The invention provides a method and system for creating an innovative file system that separates its directory presentation from its data store. The method and system include processing, division, distribution, managing, synchronizing, and reassembling of file system objects that does not delay the presentation of the content to the user, but also uses a reduced amount of storage space. The invention includes the ability to manage and control the integrity of the files distributed across the network, and the ability to serve and reconstruct files in real time using a Virtual File Control System.

Method and system for managing distributed content and related metadata

Newness and distinctiveness is claimed in the features of ornamentation as shown inside the broken line circle in the accompanying representation.

Display screen or portion thereof with graphical user interface

Multiple applications request data from multiple storage units over a computer network. The data is divided into segments and each segment is distributed randomly on one of several storage units, independent of the storage units on which other segments of the media data are stored. Redundancy information corresponding to each segment also is distributed randomly over the storage units. The redundancy information for a segment may be a copy of the segment, such that each segment is stored on at least two storage units. The redundancy information also may be based on two or more segments. This random distribution of segments of data and corresponding redundancy information improves both scalability and reliability. When a storage unit fails, its load is distributed evenly over to remaining storage units and its lost data may be recovered because of the redundancy information. When an application requests a selected segment of data, the request may be processed by the storage unit with the shortest queue of requests. Random fluctuations in the load applied by multiple applications on multiple storage units are balanced nearly equally over all of the storage units. Small data files also may be stored on storage units that combine small files into larger segments of data using a log structured file system. This combination of techniques results in a system which can transfer both multiple, independent high-bandwidth streams of data and small data files in a scalable manner in both directions between multiple applications and multiple storage units.

Computer system and process for transferring streams of data between multiple storage units and multiple applications in a scalable and reliable manner

Briefly, the present invention relates to an information dispersal sytem in which original data to be stored is separated into a number of data 'slices' in such a manner that the data in each subset is less usable or less recognizable or completely unusable or completely unrecognizable by itself except when combined with some or all of the other data subsets. These data subsets are stored on separate storage devices as a way of increasing privacy and security. In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, a metadata management system stores and indexes user files across all of the storage nodes. A number of applications run on the servers supporting these storage nodes and are responsible for controlling the metadata. Metadata is the information about the data, the data slices or data subsets and the way in which these data subsets are dispersed among different storage nodes running over the network. As used herein, metadata includes data source names, their size, last modification date, authentication information etc. This information is required to keep track of dispersed data subsets among all the nodes in the system. Every time new data subsets are stored and old ones are removed from the storage nodes, the metadata is updated. In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the metadata management system stores metadata for dispersed data where: the dispersed data is in several pieces; the metadata is in a separate dataspace from the dispersed data. Accordingly, the metadata management system is able to manage the metadata in a manner that is computationally efficient relative to known systems in order to enable broad use of the invention using the types of computers generally used by businesses, consumers and other organizations currently.

Metadata management system for an information dispersed storage system

An improved system for accessing data within a distributed data storage network (“DDSN”) is disclosed. In a system implementing the disclosed invention, traffic is routed to individual slice servers within the DDSN in accordance with objective criteria as well as user-defined policies. In accordance with one aspect of the disclosed invention, when a data segment is written to a DDSN, the segment is divided into multiple data slices, which are simultaneously transmitted to different slice servers. In accordance with another aspect of the disclosed invention, when a data segment is read from a DDSN, a list of slice servers, each containing a data slice that could be used to reconstruct the requested data segment, is assembled, and sorted in accordance with a preference rating assigned to each of the slice servers. Sufficient data slices to reconstruct the data segment are then read in accordance with the preference ranking of the slice servers.

Smart access to a dispersed data storage network

Multiple applications request data from multiple storage units over a computer network. The data is divided into segments and each segment is distributed randomly on one of several storage units, independent of the storage units on which other segments of the media data are stored. At least one additional copy of each segment also is distributed randomly over the storage units, such that each segment is stored on at least two storage units. This random distribution of multiple copies of segments of data improves both scalability and reliability. When an application requests a selected segment of data, the request is processed by the storage unit with the shortest queue of requests. Random fluctuations in the load applied by multiple applications on multiple storage units are balanced nearly equally over all of the storage units. This combination of techniques results in a system which can transfer multiple, independent high-bandwidth streams of data in a scalable manner in both directions between multiple applications and multiple storage units.

Computer system and process for transferring multiple high bandwidth streams of data between multiple storage units and multiple applications in a scalable and reliable manner

Two images are analyzed to compute a set of motion vectors that describes motion between the first and second images. A motion vector is computed for each pixel in an image at a time between the first and second images. This set of motion vectors may be defined at any time between the first and second images, such as the midpoint. The motion vectors may be computed using any of several techniques. An example technique is based on the constant brightness constraint, also referred to as optical flow. Each vector is specified at a pixel center in an image defined at the time between the first and second images. The vectors may point to points in the first and second images that are not on pixel centers. The motion vectors are used to warp the first and second images to a point in time of an output image between the first and second images using a factor that represents the time between the first and second image at which the output image occurs. The warped images are then blended using this factor to obtain the output image at the desired point in time between the first and second images. The point in time at which the output image occurs may be different from the time at which the motion vectors are determined. The same motion vectors may be used to determine two or more output images at different times between the first and second images. The images may be warped using a technique in which many small triangles are defined in an image corresponding in time to the point in time between the first and second images at which the motion vectors are determined. A transform for each small triangle from the point in time at which the motion vectors are determined to the desired interpolated image time is determined, e.g., the triangle is warped using the motion vectors associated with its vertices. For each pixel in each triangle in the output image, corresponding points in the first and second images are determined, and the first and second images are spatially sampled at these points. These samples for each pixel are combined to produce a value for that pixel in the output image.

Interpolation of a sequence of images using motion analysis

The present invention advantageously provides for an email system that implements proxy email addresses to control access to a recipient's email mailbox, and eliminates the requirement of a sender of email to know the recipient's private email address when sending mail. A user interface is presented to a user of the email system that corresponds to permissible email exchanges.

Email system delivers email message to a proxy email address that corresponds to a sender and recipient pairing

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a system that transfers multiple, independent high-bandwidth streams of data in a scalable manner in both directions between multiple applications and multiple storage units. SOLUTION: The data is divided into segments and each segment is distributed randomly on one of several storage units, independent of the storage units on which other segments of the media data are stored. Redundancy information corresponding to each segment also is distributed randomly over the storage units. The redundancy information for a segment may be a copy of the segment, such that each segment is stored on at least two storage units. The redundancy information also may be based on two or more segments. This random distribution of segments of data and corresponding redundancy information improves both scalability and reliability. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Computer system and process for transferring multiple high bandwidth streams of data between multiple storage units and multiple applications in scalable and highly-reliable manner

Peter J. Fasciano

Papers

Computer system and process for transferring multiple high bandwidth streams of data between multiple storage units and multiple applications in a scalable and reliable manner

Interpolation of a sequence of images using motion analysis

Email system delivers email message to a proxy email address that corresponds to a sender and recipient pairing

Computer system and process for transferring multiple high bandwidth streams of data between multiple storage units and multiple applications in scalable and highly-reliable manner