Secure virtual account
First Claim
1. A method for storing data or a hierarchic folder structure on a selected number of computers and/or intelligent devices having storage capacity in a community of computers and/or intelligent devices, which are able to communicate with each other, wherein a portion of the storage capacity of each of the selected number of computers and/or intelligent devices is made available for sharing, comprising the steps of:
- (a) encrypting the data or the hierarchic folder structure into a file;
(b) associating a management attribute, based on a pre-determined importance of the file, with the file;
(c) associating a device attribute, based on a pre-determined characteristic of the storage device, with each community member; and
(d) storing the file on the selected number of computers and/or intelligent devices, wherein the selected number of computers and/or intelligent devices is identified based on a statistical distribution, which correlates the management attribute of the file and the device attribute of the community members.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method for storing data or a hierarchic folder structure on a selected number of computers and/or intelligent devices having storage capacity in a community of computers and/or intelligent devices, which are able to communicate with each other, wherein a portion of the storage capacity of each of the selected number of computers and/or intelligent devices is made available for sharing. The storage devices are chosen from the community based on file management attributes, device attributes, and corresponding statistical criteria. In another embodiment, the storage devices are partially chosen by the user.
53 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for storing data or a hierarchic folder structure on a selected number of computers and/or intelligent devices having storage capacity in a community of computers and/or intelligent devices, which are able to communicate with each other, wherein a portion of the storage capacity of each of the selected number of computers and/or intelligent devices is made available for sharing, comprising the steps of:
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(a) encrypting the data or the hierarchic folder structure into a file;
(b) associating a management attribute, based on a pre-determined importance of the file, with the file;
(c) associating a device attribute, based on a pre-determined characteristic of the storage device, with each community member; and
(d) storing the file on the selected number of computers and/or intelligent devices, wherein the selected number of computers and/or intelligent devices is identified based on a statistical distribution, which correlates the management attribute of the file and the device attribute of the community members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 24, 25, 26)
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13. A method for storing data or a hierarchic folder structure on a plurality of computers and/or intelligent devices with storage capacity in a community of computers and/or intelligent devices, which are able to communicate with each other, wherein a portion of the storage capacity of each of the plurality of the community members is made available for sharing with a subset of community members, comprising the steps of:
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(a) encrypting the data or the hierarchic folder structure into a file;
(b) associating a management attribute based on a pre-determined importance of the file with each file;
(c) associating a device attribute based on a pre-determined characteristic of the storage device with each community member;
(d) dividing the community membership into two lists;
the first list includes community members on which the file must be stored, the second list includes community members on which the file might be stored, if necessary to satisfy the management attribute;
(e) storing the file on each of the computers or intelligent devices within the first list; and
(f) storing the file on a plurality of computers or intelligent devices within the second list, wherein the selected number of computers and/or intelligent devices in the second list is identified based on a statistical distribution, which correlates the management attribute of the file and the device attribute of the community members. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification