Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention provide a method for comparing file tree descriptions and generating a sequenced log of changes that transform an old file tree to a new file tree. According to one embodiment, the inputs to this comparator are two tree-structured descriptions called file tree indices, and the outputs are a sequence of file tree operations that can transform the old tree to the current tree. According to another embodiment, the comparator has two top level steps, where at step one it recursively goes through the old file tree index and compares each folder along with its children with that of the corresponding file tree generating a raw operation log, and at step two after the recursion is done, the comparator processes the raw operation log and optimizes certain sets of operations by transforming them into single operations.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention are a method of reconciling any changes that have occurred in two file trees since they were last synchronized. According to one embodiment, the reconciler takes as input two logs of said changes made in the respective file trees. In another embodiment, the first log resides on a client computing device, and the second log resides on a server computing device. According to another embodiment, the reconciler outputs two sets of changes that need to be applied to the respective file trees in order to synchronize them. According to another embodiment, the reconciler detects and outputs a list of changes that conflict with each other.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protocol for the transfer of files to and from electronic devices, especially wireless devices. In one embodiment, the present invention is used by these devices connected by any means to the source of the file. These means can be wireless, modem dial-up, or conduit of a PDA. Since the present invention is used by wireless devices which operate on limited and expensive wireless bandwidth, it is not verbose and “chatty” unlike prior art protocols based on clear-text HTML, XML, or HotSync. The present invention uses HTTP or HTTPS to connect two devices communicating with each other. HTTP is used since it is a protocol that is usually allowed to traverse virtual private network firewalls. The invention allows the server to maintain multiple sessions with different clients. These sessions will end automatically if no data is transferred after a certain length of time has elapsed. These different clients can connect and perform operations concurrently with each other.