Apparatus and methods for use of access tokens in an internet document management system

• US 6,314,425 B1
• Filed: 08/17/1999
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Critical Path Incorporated (Synchronoss Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Serbinis, M. Michael, Chrapko, Evan V
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Hosain T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALAM, SHAHID AL
• Application Number:
  US09/375,908
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/513, 707/103, 707/104, 707/552, 707/1, 705/26, 705/27, 705/8, 709/218, 709/217, 709/226, 709/206, 709/207, 709/224, 709/238, 713/200, 713/201, 345/331, 710/129, 711/121, 711/122, 358/468, 358/442
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• 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: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

An Internet-based document management system and methods are provided wherein access to the system and its services may be controlled through use of access tokens. The Internet-based document management system allows an electronic document to be stored on an Internet-accessible server and accessed using a previously known web browser, downloaded for review or manipulation, and then returned to the server for access by further users. The server is programmed to generate and validate access tokens and provide a plurality of services supported by a common database and document store, including storage and retrieval services, an electronic document delivery service, a document distribution service, a collaborative file sharing service and a workflow service. The system preferably also is programmed with a security function, a filtering function, accounting functions that enable detailed accounting of transactions occurring on the system, and a customization function that permits multiple service providers to utilize the common document management services of a server, while presenting end-users with distinct dedicated websites.

Claims

1. An Internet-based document management system comprising:

an Internet-based store for storing an electronic document;

a database including a document table for storing information about the electronic document;

a user table for storing information about users of the Internet-based document management system;

a security information table for storing information about access tokens; and

a transaction table that stores information about transactions performed on the electronic document;

a server connected to the Internet-based store and the database, the server programmed to receive the document from a remote computer using an Internet protocol and store the document in the Internet-based store, the server programmed to provide a plurality of services supported by the database and to generate and validate access tokens; and

a notification server connected to the server, the notification server generating and dispatching notifications comprising the access tokens.

2. The Internet-based document management system of claim 1 wherein the access token comprises a timestamp.

3. The Internet-based document management system of claim 1 wherein the access tokens are used to control a user'"'"'s access to the plurality of services.

4. The Internet-based document management system of claim 1 wherein the access tokens are used to control a user'"'"'s access to the electronic document.

5. The Internet-based document management system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of services comprises at least a document storage and retrieval service and an electronic document delivery service.

6. The Internet-based document management system of claim 5 wherein the plurality of services further comprises a collaborative file sharing service.

7. The Internet-based document management system of claim 1 wherein the server is programmed to filter the electronic document before storing the document in the Internet-based store.

8. The Internet-based document management system of claim 7 wherein the filter provides one or more of:

compression, decompression, encryption, decryption, translation, and formatting.

9. The Internet-based document management system of claim 5 wherein the document management system provides a customization function wherein a user is presented with corporate information corresponding to one of a plurality of service providers employing the document management system.

10. The Internet-based document management system of claim 1 wherein the database further comprises an account information table including accounting data, and the server is programmed to apply the accounting data to the information stored in the transaction table to determine a price reflecting usage of the document management system.

11. A method of providing Internet-based document management comprising:

providing an Internet-based store, a database, a server connected to the Internet-based store and the database, and a notification server connected to the server;

accepting a connection from a first remote computer to the server using an Internet protocol;

receiving an uploaded electronic document from the first remote computer to the server using an Internet protocol;

generating a record in a document table of the database to store information about the electronic document;

generating a record in a user table of the database to store information about users of the electronic document;

generating a record in a transaction table of the database to store information about transactions performed on the electronic document;

generating an access token;

generating a record in a security information table of the database to store information about the access token;

storing the electronic document in the Internet-based store;

accepting a connection from a second remote computer to the server using an Internet protocol;

providing to the second remote computer a plurality of document management services supported by the database; and

providing to the second remote computer a notification comprising the access token.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the access token comprises a timestamp.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the access token is used to limit a user'"'"'s access to the plurality of document management services.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the access token is used to limit a user'"'"'s access to the electronic document.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein providing to the second remote computer a plurality of document management services supported by the database comprises providing at least a document storage and retrieval service and an electronic document delivery service.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein providing to the second remote computer a plurality of document management services supported by the database further comprises providing a collaborative file sharing service.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising filtering the electronic document before storing the document in the Internet-based store.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein filtering the electronic document comprises one or more of applying:

compression, decompression, encryption, decryption, translation and formatting to the electronic document.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing a customization function wherein a user is presented with corporate information corresponding to one of a plurality of service providers employing the document management system.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the database further comprises an account information table including accounting data, the method further comprising applying the accounting data to the record in the transaction table to determine a price.