MODERATION OF SHARED DATA OBJECTS

• US 20120311725A1
• Filed: 06/01/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: SCHLEIFER, JASON, SPEYER, RICHARD ZACK, BURKHARDT, JOHN R., RICHARDSON, RANSOM, LEES, STEVEN
• Granted Patent: US 9,268,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database

Abstract

Methods, system, and computer storage media are provided for moderating actions performed on shared data objects. Rule enforcement logic is received for an application that is associated with one or more data objects shared between various clients. The rule enforcement logic is stored at a data server that also stores data associated with data objects. A moderator, also stored on the data server, is used to enforce the rule enforcement logic corresponding to the application when a client attempts to perform an action to a data object associated with the application.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method of moderating actions performed on shared data objects, the method comprising:

receiving rule enforcement logic for an application, wherein the application is associated with one or more application instances, each of which contains one or more data objects that are shared between two or more clients;

storing the rule enforcement logic at a data server that stores data associated with a plurality of data objects and rule enforcement logic corresponding to a plurality of applications associated with the plurality of data objects; and

utilizing a moderator stored on the data server to enforce the rule enforcement logic corresponding to the application when one of the two or more clients attempts to perform an action to one of the one or more associated data objects, wherein the action comprises one or more of opening the data object, deleting the data object, or modifying the data that comprises the data object.

2. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the rule enforcement logic is received from a developer of the application.

3. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the two or more clients include one or more of a computer, a web browser, a mobile device, or a gaming system.

4. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein when the action is modifying the data that comprises the data object, the data server determines and enforces bounds for data values.

5. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the rule enforcement logic is not stored at a client site with code corresponding to the data object.

6. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the moderator utilizes the rule enforcement logic for the corresponding application to determine whether to approve or reject a modification to the data object.

7. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein when the one of the two or more clients attempts to perform the action to the data object, further comprising communicating access information to the corresponding developer.

8. The one or more computer storage media of claim 7, wherein the access information includes one or more of details regarding the attempted action or an identity of the client that attempted to perform the action to the data object.

9. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein when the action is modifying the data that comprises the data object, further comprising determine whether the client that is attempting to modify the data of the data object is allowed to modify the data based on the rule enforcement logic corresponding to the application associated with the data object.

10. The one or more computer storage media of claim 9, further comprising:

if the client is allowed to modify the data of the data object based on the rule enforcement logic associated with the application, modifying the data of the data object accordingly; and

if the client is not allowed to modify the data of the data object based on the rule enforcement logic associated with the application, reverting any modifications such that other clients do not see the attempted modifications.

11. The one or more computer storage media of claim 10, further comprising if the client is not allowed to modify the data of the data object based on the rule enforcement logic associated with the application, discarding the attempted modifications such that the attempted modifications are not saved on the data server.

12. One or more computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method of moderating actions performed on shared data objects, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client to perform an action to a data object whose data is stored on a data server;

determining whether the data server has stored rule enforcement logic that corresponds to an application associated with the data object;

if the data server has stored the rule enforcement logic corresponding to the application associated with the data object,

(1) utilizing the rule enforcement logic to determine whether the client is allowed to perform the requested action to the data object,

(2) if it is determined that the client is allowed to perform the requested action to the data object, performing the requested action to the data object, and

(3) if it is determined that the client is not allowed to perform the requested action to the data object, not performing the requested action to the data object and communicating an error message to the client; and

if the data server does not have stored the rule enforcement logic corresponding to the application associated with the data object, performing the requested action to the data object.

13. The one or more computer storage media of claim 12, wherein the requested action comprises one or more of opening the data object, deleting the data object, or modifying the data that comprises the data object.

14. The one or more computer storage media of claim 12, wherein each rule enforcement logic stored on the data server corresponds to a particular application having associated data objects whose data is also stored on the data server.

15. The one or more computer storage media of claim 12, wherein the rule enforcement logic is received from a developer of a particular application.

16. The one or more computer storage media of claim 15, further comprising communicating access information to the developer of the application when the client attempts to perform the requested action to the data object, wherein the access information includes one or more of details regarding the requested action or an identity of the client that attempted to perform the requested action to the data object.

17. A shared data system including one or more computing devices having one or more processors and one or more computer storage media, the shared data system comprising:

a server that comprises;

a data store that stores data associated with a plurality of data objects and rule enforcement logic corresponding to a plurality of applications associated with at least a portion of the plurality of data objects, wherein the rule enforcement logic is developed by and received from a developer of a respective application; and

a moderator that enforces the rule enforcement logic for the plurality of applications associated with the at least the portion of the plurality of data objects such that when a client attempts to perform an action to a data object, the moderator determines whether the action is allowed based on the corresponding rule enforcement logic for the application associated with that particular data object, wherein,

(1) if the moderator determines that the action is allowed, the server allows the action, and

(2) if the moderator determines that the action is not allowed, the server does not allow the action and communicates an error message to the client indicating that the action is not allowed.

18. The shared data system of claim 17, wherein if the moderator determines that the action is not allowed, the other clients who share the data object are not able to see the attempted action to the data object.

19. The one or more computer storage media of claim 17, wherein when the client attempts to perform the action to the data object, the server communicates access information to the corresponding developer, wherein the access information includes one or more of details regarding the attempted action or an identity of the client that attempted to perform the action to the data object.

20. The one or more computer storage media of claim 17, wherein each application with corresponding rule enforcement logic stored on the server has its own moderator to determine whether the attempted action is allowed.