Exhibit 1003
`Page 1
`
`Box & Dropbox Exhibit 1003
`Page 1
`
`

`

`US 10,289,607 B2
`Page 2
`
`second computer system, the first file copy may be auto-
`matically transferred via the first application to a third
`computer system associated with the user to replace an older
`version ofthefirst file stored on the third computer system.
`
`21 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`continuation of application No. 12/267,852, filed on
`Nov. 10, 2008, now Pat. No. 9,143,561.
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/986,896, filed on Nov.
`9, 2007.
`
`(51)
`
`(2006.01)
`(2019.01)
`(2019.01)
`(2019.01)
`(2019.01)
`(2006.01)
`
`Int. Cl.
`GO6F 15/16
`GO6F 16/13
`GO6F 16/14
`GO6F 16/176
`GO6F 16/178
`HOAL 29/08
`(52) U.S. CL.
`CPC vices GO6F 16/13 (2019.01); GO6F 16/14
`(2019.01); GO6F 16/176 (2019.01); G06F
`16/178 (2019.01); HO4E 67/1095 (2013.01)
`(58) Field of Classification Search
`CPC .. GO6F 17/30362; GO6F 16/122; GO6F 16/10;
`GOG6F 16/16; GO6F 16/13-14; GO6F
`16/128; GO6F 16/176; GO6F 16/178
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
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`4/2
`09
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`9/2
`09
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`12/2
`10
`2/2
`10
`3/2
`10
`72
`10
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`10
`8/2
`2/2011
`T2011
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`12
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`13
`13
`10/2
`13
`11/2
`
`15
`18
`02
`02
`02
`02
`02
`03
`03
`03
`03
`03
`03
`03
`
`04
`04
`04
`04
`04
`04
`05
`05
`05
`10)
`05
`05
`06
`06
`06
`06
`06
`06
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`06
`06
`07
`07
`07
`
`07
`07
`07
`
`07
`07
`
`9/2
`9/2
`2/2
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`7/2
`10/2
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`
`3/2
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`7/2
`9/2
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`
`
`B2
`Bl *
`
`B2
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`B2
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`
`B2*
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`Al
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`Al
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`
`Box & Dropbox Exhibit 1003
`Page 2
`
`Box & Dropbox Exhibit 1003
`Page 2
`
`

`

`US 10,289,607 B2
`Page 3
`
`(56)
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`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Box & Dropbox Exhibit 1003
`Page 3
`
`Box & Dropbox Exhibit 1003
`Page 3
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 14, 2019
`
`Sheet 1 of 3
`
`US 10,289,607 B2
`
`
`
`
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`U.S. Patent
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`May14, 2019
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`Sheet 2 of 3
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`US 10,289,607 B2
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`U.S. Patent
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`May14, 2019
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`Sheet 3 of 3
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`US 10,289,607 B2
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`US 10,289,607 B2
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`1
`ARCHITECTURE FOR MANAGEMENT OF
`DIGITAL FILES ACROSS DISTRIBUTED
`NETWORK
`
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELAT!
`APPLICATIONS
`
` eslD
`
`This application is a continuation of U.S. patent applica-
`tion Ser. No. 14/860,289, filed Sep. 21, 2015, which is a
`continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/267,852,
`filed Nov. 10, 2008, which claims priority to U.S. Provi-
`sional Application No. 60/986,896 entitled “ARCHITEC-
`TURE TOR MANAGEMENT OF DIGITAL TILES
`
`ACROSS DISTRIBUTED NETWORK”and filed Nov. 9,
`2007,
`the contents of which are hereby incorporated by
`reference in their entirety.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`2
`offspring of systems used when graphical customer inter-
`faces were nonexistent. Modern file system customer inter-
`faces, such as Windows® Explorer and Mac OS X’s Finder
`are just nowstarting to provide experiences that are more in
`line to a customer’s workflow. Whereas, before, these inter-
`faces were concerned with representing files with abstracted
`icons, the file’s actual contents are becoming, paramount in
`how files are organized and presented.
