Personal digital server pds
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for sharing content between a plurality of computer users, comprising:
- a central server for initial authorization of said users to participate in said plurality;
at least one first computer, wherein said content is stored; and
at least one second computer, designated as the guest, wherein communication between said first computer and said guest is authorized by a global unique identifier.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Personal Digital server (“PDS”) is a unique computer application for the storage, updating, management and sharing of all types of digital media files, including audio, video, images and documents, irrespective of their format. PDS provides users with a single location to store and access, both locally and remotely, all of their digital media. It also provides the user total control of the overall management of these assets.
122 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A system for sharing content between a plurality of computer users, comprising:
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a central server for initial authorization of said users to participate in said plurality;
at least one first computer, wherein said content is stored; and
at least one second computer, designated as the guest, wherein communication between said first computer and said guest is authorized by a global unique identifier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for a new computer user to access content contained within the computer of the owner of said content, comprising the steps of:
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a. registering said new computer user with a central server;
b. attempting a first access to said owner'"'"'s computer;
c. receiving from said central server in response to said first attempted access, a global unique identifier, said identifier sent to said owner'"'"'s computer and said new user'"'"'s computer;
d. accessing successfully said content from said owner'"'"'s computer, using said global unique identifier to authorize said access. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method wherein a computer user, designated as the owner of content, can allow a new computer user to access said content, comprising:
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a. sending a first communication to said new computer user offering access to said content;
b. sending a second communication to a central server, said server responsible for maintaining a database of authorized users, notifying said server of said offer to said new user;
c. rejecting a first attempt from said new user to access said content;
d. notifying said central server of said rejection;
e. receiving a global unique identifier to be used for all authorized accesses by said new user to said owner from said central server, wherein said central server generates said global unique identifier in response to said notification; and
f. allowing access to said new user only when said access is accompanied by said global unique identifier. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method for a central server to authorize communication between a computer user, designated as the owner of content and a new computer user, attempting to access said content, comprising:
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a. receiving a first communication from said owner, authorizing said new user to access said content;
b. recording said authorization in an internal database;
c. receiving a second communication from said owner, notifying said central server that said new user has attempted access to said owner'"'"'s content;
d. Scanning said database for said new user'"'"'s authorization; and
e. Communicating a global unique identifier to said existing member and said new user if said new user is authorized within said database. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. An efficient method of searching a computer file system for files comprising predetermined content, comprising:
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a. scanning the directories within said file system to identify files having predetermined files types;
b. checking the filenames of said identified files to insure that said filename contains metadata, said metadata comprising a description of said content; and
c. using embedded tags within said file to obtain said metadata, only if said metadata was not present in said filename. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. An efficient way of updating a list of files in a computer file system, said computer having created a list of directories wherein said files are located, comprising:
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a. first checking said list of directories for alterations since last said check;
b. rescanning said directory if said alterations are found; and
c. updating said list of files with results from said rescan;
- View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A method for a first computer user, designated as the owner of content, to notify a plurality of computer users of the availability of said content available for sharing, each of said plurality having authorization to access a subset of the said content, comprising:
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a. creating an index of said content;
b. updating said index whenever new content is created; and
c. communicating said updated index to said plurality. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method for a first computer user to determine the newest content available for sharing on a second computer, wherein said first computer contains an index of said content available on said second computer as of a defined date and time whereby said first computer requests an updated index of said newest content created since said defined date and time.
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27. A method of distributing content from a central server to a plurality of computer users, comprising:
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a. sending said content from said central server to a first computer of said plurality of computers;
b. sending, from said central server to said first computer, a list of users from said plurality authorized to access said content; and
c. sending said content from said first computer to each user of said plurality identified on said list.
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28. A method for a first computer user, designated the requestor, to find content among a plurality of computer users and a central server responsible for authorizing said users to participate in said plurality, comprising:
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a. requesting, from each of said plurality, said content, in decreasing order of likelihood that said user possesses said content, until said content is found; and
b. requesting said content from said central server only if said content is not available from said plurality. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method to allow access to content on a computer remotely, using a remote access device, whereby an application on said computed reformats and packetizes said content before transmitting to said remote access device.
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34. A method for electronically sharing content on a first computer among a plurality of computer users, whereby said first computer can allow said plurality to borrow said content, comprising:
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a. rejecting access to said content if said content is currently borrowed; and
b. accepting said access if said content is not borrowed. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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- 42. A method of encrypting a file so as to allow a first computer user to borrow said file from a second computer user such that said file is only usable by said first computer user from a predetermined time, by adding encrypted metadata denoting wherein said predetermined time expires.
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46. A method of allocating bandwidth among a plurality of computer users accessing content on a first computer comprising:
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a. gauging optimal bandwidth needed for accessing said content by one user of said plurality;
b. allowing access to said content by said one user if overall available bandwidth exceeds said optimal bandwidth;
c. reducing said overall available bandwidth by said optimal bandwidth if said access is allowed; and
d. rejecting said access to said content if overall available bandwidth is less that said optimal bandwidth. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48)
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49. A system for a plurality of computers to share content securely and directly with one another, comprising:
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a. a first computer, b. a second computer, said second computer sharing said content with said first computer; and
c. a central server, said server responsible for creating a secure link between said first computer and said second computer. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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Specification