File system for displaying items of different types and from different physical locations
US7499925B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 27, 2003 |
| Grant date | Mar 3, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 10, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S707/99945
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A file system for displaying items of different types and from different physical locations. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a wide scope of items may be available. In other words, the system is able to represent items from multiple physical locations (e.g., different hard drives, different computers, different network locations, etc.) so that to a user all the items appear to be from one location. The file system utilizes virtual folders. The virtual folders expose regular files and folders to users in different views based on their metadata instead of the actual physical underlying file system structure on the disk. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, non-file items may be represented in the virtual folders. In other words, files that are stored in memory are located in a physical store. The virtual folders can be made to include items that are not currently represented in the physical store. Examples of non-file items are e-mails and contacts.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.