Content management across shared, mobile file systems

Abstract

A content management system and method are disclosed having one or more shared file systems located on one or more networks having a firewall. The content management system includes an explorer client, a mounting client, and a gateway. The gateway is in communication with both the explorer client and the mounting client. The explorer client forms a profile of a user device by determining the characteristics of the user device. The mounting client determines the capabilities of the one or more file systems and where content resides on each of the one or more file systems. The gateway then creates a virtual abstraction layer based on the profile of the user device and the capabilities of the one or more file systems.

1 . A content management system having one or more shared file systems located on one or more networks comprising at least one wireless network providing intermittent connectivity, having a firewall, the content management system comprising:
 an explorer client for forming a profile of a mobile device outside the firewall, the profile being formed by continuously determining the performance and functional characteristics of the mobile device and the network coupled to the mobile device;   a mounting client for determining capabilities of the one or more shared file systems and for determining where content resides on each of the one or more shared file systems on the one or more networks; and   a gateway for creating a virtual abstraction layer, the gateway in communication with both the explorer client and the mounting client, the gateway utilizing the profile of the mobile device and the capabilities of the one or more shared file systems when creating the virtual abstraction layer to allow the mobile device via the explorer client to manipulate the content residing on the one or more file systems via a cached representation of the content on the mobile device and to allow the mobile device to access the functions of the file system containing the content as if the file system was local to the mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The content management system of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting client captures an authorization structure and makes it available to the gateway, the gateway being capable of caching the authorization structure. 
     
     
         3 . The content management system of  claim 2 , wherein the authorization structure is communicated from the gateway to the explorer client, the authorization structure being cached by the explorer client along with the content from the one or more file systems. 
     
     
         4 . A content management system for mobile devices having an intermittent mobile connection over a plurality of networks comprising at least one wireless network providing intermittent connectivity, the content management system comprising:
 an explorer client for forming a profile of said mobile devices, the profile being formed by continuously determining and maintaining the performance and functional characteristics of the user device and said plurality of networks coupled to the mobile device;   a mounting client for determining capabilities of one or more file systems and a layout of content on the one or more file systems; and   a gateway for generating and continuously maintaining a local virtual abstraction layer as a cached representation of the content of the one or more file systems, the local virtual abstraction layer being generated from the layout of content on the one or more file systems communicated to the gateway by the mounting client and allowing the mobile device via the explorer client to manipulate content residing on the one or more file systems via the local virtual abstraction layer on the mobile device and to allow the mobile device to access the functions of the file system containing the content as if the file system was local to the mobile device.   
     
     
         5 . The content management system of  claim 4 , wherein the cached representation of the content of the one or more file systems is updated when the mounting client communicates a detected change on any of the one or more file systems, the detected change being communicated to the gateway. 
     
     
         6 . An article of manufacture for managing a plurality of content stored across a plurality of shared file systems located on networks, the article of manufacture comprising:
 a computer readable medium; and   a plurality of instructions wherein at least a portion of said plurality of instructions are storable in said computer readable medium, and further wherein said plurality of instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform the steps of:
 a) continuously determining the performance and functional characteristics of a mobile user device when a user of the user device requests content from the plurality of content stored across a plurality of the shared file systems, the functional characteristics of the user device including the type of device and the operating system utilized by the user device, and the performance characteristics including the amount of current unused memory available on the user device; 
 b) continuously determining the performance and functional characteristics of the networks, the performance characteristics including the current speed and capacity, and the functional characteristics includes the type of networks; 
 c) determining the characteristics of the file systems that contain the requested content; and 
 d) creating a virtual abstraction layer based on the characteristics of the user device, the networks, and the file systems, the virtual abstraction layer providing a view to a plurality of user devices as if that content was local to the respective user devices and the virtual abstraction layer providing the requested content from at least one of the plurality of the shared file systems to at least one of the user devices allowing the user device to access the functions of the file system containing the requested content including manipulating the content as if the file system was local to the mobile user device. 
   
     
     
         7 . An article of manufacture for managing content across an intermittent mobile connection, the article of manufacture comprising:
 a computer readable medium; and   a plurality of instructions wherein at least a portion of said plurality of instructions are storable in said computer readable medium, and further wherein said plurality of instructions are configured to cause a processor to:
 a) manage a plurality of file systems; 
 b) continuously determine the performance and functional characteristics of a first mobile user device when a first user of the first user device requests content from any of the managed file systems across the mobile connection, the functional characteristics of the first user device including the type of device and the operating system utilized by the first user device, and the performance characteristics including the amount of current unused memory available on the first user device; 
 c) continuously determine the performance and functional characteristics of the intermittent mobile connection, the performance characteristics including the current speed and capacity, and the functional characteristics including the type of the connection; 
 d) determine the characteristics of any of the managed file systems that contain the requested content, including the characteristics of the content on the file systems; 
 e) generate and maintain a cached representation of the requested content of the managed file systems on the first user device, the cached representation of the requested content being manipulated by the first user on the first user device; 
   allow the first mobile user device access to the functions of the file system containing the requested content as if the file system was local to the first mobile user device; and   send the manipulated content across the intermittent mobile connection to the file systems of the managed content from the first user device.   
     
     
         8 . An article of manufacture for managing content across an intermittent mobile connection, the article of manufacture comprising:
 a computer readable medium; and   a plurality of instructions wherein at least a portion of said plurality of instructions are storable in said computer readable medium, and further wherein said plurality of instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform:
 a) managing one or more file systems; 
 b) continuously determining the performance and functional characteristics of a mobile user device when a user of the user device requests content from any of the managed file systems, the functional characteristics of the user device including the type of device and the operating system utilized by the user device, and the performance characteristics including the amount of current unused memory available on the user device; 
 c) continuously determining the performance and functional characteristics of the intermittent mobile connection, the performance characteristics including the current speed and capacity, and the functional characteristics includes the type of the connection; 
 d) determining the characteristics of any of the managed file systems that contain the requested content, the characteristics of the file system including an authorization structure and authentication information provided by any of the managed file systems providing the requested content; and 
 e) generating and maintaining a cached representation on the user device of the authorization structure and authentication information from any of the managed file systems providing requested content, the cached representation allowing the user of the user device to access the functions of any of the managed file systems providing the requested content, the functions including authorizing authenticating and permitting the user on the user device to modify the requested content.