FILE SHARING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20140165176A1
• Filed: 12/04/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Duvon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Benedict Ow
• Inventors: Ow, Benedict
• Granted Patent: US 10,275,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/183 Provision of network file services by network file servers, e.g. by using NFS, CIFS network file access protocols H04L67/1097
• 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 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• 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

According to the present application, systems, devices and methods for sharing media files may promote sharing of media without permitting the media to be downloaded. Such systems, devices and methods for sharing media may further enable lists of files to be shared and responses to be delivered to the media owner during playback by a user. A local device may be utilized to enable the storing and sharing of media that is hosted off the cloud. Streaming from the file sharing system or the local device is facilitated through the system.

Claims

1. A file sharing system comprising:

a web server configured to;

receive and store one or more uploaded files from a user;

present a list of the one or more uploaded files to the user;

receive a file selection identifying at least one of the one or more uploaded files from the user;

receive a file sharing selection identifying at least one of the plurality of file sharing permissions from the user;

receive one or more user identifiers from the user, wherein the one or more user identifiers identify one or more first recipients;

associate the uploaded files of the file selection with the one or more user identifiers and the file usage permissions of the file sharing selection, wherein all of the one or more uploaded files have also previously been associated with different file usage permissions for one or more second recipients;

transmit the uploaded files of the file selection to the one or more first recipients based on the file usage permissions associated thereto;

transmit the uploaded files of the file selection to one or more second recipients based on the different file usage permissions;

a database storing the association between the uploaded files of the file selection, the one or more user identifiers, and the file usage permissions of the file sharing selection; and

a storage system comprising one or more storage devices storing the one or more uploaded files.

2. The file sharing system of claim 1 further comprising one or more communication devices configured to receive the file selection and the file sharing selection from the a computing device of the user selected from the group consisting of a desktop computer, laptop computer, smartphone, media player, and tablet device.

3. The file sharing system of claim 1, wherein the uploaded files of the file selection are transmitted to the one or more second recipients only after the one or more second recipients log in.

4. The file sharing system of claim 3, wherein the uploaded files of the file selection are transmitted to the one or more first recipients regardless of whether or not the one or more first recipients log in.

5. The file sharing system of claim 1, wherein the web server is configured to add or remove individual files from the file selection based on input from the user.

6. The file sharing system of claim 5, wherein the web server is configured to notify the one or more first recipients and the one or more second recipients when a file is added or removed from the file selection.

7. The file sharing of claim 1, wherein the web server is configured to transmit a message to the user when a file of the file selection is transmitted to to the one or more first recipients, the one or more second recipients, or both.

8. A file sharing system comprising:

a web server configured to;

receive and store a list of files from a user;

receive a plurality of user identifiers identifying one or more first recipients and one or more second recipients; and

receive and store file usage permissions for the list of files from the user, wherein a first subset of the file usage permissions are associated with the one or more first recipients and a second subset of the file usage permissions are associated with the one or more second recipients;

wherein the first and second subsets of file usage permissions are distinct;

a personal cloud device having a storage device, the personal cloud device configured to;

store the files in the list of files on the storage device;

provide access to the files to the one or more first recipients based on the first subset of file usage permissions; and

provide access to the files to the one or more second recipients based on the second subset of file usage permissions;

wherein the personal cloud device is remote from the web server.

9. The file sharing system of claim 8, wherein the first subset of file usage permissions permit access to the files upon receipt of a valid password, while the second subset of file usage permissions permits access to the files without requiring a password.

10. The file sharing system of claim 8, wherein the personal cloud device is installed at the user'"'"'s premises.

11. The file sharing system of claim 8, wherein the personal cloud device is configured to convert files in the list from a first file format to a second file format and store the converted files on the storage device.

12. The file sharing system of claim 9, wherein first subset of file usage permissions permit access to the converted media files while preventing access to the original files.

13. The file sharing system of claim 10, wherein second subset of file usage permissions permit access to the original media files while preventing access to the converted files.

14. The file sharing system of claim 8, wherein the web server is configured to transmit a notification to the one or more first recipients and the one or more second recipients when the list of files is modified by the user.

15. A web server implemented file sharing method comprising:

receiving one or more files from a user and storing the one or more files at one or more storage devices;

receiving a plurality of user identifiers from the user via one or more communication devices, the plurality of identifiers identifying a plurality of recipients;

receiving a plurality of file sharing permissions from the user, wherein each of the plurality of file sharing permissions allow, conditionally allow, or deny access to the one or more files by the plurality of recipients;

associating each of the plurality of file sharing permissions with each of the plurality of recipients as identified by input from the user;

providing access to the one or more files to each of the plurality of users according to the file sharing permission associated therewith, wherein at the file sharing permissions are distinct for at least two of the plurality of recipients;

wherein a file sharing permission that allows access to the one or more files causes the one or more files to be transmitted for storage by a remote device;

wherein a file sharing permission that conditionally allows access to the one or more files causes the one or more files to be transmitted for viewing only;

wherein a file sharing permission that conditionally denies access to the one or more files prevents the one or more files from being transmitted;

wherein the web server is configured to convert the one or more files from a first file format to a second file format and store the one or more converted files on the storage device;

wherein the one or more original files are associated with the file sharing permission that conditionally denies access, and the one or more converted files are associated with the file sharing permission that allows access or conditionally allows access; and

wherein the web server is configured to transmit a notification to the plurality of recipients when the one or more files are modified by the user.