Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING A GLOBAL TRANSLATOR TO SYNCHRONIZE
WORKSPACE ELEMENTS ACROSS A NETWORK
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computer networks, and more particularly
to a
system and method for using a global translator to synchronize workspace
elements such as
files across a computer network.
2. Description of the Background Art
Data consistency is a significant concern for computer users. For example,
when
maintaining multiple independently-modifiable copies of a document, a user
risks using an
outdated version. By the time the user notices an inconsistency, interparty
miscommunication or data loss may have already resulted. The user must then
spend more
time attempting to reconcile the inconsistent versions and addressing any
miscommunications.
The problem of data inconsistency is exacerbated when multiple copies of a
document
are maintained at different network locations. For example, due to network
security systems
such as conventional firewall technology, a user may have access only to a
particular one of
these network locations. Without access to the other sites, the user cannot
confirm that the
version on the accessible site is the most recent draft.
Data consistency problems may also arise when using application programs from
different vendors. For example, the Netscape Navigator'' web browser and the
Internet
Explorer's web browser each store bookmarks for quick reference to interesting
web sites.
However, since each web browser uses different formats and stores bookmarks in
different
files, the bookmarks are not interchangeable. In addition, one web browser may
store a
needed bookmark, and the other may not. A user who, for example, runs the
Internet
Explorer"''s web browser at home and runs the Netscape Navigator's web browser
at work
risks having inconsistent bookmarks at each location.
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Therefore, a system and method are needed for providing users with data
consistency,
and more particularly for synchronizing multiple copies of a workspace element
such as a
document across a computer network.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system and method for using a global
translator to
synchronize multiple copies of a workspace element in a secure network
environment. The
secure network environment includes a global server connected to multiple
clients. Using the
present system and method, the clients automatically synchronize workspace
elements
between multiple sites, independent of whether the sites are protected by site
firewalls. Using
the present system and method, the clients can automatically synchronize
workspace elements
across different formats and can merge workspace element folders for cross
use.
The system includes a first store for storing first workspace elements in a
first format,
a second store for storing second workspace elements in a second format, a
communications
channel coupling the first store to the second store, synchronization means
for synchronizing
first workspace elements and second workspace elements, and a translator for
translating
between the first format and the second format.
Similarly, the method includes the steps of accessing a first store storing a
first
workspace element in a first format, accessing a second store storing a second
workspace
element in a second format, synchronizing the first workspace element and the
second
workspace element, and translating between the first format and the second
format.
The system and method advantageously use a trusted third party to enable the
synchronization of workspace data among multiple sites. Accordingly, a client
user who
maintains a work site, a home site, an off site and the global server site can
synchronize the
workspace data or portions thereof among all four sites. Further, the
predetermined criteria
(which control when the synchronization-start module initiates
synchronization) may be set
so that the general synchronization module synchronizes the workspace data
upon user
request, at predetermined times during the day such as while the user is
commuting, or after a
predetermined user action such as user log-off or user log-on. Because the
system and
method operate over the Internet, synchronization can occur over any distance.
Since the
system and method include format translation, merging of workspace elements
between
different application programs and different platforms is possible. Further,
because
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synchronization is initiated from within the firewall, the typical firewall
which prevents in-
bound communications does not act as an impediment to workspace element
synchronization.
Also, since the user's preferences may be previously set, the present system
and method may
operate unattended by the client user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a computer network in accordance with
the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating details of a FIG. 1 service server;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating details of the FIG. 1 desktop computer;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating details of a FIG. 1 base system;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating details of the FIG. 1 synchronization
agent;
FIG. 6 is a graphical representation of an example bookmark in the global
format; and
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for synchronizing multiple copies
of a
workspace element in a secure network.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a computer network 100, comprising a
first node
such as a remote computer terminal 102 coupled via a communications channel
104 such as
the Internet to a global server 106. The global server 106 is in turn coupled
via a
communications channel 108 such as the Internet to a second node such as a
Local Area
Network (LAN) 110. The global server 106 is protected by a global firewall
112, and the
LAN 110 is protected by a LAN firewall 114.
