Correcting access rights of files in electronic communications

• US 10,025,948 B1
• Filed: 05/06/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Chou Fritz, Victoria Hsiao-tsung, Harris, Jeff Scott, Wu, Sarah Shuilen, Sharp, Phillip, Saviano, Steven Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Zong, Ruolei
• Application Number:
  US15/148,013
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 709206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/031 Protect user input by software means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks

Abstract

A method for modifying access rights to electronically stored files linked in a draft electronic communication stored at a client device includes receiving, at a server from the client device, information relating to a plurality of recipients of the draft electronic communication, information relating to a sender of the draft electronic communication, and a first link, where the first link represents a first file. The method further includes determining, at the server, for the sender and for each recipient in the plurality of recipients, the access rights to the first file. The method further includes generating, at the server, a plurality of options for the sender to modify the access rights for the plurality of recipients, where the plurality of options is based on the access rights to the first file, and sending the plurality of options from the server to the client device.

Claims

1. A system to present a user interface to modify access rights to electronically stored files identified in an electronic communication associated with a client device, the system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor, coupled to the memory, to;

present a drafting area of the user interface for a sender to compose the electronic communication and a field area of the user interface to receive user input that identifies a recipient of the electronic communication;

parse the drafting area of the user interface to identify a resource locator of a file of the electronically stored files that are stored on a server;

responsive to identifying the resource locator of the file stored on the server in the drafting area of the user interface, present a notification area of the user interface that identifies a plurality of options to modify access rights of the recipient to the file identified in the electronic communication irrespective of whether the sender is an administrator or an owner of an access control list associated with the file;

present a selection area of the user interface that presents a first option from the plurality of options for selection by the sender; and

present a warning area of the user interface that indicates that the recipient does not have the access rights to the file irrespective of whether the sender is the administrator or the owner of the access control list associated with the file.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of options to modify the access rights of the recipient to the file is based on access rights of the sender.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the warning area indicates that the sender'"'"'s options for modifying the access rights of the recipient is limited.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the warning area indicates that the first option selected by the sender exceeds the access rights of the sender.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the field area of the user interface identifies a plurality of recipients of the electronic communication, wherein the file is associated with the access control list, and wherein the notification area identifies the plurality of recipients and access rights of the plurality of recipients to the file.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the notification area comprises an icon indicative of the access rights of each of the plurality of recipients to the file.

7. The system of claim 5, the processor further to:

receive a user selection of the first option, wherein the user selection identifies one or more of the plurality of recipients for which access rights are to be modified.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the warning area indicates for at least one recipient of the one or more recipients that the user selection to modify the access rights cannot be fulfilled.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the warning area indicates that the access rights of the at least one recipient is changed by adding the at least one recipient to the access control list associated with the file.

10. The system of claim 1, the processor further to:

receive a user selection of the first option to cause a modification of the access rights of the recipient to the file based on the access rights of the sender.

11. A method for presenting a user interface to modify access rights to electronically stored files identified in an electronic communication associated with a client device, the method comprising:

presenting, by a processor of the client device, a drafting area of the user interface for a sender to compose the electronic communication and a field area of the user interface to receive user input that identifies a recipient of the electronic communication;

parsing, by the client device, the drafting area of the user interface to identify a resource locator of a file of the electronically stored files that are stored on a server;

responsive to identifying the resource locator of the file stored on the server in the drafting area of the user interface, presenting, by the client device, a notification area of the user interface that identifies a plurality of options to modify access rights of the recipient to the file identified in the electronic communication irrespective of whether the sender is an administrator or an owner of an access control list associated with the file;

presenting a selection area of the user interface that presents a first option from the plurality of options for selection by the sender; and

presenting a warning area of the user interface that indicates that the recipient does not have access rights to the file irrespective of whether the sender is the administrator or the owner of the access control list associated with the file.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of options to modify the access rights of the recipient to the file is based on access rights of the sender.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the warning area indicates that the sender'"'"'s options for modifying the access rights of the recipient is limited.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the field area of the user interface identifies a plurality of recipients of the electronic communication, wherein the file is associated with the access control list, and wherein the notification area identifies the plurality of recipients and access rights of the plurality of recipients to the file.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a user selection of the first option, wherein the user selection identifies one or more of the plurality of recipients for which access rights are to be modified.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the warning area indicates for at least one recipient of the one or more recipients that the user selection to modify the access rights cannot be fulfilled.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the warning indicates that the access rights of the at least one recipient is changed by adding the at least one recipient to the access control list associated with the file.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a user selection of the first option to cause a modification of the access rights of the recipient to the file based on the access rights of the sender.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions to present a user interface to modify access rights to electronically stored files identified in an electronic communication associated with a client device that, responsive to execution by a processor, cause the processor to:

present, by the processor, a drafting area of the user interface for a sender to compose the electronic communication and a field area of the user interface to receive user input that identifies a recipient of the electronic communication;

parse the drafting area of the user interface to identify a resource locator of a file of the electronically stored files that are stored on a server;

responsive to identifying the resource locator of the file store on the server in the drafting area of the user interface, present a notification area of the user interface that identifies a plurality of options to modify access rights of the recipient to the file identified in the electronic communication irrespective of whether the sender is an administrator or an owner of an access control list associated with the file;

present a selection area of the user interface that presents a first option from the plurality of options for selection by the sender; and

present a warning area of the user interface that indicates that the recipient does not have the access rights to the file irrespective of whether the sender is the administrator or the owner of the access control list associated with the file.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, the processor further to:

receive a user selection of the first option to cause a modification of the access rights of the recipient to the file based on the access rights of the sender.