CORRECTING ACCESS RIGHTS OF FILES IN ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

• US 20150199533A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Harris, Jeff Scott, Sharp, Phillip, Saviano, Steven Joseph, Chou Fritz, Victoria Hsiao-tsung, Wu, Sarah Shuilen
• Granted Patent: US 9,361,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• 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 2221/031 Protect user input by software means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks

Abstract

A method for modifying access rights to electronically stored tiles linked in a draft electronic communication stored at a client device includes receiving, at a server from the client device, information relating to a plurality of recipients of the draft electronic communication, information relating to a sender of the draft electronic communication, and a first link, where the first link represents a first file. The method further includes determining, at the server, for the sender and for each recipient in the plurality of recipients, the access rights to the first file. The method further includes generating, at the server, a plurality of options for the sender to modify the access rights for the plurality of recipients, where the plurality of options is based on the access rights to the first file, and sending the plurality of options from the server to the client device.

Claims

1. A method for modifying access rights to electronically stored files linked in a draft electronic communication stored at a client device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server from the client device;

information relating to a plurality of recipients of the draft electronic communication,

information relating to a sender, at the client device, of the draft electronic communication, and

a first link representative of a first file;

determining, at the server, for the sender and for each recipient in the plurality of recipients, the access rights to the first file;

generating, at the server, a plurality of options for the sender to modify the access rights for the plurality of recipients, wherein the plurality of options is based on the access rights to the first file;

sending the plurality of options from the server to the client device;

receiving, from the client device, a selection by the sender of one of the plurality of options; and

modifying, based on the selection, the access rights to the first file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the plurality of recipients comprises each recipient'"'"'s e-mail address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the sender includes the sender'"'"'s e-mail address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first file includes an access control list and the determining includes searching the access control list for the sender and the plurality of recipients.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the access rights of the first file includes the sender'"'"'s access rights to the first file.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the access rights of the first file includes each recipient'"'"'s access rights to the first file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the access rights of the first file includes a visibility of the first file.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of options comprises changing the visibility of the first file.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of options includes adding the plurality of recipients to an access control list.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the server:

receives, from a browser of the client device, the information relating to the plurality of recipients;

receives, from the browser, the information relating to the sender;

sends the plurality of options to the browser; and

receives the sender'"'"'s selection from the browser.

10. (canceled)

11. A method for modifying access rights to electronically stored files linked in a draft electronic communication stored at a client device, the method comprising:

detecting, at the client device, the insertion of a first link into the draft electronic communication, wherein the first link represents a first file;

sending, from the client device to a server, information relating to a plurality of recipients of the draft electronic communication, information relating to a sender of the draft electronic communication, and the first link;

receiving, at the client device from the server, a plurality of options for modifying the access rights of the plurality of recipients to the first file, wherein the plurality of options is based on the access rights to the first file;

displaying the plurality of options to the sender before the draft electronic communication is sent;

receiving, from the sender, a selection of one of the plurality of options; and

sending, from the client device to the server, the selection.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the information relating to the plurality of recipients includes each recipient'"'"'s e-mail address.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the information relating to the sender includes the sender'"'"'s e-mail address.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the access rights of the first file includes the sender'"'"'s access rights to the first file.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the access rights of the first file includes each recipient'"'"'s access rights to the first file.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the access rights of the first file includes a visibility of the first file.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of options comprises changing the visibility of the first file.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of options includes adding the plurality of recipients to an access control list.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first file is stored on the server.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the client device determines an additional plurality of options for modifying the access rights of the plurality of recipients to the first file.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein the displaying comprises showing a notification window on the client device that displays the plurality of options.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting, at the client device, the insertion of a second link into the draft electronic communication, wherein the second link represents a second file;

sending, from the client device to a server, information relating to the plurality of recipients, information relating to the sender, the first link, and the second link;

receiving, at the client device from the server, a revised plurality of options for modifying the access rights of the plurality of recipients to the first file and the second file, wherein the revised plurality of options is based on the access rights to the first file and the second file; and

displaying the revised plurality of options to the sender before the draft electronic communication is sent.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein the displaying is performed when the sender attempts to send the draft electronic communication.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the detecting, sending, and receiving is performed when the sender adds an additional recipient to the plurality of recipients.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the detecting, sending, and receiving is performed when the sender removes a recipient from the plurality of recipients.

26. A system for modifying access rights to electronically stored files linked in a draft electronic communication, the system comprising:

a communication connection connecting a client device to a server; and

the server, wherein the server is configured to;

receive, from the client device through the communication connection;

information relating to a plurality of recipients of the draft electronic communication,

information relating to a sender of the draft electronic communication, and

a first link, representative of a first file;

determine, for the sender and for each recipient in the plurality of recipients, the access rights to the first file;

generate a plurality of options for the sender to modify the access rights for the plurality of recipients, wherein the plurality of options is based on the access rights to the first file;

send the plurality of options from the server to the client device through the communication connection;

receive, from the client device, a selection by the sender of one of the plurality of options; and

modify, based on the selection, the access rights to the first file.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the first file has an access control list and the determining includes searching the access control list for the sender and the plurality of recipients.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the access rights of the first file includes the sender'"'"'s access rights to the first file.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the access rights of the first file includes each recipient'"'"'s access rights to the first file.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the access rights of the first file includes a visibility of the first file.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the plurality of options comprises changing the visibility of the first file.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the plurality of options includes adding the plurality of recipients to an access control list.

37. The system of claim 26, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive, from a browser of the client device, the information relating to the plurality of recipients;

receive, from the browser, the information relating to the sender;

send the plurality of options to the browser; and

receive the sender'"'"'s selection from the browser.

33. (canceled)

34. A user interface for modifying access rights to electronically stored files linked in a draft electronic communication stored at a client computer, the user interface comprising:

a drafting window for a sender to compose the draft electronic communication to a plurality of recipients, wherein the drafting window allows the sender to insert a plurality of links and wherein the plurality of links represents a plurality of files stored on a server;

a notification window for presenting the sender with a plurality of options for modifying the access rights of the plurality of recipients to the plurality of files, wherein the plurality of options is based on the access rights to the plurality of files;

a selection area within the notification window for the sender to choose a first option from the plurality of options; and

a warning area within the notification window for notifying the sender when the plurality of recipients do not have full access rights to the plurality of documents.

35. The user interface of claim 34, wherein the warning area also notifies the sender when the sender'"'"'s ability to modify the access rights to at least one file in the plurality of files is limited.