The LAN 110 includes a system bus 126 coupling the LAN firewall 114 to an e-
mail
server 128 having an e-mail folder 138 containing e-mails, to a file server
132 having a file
folder 142 containing files, to a calendar server 130 having a calendar folder
140 containing
calendar data, and to a desktop computer 134 having a web browser 152 and a
bookmark
folder 144 containing bookmarks. It will be appreciated that the e-mail folder
138, file folder
142, calendar folder 140 and bookmark folder 144 or portions thereof may be
stored at
different locations such as on the desktop computer 134. The e-mail folder
138, file folder
142, calendar folder 140 and bookmark folder 144 are exemplary, grouped by
like
information and are collectively referred to herein as "workspace data" 136.
Those skilled in
the art will recognize that the workspace data 136 may include other types of
data such as an
application program such as Microsoft Word 6Ø1 and the documents created
using them. It
will be further appreciated that the e-mail folder 138, file folder 142,
calendar folder 140 and
bookmark folder 144 may each be divided into workspace elements, wherein each
workspace
element folder or each workspace element individually is identified by
particular version
information 255 (described below with reference to FIG. 2). Accordingly, each
e-mail or e-
mail folder, file or file folder, calendar or calendar folder, bookmark or
bookmark folder,
document or document folder, etc. may be referred to as "a workspace element."
Each workspace element of workspace data 136 in LAN 110 is maintained in a
predetermined format, referred to as Format A, which is based on the service
engine 245
(FIG. 2) that created it. For example, the web browser 152 on the desktop
computer 134 may
be the Netscape Navigator~'~'' web browser, and the bookmarks in the bookmark
folder 144
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created thereby are maintained in Format A. Although Format A is being
described as a
single format, one skilled in the art knows that Format A actually includes a
format for each
information type, e.g., there will be a Format A for bookmarks, a Format A for
files, a Format
A for calendar data, a Format A for e-mails, etc.
The remote terminal 102 stores service engines I 54 for maintaining workspace
data
I 16, which may include information common with information in the workspace
data 136.
The workspace data 116 is maintained in a format, referred to as Format B,
which may be
different from Format A. Format B is also based on the service engines 154
that create the
workspace elements. Fox example, if one of the service engines 154 is the
Internet
Explorer"''' web browser (not shown), then the bookmarks (not shown) created
therewith are
maintained in Format B. Although Format B is being described as a single
format, one
skilled in the art knows that Format B actually includes a format for each
information type.
Further, the workspace data 116 also includes version information 150 similar
to version
information 255 described below with reference to FIG. 2.
It will be appreciated that remote terminal 102 may include a smart telephone,
a
Personal Data Assistant (PDA) such as the PalmPilot system by the U.S.
Robotics, Inc., a
laptop computer, etc. As a smart telephone, the workspace data 116 may include
telephone
numbers and e-mails. As a PDA, the workspace data 116 may include addresses,
calendar
data and e-mails. As a laptop computer, the workspace data 116 may include the
same types
of information as workspace data 136.
The global server 106 acts as a third party administrator. The global server
106 stores
independently-modifiable copies of selected portions of the workspace data 136
and 116,
collectively referred to herein as workspace data 120. Accordingly, the
workspace data 120
includes an independently-modifiable copy of each workspace element in the
selected
portions of the workspace data 136 and 116 and an independently-modifiable
copy of each
corresponding version information 255 (FIG. 2) and 150. The version
information copies are
collectively referred to herein as version information 148, and are also
described with
reference to FIG. 2.
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The global server 106 maintains the workspace data 120 in a format, referred
to as a
"global format," which is selected to be easily translatable by the global
translator 122 to and
from Format A and to and from Format B. Although the global format is being
described as a
single format, one skilled in the art knows that the global format actually
includes a global
format for each information type, e.g., there will be a global format for
bookmarks, a global
format for files, a global format for calendar data, a global format for e-
mails, etc. An
example bookmark workspace element in the global format is described in detail
below with
reference to FIG. 6.
