Patent ID: 8296367

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of synchronizing copies of a shared file used by different communication session participants, the computer-implemented method comprising: identifying a shared file that is used by a first communication session participant and a second communication session participant, wherein the first and second communication participants each use a separate copy of the shared file, wherein non-synchronized versions of the shared file are initially stored in a first client computer that is used by the first communication session participant and in a second client computer that is used by the second communication session participant, wherein a first non-synchronized version of the shared file is an updated copy of the shared file that contains updated data, and wherein a second non-synchronized version of the shared file is a non-updated copy of the shared file that does not contain updated data; a processor detecting a communication session between the first and second communication session participants, wherein the communication session is a real-time communication session from a group consisting of an instant messaging session, a web conference, and an asynchronous e-mail session; determining a privileges relationship between the first and second communication session participants; synchronizing the separate copies of the shared file only if the privileges relationship is deemed adequate to authorize the shared file to be updated; limiting what data in the shared file can be synchronized between the separate copies of the shared file based on the privileges relationship between the first and second communication session participants, wherein the privileges relationship is based on an historical frequency of communication sessions between the first and second communication session participants exceeding a predetermined frequency; and automatically synchronizing the separate copies of the shared file in response to detecting the communication session between the first and second communication session participants, wherein the separate copies of the shared file are synchronized by automatically updating data in the non-updated copy of the shared file for storage in the second client computer.