`Problems still exist with how these newer customer
`interfaces are implemented. They are not completely inte-
`grated with applications, suffer from performance problems,
`and do not generally work well outside of a device’s local
`file system.
`There are several solutions to this problem that are in one
`way or another inadequate to the task:
`Remote Desktop software allows a customer to remotely
`“see” his desktop. Remote desktop software screen-scrapes
`a remote machine’s screen (a “server’”) and displays it on a
`screen local to the customer (a “client’”). Remote desktop
`gives a customeraccess to not only hisfiles, but also to his
`applications. However, this approach requires that the host
`machine be turned on and connected to the internet at all
`times. Consequently, this approach would not be appropriate
`tor mobile hosts such as laptops. Remote desktop does not
`use the resources of a local machine. For full accessibility,
`the customer would haveto keep all files and application on
`the host machine as any files stored on a client are not
`guaranteed to be accessible.
`Distributed File Systems, like remote desktop software,
`application, second only to email, on the Internet. Further,
`place data on an always-connected host machine. Unlike
`customers are increasingly using more than one computing
`remote desktop software, the host machine is not one on
`device; a customer mayhave a desktop computer at home,
`which the customer performs computing tasks. The host
`one at work, and a constantly connected “smart phone”. Due
`machine is used as a storage mechanism, and any compu-
`to the confluence of these two trends, file management
`tation performed on that machine serves to supportsits use
`across these devices has become a problem.
`as such. Distributed file systems generally provide the right
`Although modern devices are easily connected, they do
`functionality for customers to share files between their
`not provide the customer a seamless environment; the cus-
`devices. However, distributed file systems are usually
`tomer must manually handle many aspects of that connec-
`deployed as a shared resource; that is, other customers have
`tion. With regards to file management, customers must
`access to it. Because of this sharing, a customer’s files may
`manually move files between their devices using some
`be buried deepin a filing structure, and it may not always be
`protocol like email, ftp, or by posting them on the Web.
`immediately evident to customers what kind of access they
`These practices lead to problems that include:
`have to a particular file. Further, to use a distributed file
`The proliferation of redundant file copies. This prolifera-
`system, the customer must always be connectedtoit. Files
`tion creates a confusing environment where the cus-
`tomeris unclear where the “official” or newest version
`stored on a distributed file system are generally inaccessible
`of a file exists.
`if the customer’s machine is not connected to it, unless the
`customer has copied or movedthe files to his machine’s
`The creation of an error-prone environment. Some docu-
`local hard drive. However, doing so immediately creates the
`ments, such as those associated with word processing
`problem of having two filing systems for the samefile,
`and desktop publishing, externally reference otherfiles.
`creating a mental burden on the customer.
`Copying, such a document can break these references
`
`causing errors that the customer has to handle manu- Additionally, accessingafile located on a distributed file
`ally. An example of such a document is a desktop
`system tends to be slower than accessing files on the local
`publishing document that contains a reference to an
`hard drive. Modem applications are usually written to
`image. If that imagefile is not transferred along with
`assumethatthe files they access are located locally, and thus
`the desktop publishing file, the image will appear as a
`are not optimized to access remotefiles. When these appli-
`broken link.
`cations are used with remotefiles, they can lose performance
`by an order of magnitude. This problem can be fixed by
`automatically caching often-used files on the local
`file
`system, and only synchronizing them when they have been
`changed. However, this separate synchronization step intro-
`duces another problem: because the synchronization process
`can be lengthy, the customeris neverentirely sure ifthe file
`he is remotely accessing is the latest version of the file,
`versus an earlier one that has been marked to be updated.
`Further, the directory may not reflect the existence ofthe file
`at all until synchronization finishes.
`FTPis similar to a distributed file system with regards to
`files being hosted on a remote server. [lowever I'TP gener-
`
`Unnecessary complexity. Because devices tend to have
`their own filing system, customers must manage a
`different filing model on each of his devices. For
`example, instead of having a single “Movies”folder, he
`may have to deal with many “Movies” folders, which
`may be in different locations on each of his devices.
`Each device may also have its own security model,
`further complicating the matter.
