DOCUMENT-AUTHORIZED ACCESS TO A SHARED WORKSPACE

• US 20140029751A1
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Published: 01/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Swineford, Randy L., James, Barnaby, Wibbeler, Patrick R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,166,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/279
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

Various embodiments described herein each provide one or more of systems, methods, software, and data structures that facilitate document-authorized access to a shared workspace. Some of these embodiments provide access to a shared workspace, such as a document review comment repository, through data embedded within a document. Mere possession of a document with a key, or other data element, allows a possessor of the document to participate in a workflow process.

Claims

1. A computerized method comprising:

requesting, over a network, a shared workspace be instantiated on a server for a local instance of a document, the shared workspace to store workflow data related to the document;

receiving, over the network, a key to an instantiated shared workspace on the server and a Uniform Resource Identifier of a network location of the shared workspace;

inserting the key and the Uniform Resource Identifier into the document, the key providing an association of the document to the shared workspace and being a sole credential for accessing data stored in the shared workspace at the network location of the Uniform Resource Identifier, wherein any user in possession of the document including the key authorizes the user access to the data stored in the shared workspace; and

saving the document.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein, after receiving the key, the computerized method further includes:

signing communications to be sent over the network to the shared workspace on the server as a function of the key.

3. The computerized met of claim 1, further comprising:

distributing the document.

4. The computerized method of claim 3, wherein the distributing of the document includes emailing the document.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the key is an encryption key.

6. The computerized method of claim 1, further comprising:

inserting a further key into the document;

encrypting the workflow data to be sent to the shared workspace as a function of the further key; and

signing a communication to be sent over the network as a function of the key of the instantiated shared workspace on the server.

7. The computerized method of claim 6, further comprising:

requesting from the shared workspace, all workflow data related to the document stored thereon, the request signed as a function of the key of the instantiated workspace on the server;

receiving a communication including the requested workflow data over the network;

verifying the communication is signed as a function of the key of the instantiated shared workspace; and

decrypting as a function of the further key.

8. (canceled)

9. A computerized method comprising:

accessing a document;

retrieving data identifying a network location of a workflow repository and a first key from the document, the first key being a credential for utilizing the identified workflow repository;

receiving input from a user, the input relating to the document;

processing the input as a function of the first key to generate workflow information; and

uploading the workflow information to the workflow repository identified in the document.

10. The computerized method of claim 9, wherein the processing of the input includes signing the workflow information as a function of the first key.

11. The computerized method of claim 9, wherein the processing of the input includes encrypting the workflow information as a function of the first key.

12. The computerized method of claim 9, further comprising:

retrieving a second key from the document; and

wherein the processing of the input further includes processing the input as a function of the second key.

13. The computerized method of claim 12, wherein the processing of the input includes:

encrypting the input as a function of the second key; and

signing the workflow information as a function of the first key.

14. The computerized method of claim 9, wherein the workflow information includes a representation of the input.

15. The computerized method of claim 9, wherein the document is encoded according to a page description language file format specification.

16. The computerized method of claim 9, further comprising:

retrieving workflow data from the workflow repository; and

adding the retrieved workflow data to the document.

17. The computerized method of claim 16, further comprising:

decrypting the retrieved workflow data as a function of the first key.

18. The computerized method of claim 9, further comprising:

storing the input in an electronic file of the document.

19. A computerized method comprising:

receiving a workflow initiation request from an initiator over a network;

verify the initiator is identified as an authorized user in a permission database;

instantiating a workflow repository;

issuing a symmetric encryption key to the initiator over the network upon successful verification in the permission database, the symmetric encryption key to be inserted into a document by the initiator as a sole credential to allow interaction with the instantiated workflow repository by users in possession of the document including the symmetric encryption key;

maintaining an electronic record of the symmetric encryption key associated with the workflow repository; and

storing received workflow data in the workflow repository responsive to the received workflow data being signed as a function of the symmetric encryption key.

20. The computerized method of claim 19, wherein the storing of the received workflow data in the workflow repository includes:

encrypting the workflow data as function of the symmetric encryption key.

21-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A system comprising:

a network;

a server coupled to the network, the server operable to;

receive, over the network, a shared workspace instantiation request from an initiator;

verify the initiator is authorized to request instantiation of a shared workspace;

upon verified authorization of the initiator, generating a shared workspace and a key associated to the shared workspace;

storing the key in association to the shared workspace in a key-workspace data structure;

sending, over the network, the key to the initiator, the key to be inserted into a document by the initiator as a sole credential to allow interaction with the generated shared workspace by users in possession of the document including the key.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the server, in generating a shared workspace, is operable to:

create a folder in a data storage location accessible over the network to hold shared workspace data.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the server is further operable to:

receive, over the network, a request to post data to the shared workspace, the request including a representation of the key;

identify the shared workspace to post the data to as a function of the key representation and the key-workspace data structure; and

store the data in the shared workspace.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the server is further operable to:

receive, from a requestor and over the network, a shared workspace data retrieve request including a representation of the key;

identify the shared workspace for which the e retrieve request is for as a function of the key representation and the key-workspace data structure;

retrieve the data front the identified shared workspace; and

send, over the network, the shared workspace data to the requestor.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the representation of the key is a signing of the request to post data as a function of the key.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein the key is a symmetric encryption key.