Network 100 further comprises synchronization means, which includes a base
system
146 stored within the LAN 110 and for example on the desktop computer 134.
Network 100
further includes a synchronization agent 124 stored outside the LAN firewall
114 and
preferably on the global server 106. The base system 146 and the
synchronization agent 124
cooperate to synchronize selected portions of the workspace data 136 with
selected portions
of the workspace data 120. The synchronization means may synchronize workspace
elements
individually, e.g., specific word processor documents, or may synchronize
workspace element
folders, e.g., a bookmark folder. Generally, the base system 146 manages the
selected portion
of the workspace data 136 within the LAN 110 and the synchronization agent 124
manages
the selected portions of the workspace data 120 within the global server 106.
It will be
appreciated that the global translator 122 cooperates with the synchronization
means to
translate data formats to and from the global format. As described in greater
detail below
with reference to FIG. 4, the base system 190 preferably initiates and
controls data
synchronization.
The synchronization means may also include, stored on the remote terminal 102,
a
base system 118 which operates in a similar manner to the base system 146. The
base system
1 I 8 on the remote terminal 102 cooperates with the synchronization agent 124
to synchronize
selected portions of the workspace data 116 with selected portions of the
workspace data 120.
As described in greater detail below with reference to FIG. 4, the base system
118 on the
remote terminal 102 also preferably initiates and controls data
synchronization with the
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global server 106. Also, note that the distribution of labor between the base
system 118 in the
remote terminal 102 and the synchronization agent 124 in the global server 106
may vary.
Sometimes, primarily when the remote terminal 102 is a relatively less
computationally
powerful device (such as a smart phone or a PDA), most of the actual
computationally-
intensive work will occur within the synchronization agent 124 in the global
server 106. In
other situations, for example, when the remote terminal 102 is a fully
configured PC, most of
the computationally-intensive work will occur locally on the base system 118
in the remote
terminal 102.
Accordingly, the synchronization means independently synchronizes the selected
portions of workspace data 116 and 136 with the selected portions of the
workspace data 120.
Thus, the synchronization means indirectly synchronizes workspace data 136
with workspace
data 116.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating details of a service server 200,
wherein each of
the e-mail server 145, the file server 150, the calendar server 155 and the
desktop computer
160 is an instance thereof. Service server 200 includes a Central Processing
Unit (CPU) 205
such as an Intel Pentium~ microprocessor or a Motorola Power PC~
microprocessor. An
input device 210 such as a keyboard and mouse and an output device 215 such as
a Cathode
Ray Tube (CRT) display are coupled via a signal bus 220 to CPU 205. A
communications
interface 225 (such as an Ethernet port), a data storage device 230 (such as a
magnetic disk),
and Random-Access Memory (RAM) 235 are further coupled via signal bus 220 to
the CPU
205.
An operating system 240 includes a program for controlling processing by the
CPU
205, and is typically stored in the data storage device 230 and loaded into
the RAM 235 for
execution. A service engine 245 includes a program for performing a particular
service such
as maintaining an e-mail data base, a file data base, a calendar data base or
a bookmarks data
base. The service engine 245 may also be stored in the data storage device 230
and loaded
into the RAM 235 fox execution.
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To perform a service, the service engine 245 creates service data 250 (e.g.,
an e-mail
or an e-mail folder 138 containing e-mails, a file or a file folder 142
containing files, calendar
data or a calendar folder 140 containing calendar data, a bookmark or a
bookmark folder 144
containing bookmarks, etc.) in Format A according to predetermined protocols.
The service
engine 245 stores the data 250 in the data storage device 250. The service
data 250 includes
version information 255 indicating the date and time of the last modification
and the status as
of the last interaction with the global server 106.
