Hierarchical asset sharing model

• US 20050283718A1
• Filed: 08/25/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Vignette Partnership LP (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Yee, Daniel, Heideman, Dennis C., Dickerson, Robert Scott, Wilson, Robin D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

Systems and methods for enabling the parent in a hierarchically organized pair of objects to allow the child to share access to selected assets. In one embodiment, the assets are shared in one of three modes: an IMPOSE mode; an INHERIT mode; and a CO-OWN mode. In the IMPOSE mode, the parent allows the child to utilize the asset, but not to modify it. In the CO-OWN mode, the parent and child have equal rights to access the asset, including the right to modify it. In the INHERIT mode, both the parent and child have equal rights to access the asset, including the right to modify it, but if the child attempts to modify the asset, it actually gets a copy of the asset, which it then modifies. The asset is no longer a single asset shared between the parent and child.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A method comprising:

selecting two objects which have a hierarchical relationship wherein a first one of the objects is a parent of a second one of the objects;

selecting one or more assets of the first object; and

sharing the selected assets of the first object with the second object, wherein each of the selected assets is shared using a mode chosen from the group consisting of

a first mode in which both the first and second objects can utilize the asset, but only the first object can modify the asset,

a second mode in which both the first and second objects can utilize the asset, and both the first and second objects can modify the asset, and

a third mode in which the first object can utilize and modify the asset, but wherein the second object can utilize the asset until the second object attempts to modify the asset, at which time a copy of the asset is generated and the second object can utilize and modify the copy of the asset.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the second object sharing one or more the selected assets with a third object which is a child of the second object, wherein the one or more of the selected assets are shared using one or more of the first, second and third modes.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein if an asset shared between the first object and the second object is also shared between the second object and the third object, the asset is shared between the second object and the third object in a mode which is no less restrictive than the mode in which the asset is shared between the first object and the second object.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the first object and the second object share a plurality of assets as a set.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the first object and the second object share one or more assets individually.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising the first object utilizing one or more assets which are not shared with the second object.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising the second object utilizing one or more assets which are not shared with the first object.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein each object can share assets only with direct descendants of the object.

17-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A computer readable medium containing instructions configured to cause a computer to perform the method comprising:

selecting two objects which have a hierarchical relationship wherein a first one of the objects is a parent of a second one of the objects;

selecting one or more assets of the first object; and

sharing the selected assets of the first object with the second object, wherein each of the selected assets is shared using a mode chosen from the group consisting of

a first mode in which both the first and second objects can utilize the asset, but only the first object can modify the asset,

a second mode in which both the first and second objects can utilize the asset, and both the first and second objects can modify the asset, and

a third mode in which the first object can utilize and modify the asset, but wherein the second object can utilize the asset until the second object attempts to modify the asset, at which time a copy of the asset is generated and the second object can utilize and modify the copy of the asset.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the method further comprises the second object sharing one or more the selected assets with a third object which is a child of the second object, wherein the one or more of the selected assets are shared using one or more of the first, second and third modes.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21 wherein if an asset shared between the first object and the second object is also shared between the second object and the third object, the asset is shared between the second object and the third object in a mode which is no less restrictive than the mode in which the asset is shared between the first object and the second object.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the method further comprises the first object and the second object sharing a plurality of assets as a set.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23 wherein the set comprises a class of assets.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24 wherein the class of assets is a child of a base asset class.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the method further comprises the first object and the second object sharing one or more assets individually.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the method further comprises the first object utilizing one or more assets which are not shared with the second object.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the method further comprises the second object utilizing one or more assets which are not shared with the first object.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein the method further comprises each object sharing assets only with direct descendants of the object.