Methods and systems for managing data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016239507-A1
Application number	US-201615075042-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 18, 2016
Priority date	Jun 25, 2004
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata or index databases. In one exemplary method, a notification that an existing file has been modified or that a new file has been created is received by an indexing software component, which then, in response to the notification performs an indexing operation, where the notification is either not based solely on time or user input or the notification includes an identifier that identifies the file. Other methods in data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A machine implemented method of processing data, the method comprising:
determining a file is to be indexed into an indexing database; adding an entry representing the file into a list for indexing operations; saving the list to a nonvolatile storage.

2 . A machine implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:
removing effectively the entry from the list after indexing the file to create an updated list;
saving the updated list to the nonvolatile storage.

3 . A method as in claim 2 wherein the determining comprises receiving a notification that the file is to be indexed, the notification being from an operating system component to an indexing component.

4 . A method as in claim 3 wherein the notification is not based solely on time or a user input and a transaction log shows changes to the list.

5 . A machine readable medium providing instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method of processing data, the method comprising:
determining a file is to be indexed into an indexing database; adding an entry representing the file into a list for indexing operations; saving the list to a nonvolatile storage.

6 . A medium as in claim 5 the method further comprising:
removing effectively the entry from the list after indexing the file to create an updated list;
saving the updated list to the nonvolatile storage.

7 . A medium as in claim 6 wherein the determining comprises receiving a notification that the file is to be indexed, the notification being from an operating system component to an indexing component.

8 . A medium as in claim 7 wherein the notification is not based solely on time or a user input and a transaction log shows changes to the list.

9 . A data processing system comprising:
means for determining a file is to be indexed into an indexing database; means for adding an entry representing the file into a list for indexing operations; means for saving the list to a nonvolatile storage.

10 . A system as in claim 9 further comprising:
means for removing effectively the entry from the list after indexing the file to create an updated list;
means for saving the updated list to the nonvolatile storage.

11 . A system as in claim 10 wherein the determining comprises receiving a notification being from an operating system component to an indexing component.

12 . A system as in claim 11 wherein the notification is not based solely on time or a user input and a transaction log shows changes to the list.

13 . A machine readable medium providing instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the data processing system to perform a method of processing data, the method comprising:
determining a file is to have metadata for the file to be added into a metadata database; adding an entry representing the file into a list for metadata processing operations; saving the list to a nonvolatile storage.

14 . A medium as in claim 13 the method further comprising:
removing effectively the entry from the list after adding metadata for the file to the metadata database to create an updated list;
saving the updated list to the nonvolatile storage.

15 . A medium as in claim 14 wherein the determining comprises receiving a notification that the file is new or modified, the notification being from an operating system component to a metadata software component.

16 . A medium as in claim 15 wherein the notification is not based solely on time or a user input and a transaction log shows changes to the list.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Arrouye Yan
• Giampaolo Dominic
• Carol Andrew
• Zellers Steve

Classifications

• G06F16/164

  File meta data generation · CPC title

• G06F16/134 Primary

  Distributed indices · CPC title

• G06F16/168

  Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs (query results presentation G06F16/156) · CPC title

• G06F16/13 Primary

  File access structures, e.g. distributed indices (arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06) · CPC title

• G06F16/14

  Details of searching files based on file metadata · CPC title