For example, if service data 250 is created and selected to be merged with
global
server workspace data 120, then the version information 255 for the service
data 250 may
include the date of last modification and a null set indicating the status as
of the last
interaction with the global server 106. From the version information 255, the
base system
146 determines that the service data 250 in its entirety has not been merged
with the global
server workspace data 120. Similarly, if the service data 255 included
elements l, 2 and 3 as
of the last modification, then the previous status as of the last interaction
will indicate that the
service data 255 included elements 1, 2 and 3. If the service data 255
currently includes
elements 2, 3 and 4, then the base system 140 will determine that, since last
synchronization,
element 1 has been deleted and element 4 has been added.
It will be appreciated that the version information 148 on the global server
106
includes information similar to version information 255. That is, the version
information 148
will include information indicating the date and time the version was last
modified and the
status as of the last interaction with each client. The service engine 245
operates to update
the version information 255 after modifications are made and after
synchronization occurs.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating details of the desktop computer 160,
which
includes a CPU 305, an input device 310, an output device 315, a
communications interface
325, a data storage device 330 and RAM 335, each coupled to a signal bus 320.
An operating system 340 includes a program for controlling processing by the
CPU
305, and is typically stored in the data storage device 330 and loaded into
the RAM 335 for
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execution. A web browser 152 (i.e., a particular service engine 245, FIG. 2)
includes a
Format A service program for managing bookmark folder 144 (i.e., particular
service data
250, FIG. 2) which includes version information 350 (i.e., particular version
information 255,
FIG. 2). The web browser 152 may be also stored in the data storage device 330
and loaded
into the RAM 335 for execution. The bookmark folder 144 may be stored in the
data storage
device 330. As stated above with reference to FIG. 1, the base system 146
operates to
synchronize the workspace data 136 (which includes the baokmark folder 144)
with the
workspace data 120. The base system 146 may be also stored in the data storage
device 330
and loaded into the RAM 335 for execution.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating details of the base system 400, which
exemplifies base systems 146 and 118. Base system 400 includes a
communications module
405, a user interface module 410, locator modules 415, a synchronization-start
("synch-start")
module 420, a general synchronization module 425 and a content-based
synchronization
module 430. For simplicity, each module is illustrated as communicating with
one another
via a signal bus 440.
The communications module 405 includes routines for compressing data and
routines
for communicating via the communications interface 325 (FIG. 3) with the
synchronization
agent 124 {FIG. 1). The communications module 405 may further include routines
for
applying Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology and user identification and
authentication
techniques (i.e., digital certificates) to establish a secure communication
channel through the
global firewall 112. Examples of communications modules 405 may include TCP/IP
stacks
or the AppleTalk~ protocol.
The user interface module 410 includes routines for communicating with a user,
and
may include a conventional Graphical User Interface (GUI). The user interface
module 410
cooperates with the other system components as described herein.
The locator modules 415 include routines for identifying the memory locations
of the
workspace elements in the workspace data 136 or 116 and in the workspace data
120.
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Workspace element memory location identification may be implemented using
intelligent
software, i.e., preset memory addresses or the system's registry, or using
dialogue boxes to
query a user. More particularly, the locator modules 415 in the base system
146 determine
the memory addresses of the e-mail folder 138, the file folder 142, the
calendar folder 140
and the bookmark folder 144 and the memory addresses of the workspace elements
therein.
The locator modules 415 also determine the corresponding memory addresses of
the
corresponding folders in the workspace data 120 and the corresponding
workspace elements
therein. Similarly, the locator modules 41 S in the base system 118 determine
the memory
locations of the workspace elements of workspace data 116 and the memory
locations of the
corresponding workspace elements in the workspace data 120.
It will be appreciated that the locator modules 415 may include locator
modules 415
specifically dedicated to each folder or workspace data type. That is, the
locator modules 415
may include a locator module 415 dedicated to locating bookmarks, a locator
module 415
dedicated to locating e-mails, a locator module 415 dedicated to locating
files, a locator
module 415 dedicated to locating calendar appointments, etc. It will be
further appreciated
that the locator modules 41 S may perform workspace element memory location
identification
upon system boot-up or after each communication with the global server 120 to
maintain
updated memory addresses of workspace elements.