`That a customer has to manually movefiles around to
`ensure their accessibility on his devices is unnecessary, and
`is an indicator of a lack of customer-focused design in
`modern file systems. Vile systems in use today are direct
`
`This inventionrelates generally to computer-implemented
`processes and, more specifically, to sharing of electronic
`files among computer systems.
`
`
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Users of modern computing systems are increasingly
`finding themselves in constantly-connected, high-speed net-
`worked environments. The Web continues to be a killer
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`US 10,289,607 B2
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`
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`3
`ally does manifest as a “disk drive” on the customer’s
`desktop; the customer must use special FTP client software
`to access an FTP server. It shares the same problem as
`distributed file systems, with the additional problem of weak
`integration with applications. Applications can generally
`write and read files directly to and from a distributed file
`system. This is not the case with FTP, as the customer has
`to manually use the client software to perform these opera-
`tions as a separate task.
`[mail was originally invented for messaging. [rom the
`beginning, the model it employs to makefiles accessible
`remotely is necessarily inefficient. Email’s model for mak-
`ing files accessible is in the form of an email “attachment”
`Attachments are so named because they piggy-back on a
`message sent from one customerto another. A customer can
`makea file remotely available using email by attaching the
`file to an email and sending it to himself. He can then
`retrieve the file from a remote location by accessing the
`message on the email server. Email used in this way is even
`worse than I'TP as the process is even more manual: a
`customer mustfind the message containingthefile before he
`can even access it. Further,
`the location in which the
`attachmentlives is read only. If the customer, for example,
`were to open the file, change it, then save il back out, the
`results would be ambiguous to the user because the email
`application, not the user, specified its location. Usually, the
`saved file would end up buried in an email file cache in an
`undisclosed. area of the file system.
`Flash Drives and External Disk Drives, although seem-
`ingly the most “primitive” way to ensure file availability,
`avoid all the problemsrelated to network latency. However,
`these devices must be physically connected to the computer
`on which the files will be accessed. These restrictions
`preclude the customer from employing several ellective
`work-flows including: using more than one computer to
`complete a single task(the files can only be accessed on one
`computer) and setting up an automated backup (the com-
`puter running the backup can’t guarantee that the storage
`device will be connected come backup time). Further, to
`ensure full availability of the files, the customer must carry
`the device with them at all
`times, and must follow the
`associated protocols for mounting and dismounting the
`device.
`Other problems with the prior art not described above can
`also be overcomeusing the teachings of embodimentsof the
`present invention, as would be readily apparent to one of
`ordinary skill in the art after reading this disclosure.
`
`SUMMARYOF THE INVENTION
`
`In certain embodiments, automatic modification-triggered
`transfer of a file among two or more computer systems
`associated with a user. In some embodiments, a copy ofa
`first file may be received, via a first application at a first
`computer system, from a second application at a second
`computer system associated with a user. Thefirst file copy
`may be automatically received from the second application
`responsive to the user modifying a content ofthefirst file,
`wherethe first file copy is a version ofthefirst file that is
`generated from the user modifying the content of the first
`file. Responsive to receiving the first file copy from the
`second computer system, the first file copy may be auto-
`matically transferred via the first application to a third
`computer system associated with the user to replace an older
`version of thefirst file stored on the third computer system.
`
`4
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
`
`Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present
`invention are described in detail below with reference to the
`following drawings.
`FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an exemplary operating,
`environment in which an embodiment of the invention can
`
`be implemented;
`FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary
`operaling environment
`in which an embodiment of the
`invention can be implemented; and
`FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating file
`sharing and/or synchronization according to an embodiment
`of the invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
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`An embodiment of the invention leverages remote pro-
`gramming concepts by utilizing processes called mobile
`agents (sometimes referred to as mobile objects or agent
`objects). Generally speaking,
`these concepts provide the
`ability for an object (the mobile agent object) existing on a
`first (“host”) computer system to transplant itself'to a second
`(“remote host”) computer system while preserving its cur-
`rent execution state. The operation of a mobile agent object
`is described briefly below.
