Internet-based shared file service with native PC client access and semantics
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for providing multi-user file storage comprising the steps of:
- (a) enabling each user of a pre-subscribed user group of one or more users to operate an arbitrary client node at an arbitrary geographic location to communicate with a remote file server node via a wide area network,(b) enabling each user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the files of the file group via the respective client node in communication with the remote file server node via the wide area network, including permitting, when the pre-subscribed user group includes at least two users, more than one user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the file group at the remote file server node simultaneously, and(c) maintaining the integrity of the files at the remote file server node by controlling each access to each of the files at the remote file server node so that each access to each of the files at the remote file server is performed, if at all, on a respective portion of the respective file as most recently updated at the remote file server node, wherein the respective portion is less than all of the respective file, thereby enabling all native operating system application programming interfaces to operate so that all multi-user applications accessing the files function as if the remote server, which stores the files, and client nodes, at which such multi-user applications execute, were on the same local area network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-user file storage service and system enables each user of a user group to operate an arbitrary client node at an arbitrary geographic location to communicate with a remote file server node via a wide area network. More than one user of the user group is permitted to access the file group at the remote file server node simultaneously, but the integrity of the files is maintained by controlling access so that each access to one of the files at the remote file server is performed, if at all, on a respective portion of that file as most recently updated at the remote file server node.
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Citations
134 Claims
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1. A method for providing multi-user file storage comprising the steps of:
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(a) enabling each user of a pre-subscribed user group of one or more users to operate an arbitrary client node at an arbitrary geographic location to communicate with a remote file server node via a wide area network, (b) enabling each user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the files of the file group via the respective client node in communication with the remote file server node via the wide area network, including permitting, when the pre-subscribed user group includes at least two users, more than one user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the file group at the remote file server node simultaneously, and (c) maintaining the integrity of the files at the remote file server node by controlling each access to each of the files at the remote file server node so that each access to each of the files at the remote file server is performed, if at all, on a respective portion of the respective file as most recently updated at the remote file server node, wherein the respective portion is less than all of the respective file, thereby enabling all native operating system application programming interfaces to operate so that all multi-user applications accessing the files function as if the remote server, which stores the files, and client nodes, at which such multi-user applications execute, were on the same local area network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for providing multi-user file storage comprising the steps of:
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(a) enabling each user of a pre-subscribed user group of one or more users operating an arbitrary client node at an arbitrary geographic location to communicate with said remote file server node via a wide area network, (b) enabling each user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the files of the file group via the respective client node in communication with the remote file server node via the wide area network, including permitting, when the pre-subscribed user group includes at least two users, more than one user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the file group at the remote file server node simultaneously, and (c) providing an interface for adapting file access at a particular client node by designating at the particular client node each accessible file of the file group as stored on a virtual storage device, and enabling access to the designated files in a fashion which is indistinguishable, by users of, and applications executing at, the particular client node, with access to one or more files stored on a physical storage device that is locally present at the particular client node. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. A method for providing multi-user file storage comprising the steps of:
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(a) enabling each user of a pre-subscribed user group of one or more users operating an arbitrary client node at an arbitrary geographic location to communicate with a remote file server node via a wide area network, (b) enabling each user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the files of the file group via the respective client node in communication with the remote file server node via the wide area network, including permitting, when the pre-subscribed user group includes at least two users, more than one user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the file group at the remote file server node simultaneously, (c) transferring an encrypted key from the remote file server node to a particular client node via a secure channel, the encrypted key being encrypted using an encryption function not known locally at the remote file server, the key being decryptable using a decryption function not known locally at the remote file server node, (d) decrypting the transferred key at the particular client node, and (e) using the key at the particular client node to decrypt information of a file downloaded from the remote file server node or to encrypt information of a file prior to uploading for storage at the remote file server node. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A system for providing multi-user file storage comprising:
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a remote file server node for enabling each user of a pre-subscribed user group of one or more users to operate an arbitrary client node at an arbitrary geographic location to communicate with a remote file server node via a wide area network, a storage device at the remote file server node for enabling each user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the files of the file group via the respective client node in communication with the remote file server node via the wide area network, including permitting, when the pre-subscribed user group includes at least two users, more than one user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the file group at the remote file server node simultaneously, and wherein the remote file server node is also for maintaining the integrity of the files at the remote file server node by controlling each access to each of the files at the remote file server node so that each access to each of the files at the remote file server is performed, if at all, on a respective portion of the respective file as most recently updated at the remote file server node, wherein the respective portion is less than all of the respective file, thereby enabling all native operating system application programming interfaces to operate so that all multi-user applications accessing the files function as if the remote server, which stores the files, and client nodes, at which such multi-user applications execute, were on the same local area network. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105)
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106. A system for providing multi-user file storage comprising:
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a specific client node at an arbitrary geographic location, usable by a user of a pre-subscribed user group for communicating with a remote file server node via a wide area network, the remote file server enabling each user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the files of the file group via the respective client node in communication with the remote file server node via the wide area network, including permitting, when the pre-subscribed user group includes at least two users, more than one user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the file group at the remote file server node simultaneously, and an interface for adapting file access at the specific client node by designating at the specific client node each accessible file of the file group as stored on a virtual storage device, and enabling access to the designated files in a fashion which is indistinguishable, by users of, and applications executing at, the specific client node, with access to one or more files stored on-a physical storage device that is locally present at the specific client node. - View Dependent Claims (107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129)
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130. A system for providing multi-user file storage comprising:
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a remote file server node for enabling each user of a pre-subscribed user group of one or more users operating an arbitrary client node at an arbitrary geographic location to communicate with a remote file server node via a wide area network, a storage device at the remote file server node for enabling each user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the files of the file group via the respective client node in communication with the remote file server node via the wide area network, including permitting, when the pre-subscribed user group includes at least two users, more than one user of the pre-subscribed user group to access the file group at the remote file server node simultaneously, and a particular client node, wherein the remote file server node is also configured for transferring an encrypted key from the remote file server node to a particular client node via a secure channel, the encrypted key being encrypted using an encryption function not known locally at the remote file server node, the key being decryptable using a decryption function not known locally at the remote file server node, and wherein the particular client node is also configured for decrypting the transferred key at the particular client node, and for using the key at the particular client node to decrypt information of a file downloaded from the remote file server node or to encrypt information of a file prior to uploading for storage at the remote file server node. - View Dependent Claims (131, 132, 133, 134)
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Specification