The synchronization-start module 420 includes routines for determining when to
initiate synchronization of workspace data 136 or 116 with workspace data 120.
For
example, the synchronization-start module 420 may initiate data
synchronization upon user
request, at a particular time of day, after a predetermined time period
passes, after a
predetermined number of changes, after a user action such as user log-off or
upon like
criteria. The synchronization-start module 420 initiates data synchronization
by instructing
the general synchronization module 425 (described below) to begin execution of
its routines.
It will be appreciated that communication with the synchronization agent 124
preferably
initiates from within the LAN I 10, because the typical firewall 114 prevents
in-bound
communications and allows out-bound communications.
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The general synchronization module 425 includes routines for receiving version
information 148 for modified versions from the synchronization agent 124 (FIG.
1), and
routines for examining the version information 255 or 150 against a last
synchronization
signature 435 (such as a last synchronization date and time) to determine
which versions have
been modified. The general synchronization module 425 further includes
routines far
examining the version information 148 and the version information 255 or 150
to determine
if one or both versions of a particular workspace element or workspace element
folder have
been modified.
Further, the general synchronization module 425 includes routines for
performing an
appropriate synchronizing responsive action. Appropriate synchronizing
responsive actions
may include, if only one version of a workspace element in workspace data 136
or 116 has
been modified, then forwarding the modified version (as the preferred version)
to the other
stores) or determining and forwarding only the changes made. Computing the
changes made
may be performed by examining the current status against the previous status
as of the last
synchronization or by comparing the two versions. It will be appreciated that
no content-
based review of the changes is needed. It will be appreciated that one store
preferably
forwards only the changes to the other store for optimizing use of processor
power and
minimizing the data communications across the communications channel 108 or
104.
Other appropriate synchronizing responsive actions may include, if two
versions of a
workspace element have been modified independently, then instructing the
content-based
synchronization module 430 (described below) to execute its routines. That is,
if two
versions of the same workspace element have been modified independently, then
a content-
based review of the changes is preferable. Upon completion of the data
synchronization, the
general synchronization module 425 updates the last synchronization signature
435.
The content-based synchronization module 430 includes routines for reconciling
two
or more modified versions of a workspace element. For example, if a user has
independently
modified the original and the copy of a workspace element since the last
synchronization,
then the content-based synchronization module 430 determines an appropriate
responsive
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action. The content-based synchronization module 430 may request the user to
select a
preferred one of the modified versions or may respond based on preset
preferences, i.e., by
storing both versions in both stores or preferably by integrating the modified
versions into a
single preferred version which replaces each modified version at both stores.
The content-based synchronization module 430 examines the changes made to each
version and determines if conflicts exist. When implementing version
integration, a conflict
may arise if inconsistent modifications such as deleting a paragraph in one
version and
modifying the same paragraph in the other version have been made. If a
conflict exists, then
the content-based synchronization module 430 attempts to reconcile the
conflict, e.g., by
requesting user selection or by storing both versions at both stores.
Otherwise, if no conflict
exists, then the content-based synchronization module 430 integrates the
changes to each of
the versions and updates the version information 148, 150 or 255 accordingly.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating details of the synchronization agent
124, which
includes a communications module 505 (similar to the communications module 405
described above with reference to FIG. 4) and a general synchronization module
51 S (similar
to the general synchronization module 425 described above also with reference
to FIG. 4).
The communications module 505 includes routines for compressing data, and
routines
for communicating via the communications channel 108 with the base system 146
or via the
communications channel 104 with the base system 118. The communications module
SOS
may further include routines for establishing a secure communications channel
through the
global firewall 112 and through the LAN firewall 114 with the communications
module 405.
Similar to the general synchronization module 425, the general synchronization
module 515 includes routines for examining the version information 148 and the
last
synchronization signature 435 (FIG. 4) to determine which versions have been
modified and
the changes made. It will be appreciated that the general synchronization
module 51 S may
maintain its own last synchronization signature 435 copy (not shown) or may
request the last
synchronization signature 435 from the base system 146 or 118. The general
synchronization
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module 51 S further includes routines for forwarding workspace data 120
determined to be
modified to the general synchronization module 425, and routines for receiving
preferred
versions of workspace elements of workspace data 136 or 116 or just the
changes from the
general synchronization module 425.