`The instructions of the mobile agent object, its preserved
`execution state, and other objects owned by the mobile agent
`object are packaged, or “encoded,” to generate a string of
`data that is configured so that the string of data can be
`transported by all standard means of communication over a
`computer network. Oncetransported to the remote hast, the
`string ofdata is decoded to generate a computerprocess,still
`called the mobile agent object, within the remote host
`system. The decoded mobile agent object includes those
`objects encoded as described above and remains in ils
`preserved execution state. The remote host computer system
`resumes execution of the mobile agent object which is now
`operating in the remote host environment.
`While nowoperating in the new environment, the instruc-
`tions of the mobile agent object are executed by the remote
`host to perform operations of any complexity,
`including
`defining, creating, and manipulating data objects and inter-
`acting with other remote host computer objects.
`File transfer and/or synchronization, according to an
`embodiment, may be accomplished using someorall of the
`concepts described in commonly owned U.S. patent appli-
`cation Ser. No. 11/739,083, entitled “Electronic File Shar-
`ing,” the entirety of which is incorporated by reference as if
`fully set forth herein.
`FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a suitable computing
`system environment 100 in which one or more embodiments
`of the invention may be implemented. The computing sys-
`tem environment 100 is only one example ofa suitable
`computing environment and is not intended to suggest any
`limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the
`invention. Neither should the computing environment 100
`be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement
`relating to any one or combination of componentsillustrated
`in the exemplary operating environment 100.
`Embodiments of the invention are operational with
`numerousother general purpose or special purpose compul-
`ing system environments or configurations. Examples of
`well known computing systems, environments, and/or con-
`figurations that may be suitable for use with the invention
`include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server
`
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`US 10,289,607 B2
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`5
`computers, hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor sys-
`tems, microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, pro-
`grammable consumerelectronics, network PCs, minicom-
`puters, mainframe
`computers,
`distributed
`computing
`environments that include any of the above systems or
`devices, and thelike.
`Embodiments of the invention may be described in the
`general context of computer-executable instructions, such as
`program modules, being executed by a computer and/or by
`computer-readable media on which such instructions or
`modules can be stored. Generally, program modules include
`routines, programs, objects, components, data structures,
`etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular
`abstract data types. The invention may also be practiced in
`distributed computing environments where tasks are per-
`formed by remote processing devices that are linked through
`a communications network.
`In a distributed computing
`environment, program modules may belocated in both local
`and remote computer storage media including memory
`storage devices.
`With reference to FIG. 1, an exemplary system for imple-
`menting the invention includes a general purpose computing
`device in the form of a computer 110. Components of
`computer 110 may include, but are not limited to, a pro-
`cessing unit 120, a system memory 130, and a system bus
`121 that couples various system components including the
`system memory to the processing unit 120. The system bus
`121 may be any ofseveral types of bus structures including
`a memorybus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a
`local bus using anyof a variety of bus architectures. By way
`of example, and not limitation, such architectures include
`Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel
`Architecture (MCA) bus, Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video
`Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and
`Peripheral ComponentInterconnect (PCI) bus also knownas
`Mezzanine bus.
`Computer 110 typically includes a variety of computer
`readable media. Computer readable media can be anyavail-
`able media that can be accessed by computer 110 and
`includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and
`non-removable media. By way of example, and not limita-
`tion, computer readable media may comprise computer
`storage media and communication media. Computer storage
`media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and
`non-removable media implemented in any method or tech-
`nology for storage of information such as computer readable
`instructions, data structures, program modulesor other data.
`Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to,
`RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory
`technology, CD-ROM,digital versatile disks (DVD)or other
`optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape,
`magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or
`any other medium which can be used to store the desired
`information and which can accessed by computer 110.
`Communication media typically embodies computer read-
`able instructions, data structures, program modules or other
`data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or
`other transport mechanism and includes any information
`delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” meansa
`signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or
`changed in such a manner as to encode information in the
`signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communi-
`cation media includes wired media such as a wired network
`or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as
`acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combina-
`tions of the any of the above should also be included within
`the scope of computer readable media.
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