System, method, and program for sharing photos via the internet

• US 20080288499A1
• Filed: 05/18/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric Chi-Wah Choi, Tat Kuen Choi
• Original Assignee: Eric Chi-Wah Choi, Tat Kuen Choi
• Inventors: Choi, Tat Kuen, Choi, Eric Chi-Wah
• Granted Patent: US 7,778,973 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor

Abstract

A system for sharing files over a computer network via a hosting site is presented. The system includes a data storage space associated with the hosting. The space includes albums created by the one or more users for storage of related files. The albums include at least one level of sharing associated with each of the users, the level of sharing being in part assigned by users creating the albums. One or more accounts are associated with each user. The accounts allow the each of the users to access albums they created and albums that they are allowed access. An album creator creates the album. An album viewer views contents of the album. A file viewer views contents of the files. An album manager allows the one or more users to associate levels of sharing of the album and to modify the contents of the album.

Claims

1. A system for sharing files over a computer network via a hosting site, the system comprising:

a data storage space associated with the hosting site and accessible to one or more users via the computer network, said space comprising albums created by said one or more users for storage of related files, said albums comprising at least one level of sharing associated with each of said one or more users, said level of sharing being in part assigned by said one or more users creating said albums;

one or more accounts associated with each of said one or more users, said accounts allowing said each of said users to access albums they created and albums that they are allowed access to by said level of sharing;

an album creator for creating said album;

an album viewer for viewing contents of said album;

a file viewer for viewing contents of said files; and

an album manager for allowing said one or more users to associate levels of sharing of said album with one or more users and to modify the contents of said album.

2. The system for sharing files as recited in claim 1, in which said levels of sharing comprise:

viewer, where users associated as such may view said album;

contributor, where users associated as such may view said album and add files;

manager, where users associated as such may manage said album by associating users as contributors to said album; and

creator, where users associated as such may delete said album and change said levels of sharing associated with users.

3. The system for sharing files as recited in claim 1, in which one or more users are associated with a group and said group may be associated with one or more levels of sharing for one or more albums.

4. The system for sharing files as recited in claim 2, in which said levels of sharing further comprise editor, where users associated as such may edit contents of files in said album.

5. The system for sharing files as recited in claim 1, in which said levels of sharing may be time sensitive where said levels of sharing may expire after a specified interval has elapsed.

6. The system for sharing files as recited in claim 1, in which said user may refuse an associated level of sharing said album and as such access to said album.

7. A system for sharing files over a computer network via a hosting site, the system comprising:

means for providing a data storage space;

means for providing levels of sharing;

means for providing user accounts;

means for creating albums;

means for viewing albums;

means for viewing files in said albums; and

means for managing said albums.

8. The system for sharing files as recited in claim 7, further comprising means for editing said files.

9. The system for sharing files as recited in claim 7, further comprising means for grouping users.

10. A method for sharing files over a computer network via a hosting site, the method comprising:

accessing a data storage space associated with the hosting site via the computer network by one or more users;

creating one or more albums in said space by said one or more users for storage of related files;

associating at least one level of sharing for said albums for said one or more users, said level of sharing being in part associated by said one or more users creating said albums;

setting up one or more accounts by each of said one or more users, said accounts allowing said each of said users to access albums they created and albums which they are allowed access to by said level of sharing;

viewing contents of said album by said users;

viewing contents of said files by said users; and

managing said albums by said users to associate levels of sharing of said albums and to modify contents of said albums.

11. The method for sharing files as recited in claim 10, in which said associating further comprises said one or more users associating viewer, to users that may view said album, contributor, to users that may view said album and add files and manager, to users that may manage said album by associating users as contributors to said album.

12. The method for sharing files as recited in claim 10, further comprising grouping one or more users into a group by said one or more users and associating said group with one or more levels of sharing for one or more albums.

13. The method for sharing files as recited in claim 11, in which said associating further comprises said one or more users associating editor, to users that may edit contents of files in said album.

14. The method for sharing files as recited in claim 10, in which said associating further comprises said one or more users associating may associate said levels of sharing to expire after a specified interval has elapsed.

15. The method for sharing files as recited in claim 10, further comprising refusing an associated level of sharing by said user and as such access to said album.

16. A method for sharing files over a computer network via a hosting site, the method comprising:

steps for accessing a data storage space;

steps for creating one or more albums in said space;

steps for associating at least one level of sharing for said albums;

steps for setting up one or more accounts;

steps for viewing contents of said album;

steps for viewing contents of said files; and

steps for managing said albums.

17. The method for sharing files as recited in claim 16, further comprising steps for editing said files.

18. The method for sharing files as recited in claim 16, further comprising steps for grouping users.

19. A computer program product for sharing files over a computer network via a hosting site, the computer program product comprising:

computer code that allows one or more users access to a data storage space over the network;

computer code that creates one or more albums for storage of files in said space by instructions from said one or more users;

computer code that associates at least one level of sharing for said albums for said one or more users, said level of sharing in part based on instructions from said users creating said album;

computer code that sets up one or more accounts for each of said one or more users based on instructions from each said one or more users allowing each of said one or more users to access albums they created and albums which they are allowed access to by said level of sharing;

computer code that allows said one or more users to retrieve information regarding contents of said album if said one or more users is allowed access by said level of sharing;

computer code that allows said one or more users to retrieve contents of files in said album if said one or more users is allowed access by said level of sharing;

computer code that allows one or more users to associate levels of sharing to said albums if said one or more users is allowed access by said level of sharing;

computer code that allows one or more users to modify contents of said album if said one or more users is allowed access by said level of sharing; and

computer-readable medium that stores the computer code.

20. The computer program product for sharing files as recited in claim 19, further comprising computer code that allows one or more users to edit files in said album if said one or more users is allowed access by said level of sharing.