FIG. 6 illustrates an example bookmark workspace element in the global format.
The
global translator 122 incorporates all the information needed by both formats
(Format A and
Format B) to create the Global Format. For example, if a bookmark in Format A
needs
elements X, Y and Z and a bookmark in Format B needs elements W, X and Y, the
global
translator 122 incorporates elements W, X, Y and Z to create a bookmark in the
Global
Format, Further, the global translator 122 incorporates the information which
is needed by
the synchronization means such as the last modified date. Accordingly, a
bookmark in the
Global Format includes a user identification (ID) 605, an entry ID 610, a
parent ID 615, a
folder ID flag 620, a name 625, a description 630, the Uniform Resource
Locator (URL) 635,
the position 640, a deleted ID flag 645, a last modified date 650, a created
date 655 and a
separation ID flag 660.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method 700 for using a global translator
122 to
synchronize multiple copies of a workspace element in a secure network 100.
Method 700
begins with the user interface module 410 in step 705 enabling a user to
select workspace
elements of workspace data 136 and 118 for the synchronization means to
synchronize. The
locator modules 415 in step 710 identify the memory locations of the workspace
elements in
workspace data 136 and 116 and the corresponding memory locations in workspace
data 120.
If a selected workspace element does not have a corresponding memory location,
such as in
the case of adding a new workspace elements to the global server 106, then one
is selected.
The selected memory location may be a preexisting workspace element or a new
workspace
element. As stated above, workspace element memory location identification may
be
implemented using intelligent software or dialogue boxes. The general
synchronization
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module 425 and general synchronization module 515 in step 715 set the previous
status of the
workspace elements equal to the null set. Setting the previous status to the
null set indicates
that all information of the workspace element has been added.
The synchronization-start module 420 in step 720 determines whether
predetermined
criteria have been met which indicate that synchronization of the workspace
elements
selected in step 705 should start. If not, then the synchronization-start
module 420 in step
725 waits and loops back to step 720. Otherwise, the communications module 405
and
communications module SOS in step 730 establish a secure communications
channel
therebetween.
The general synchronization module 425 and the general synchronization module
515
in step 735 determine whether any workspace elements have been modified. That
is, the
general synchronization module 425 in step 740 examines the version
information 255 or 150
of each selected workspace element in the workspace data 136 or 116 against
the last
synchronization signature 435 to locate modified workspace elements. This
comparison may
include comparing the date of last modification with the date of last
synchronization, or may
include a comparison between the current status and the previous status as of
the last
interaction. Similarly, the general synchronization module S 15 examines the
version
information 148 of each corresponding workspace element in workspace data 120
and the last
synchronization signature 435 to locate modified workspace elements.
If in step 735 no modified workspace elements or folders are located, then
the. general
synchronization modules 425 and 515 in step 760 update the last
synchronization signature
435 and method 700 ends. Otherwise, the general synchronization module 425 in
step 740
determines whether more than one version of a workspace element has been
modified since
the last synchronization.
If only one version has been modified, then the corresponding general
synchronization
module 425 or 515 in step 745 determines the changes made. As stated above,
determining
the changes made rnay be implemented by comparing the current status of the
workspace
element against the previous status of the workspace element as of the last
interaction
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therebetween. If the changes were made only to the version in the workspace
data 120, then
the global translator 122 in step 750 translates the changes to the format
used by the other
store, and the general synchronization module 515 in step 755 forwards the
translated
changes to the general synchronization module 425 for updating the outdated
workspace
element in the workspace data 136 or 116. If the updated version is a
workspace element in
the workspace data 136 or 116, then the general synchronization module 425
sends the
changes to the updated version to the global translator 122 for translation
and then to the
general synchronization module 51 S for updating the outdated workspace
element in the
workspace data 120. The general synchronization module 425 and the general
synchronization module 515 in step 757 update the previous state of to reflect
the current
state as of this interaction. Method 700 then returns to step 735.
If the general synchronization module 425 in step 740 determines that multiple
versions have been modified, then the general synchronization module 425 in
step 765
computes the changes to each version and in step 770 instructs the content-
based
synchronization module 430 to examine content to determine if any conflicts
exist. For
example, the content-based synchronization module 430 may determine that a
conflict exists
if a user deletes a paragraph in one version and modifies the same paragraph
in another
version. The content-based synchronization module 430 may determine that a
conflict does
not exist if a user deletes different paragraphs in each version. If no
conflict is found, then
method 700 jumps to step 750 for translating and forwarding the changes in
each version to
the other store. However, if a conflict is found, then the content-based
synchronization
module 430 in step 775 reconciles the modified versions. As stated above,
reconciliation may
include requesting instructions from the user or based on preselected
preferences performing
responsive actions such as storing both versions at both stores. Method 700
then proceeds to
step 750.
It will be appreciated that in step 710 new workspace elements and preexisting
workspace elements to which new workspace elements will be merged are set to
"modified"
and the previous status is set to the null set. Thus, the general
synchronization module 425 in
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step 740 will determine that more that one version has been modified and the
content-based
synchronization module 430 in step 770 will determine that no conflict exists.
The changes
in each will be translated and forwarded to the other store. Accordingly, the
two versions will
be effectively merged and stored at each store.
For example, if a first bookmark folder was created by the web browser 152 on
the
desktop computer 134, a second folder was created by a web browser (not shown)
on the
remote terminal 102, no preexisting folder existed on the global server 106
and the user
selected each of these folders for synchronization, then the synchronization
means will
effectively merge the first and second folders. That is, the general
synchronization module
425 on the desktop computer 134 will determine that the first folder has been
modified and
the previous status is equal to the null set. The general synchronization
module 425 will
determine and send the changes, i.e., all the workspace elements in the first
folder, to a new
global folder on the global server 106. Similarly, the general synchronization
module 425 on
the remote terminal 102 will determine that, as of its last interaction, the
previous status of
each of the second and the global folders is the null set. The general
synchronization module
425 will instruct the content-based synchronization module 430 to examine the
changes made
to each folder to determine whether a conflict exists. Since no conflicts will
exist, the general
synchronization module 425 will forward the changes to the global folder and
the general
synchronization module 51 S will forward its changes to the second store,
thereby merging the
workspace elements of the first and second folders in the global and second
folders. The
general synchronization module 515 will inform the general synchronization
module 425 that
the global folder has been modified relative to the last interaction, and will
forward the new
changes to the first folder. Thus, the first and second folders will be merged
and stored at
each store.
For a second example, the user may select an exemplary document in the LAN 110
to
be synchronized. The general synchronization module 425 will forward the
document to the
global server 106. Similarly, the user may select the same document for
synchronization on
the remote terminal 102. The general synchronization module 515 will forward
the document
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to the remote terminal 102. If changes were made to the documents
independently, then the
content-based synchronization module 430 will examine the content of the
documents to
determine if a conflict exists. If no conflict exists, then as described
above, the general
synchronization modules 425 and 515 will merge the documents. Otherwise, if a
conflict
does exist, the content-based synchronization module 430 will reconcile the
changes and then
the general synchronization modules 425 and 515 will forward the reconciled
changes to each
other.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention is by
way of
example only, and other variations of the above-described embodiments and
methods are
provided by the present invention. For example, although the global server 106
is illustrated
as a single device, the global server 106 may include several computers
networked together.
Components of this invention may be implemented using a programmed general
purpose
digital computer, using application specific integrated circuits, or using a
network of
interconnected conventional components and circuits. The embodiments described
herein
have been presented for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be
exhaustive or
limiting. Many variations and modifications are possible in light of the
foregoing teaching.
The system is limited only by the following claims.
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