Remote access and retrieval of electronic files

• US 7,398,298 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DataCloud Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koch, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NEURAUTER, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US11/690,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168439A1
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99956 File allocation

Abstract

A system and methods for remotely accessing, retrieving, and transmitting data offering remote data management control and verification of data delivery is provided. In an illustrative implementation, the present invention comprises a computing application operating on at least one computer server that cooperates with at least one communications network to which participating users have access. The exemplary computing application coordinates the delivery of desired data its corresponding data directory structure information to participating users over the communications network. The present invention further provides notification of delivery of data to intended targets using the communications network.

Claims

1. A system for providing remote control of data directory structures across at least one communications network, comprising:

a computer server, the computer server coupled to the communications network;

a remote data directory structure management computing application, the remote data directory structure management computing application operating on the computer server to process received requests for remote data directory management of desired data residing in directory structures by participating users; and

a profile data store comprising information relating to the data and data directory structures accessible to each of the participating users, wherein the profile data store is queried for the data directory structures accessible to each of the participating users, wherein further a single directory structure from among a plurality of the data directory structures associated with the profile data store is selected by each of the participating users for modification.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one client computing device, the client computing device operably coupled to the communications network to transmit and receive data.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the client computing device comprises a wireless computing device.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the wireless computing device comprises any of:

a mobile telephone, a pager, a wireless access protocol (WAP) device, a wireless personal digital assistant (PDA), a pocket-PC, and a wirelessly enable personal computer.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the remote data directory structure management computing application comprises a computing application processing and storage area and a computing application display area.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein the communications network comprises a combination of any of:

a wireless LAN, a fixed wire LAN, a wireless WAN, a fixed wire WAN, a wireless intranet, a fixed wire intranet, a wireless extranet, a fixed wire extranet, a wireless peer-to-peer network, a fixed wire peer-to-peer network, a central office, a public switch telephone network (PSTN), a voice provider communications network, the Internet, and the wireless Internet.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the communications network comprises any of:

a wireless LAN, a fixed wire LAN, a wireless WAN, a fixed wire WAN, a wireless intranet, a fixed wire intranet, a wireless extranet, a fixed wire extranet, a wireless peer-to-peer network, a fixed wire peer-to-peer network, a central office, a public switch telephone network (PSTN), a voice provider communications network, the Internet, and the wireless Internet.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the computer server comprises a Web server.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one data store, the data store housing data used to realize remote access and management.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one data store comprises any of:

a user ID data store, a data files data store, and the profile data store.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the at least one data store comprises a combination of any of:

the user ID data store, the data files data store, and the profile data store.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein delivering the user requested data and sending a confirmation of the delivery is accomplished via e-mail.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote data directory structure management computing application determines if user requested data is accessible based on the information in the profile data store and, if so, delivering the user requested data and sending a confirmation of the delivery.

13. A method for providing remote data directory structure management across at least one communications network comprising:

receiving at least one request by a computing application operating on a computer server over the communications network for remote management control of data directory structures from participating users offered through a computing device coupled to the communications network;

processing the request to provide the remote management control over the data directory structures by providing data directory structure information if deemed accessible from data stored in a profile store relating to the data and data directory structures accessible to each of the participating users, the profile data store being queried for the data directory structures accessible to each of the participating users, wherein a single directory structure from among a plurality of the data directory structures associated with the profile data store is selected by each of the participating users for modification;

delivering desired data and the remote management control over the desired data to identified delivery targets by the computing application over the communications network;

generating at least one notification of the delivery of the desired data to the identified delivery targets upon the delivery of the desired data to the identified delivery targets;

determining if user requested data is accessible based on the information in the profile data store; and

delivering the user requested data and sending a confirmation of the delivery.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein delivering the user requested data and sending a confirmation of the delivery is accomplished via e-mail.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the profile data store provides an e-mail address.

17. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions to perform the steps recited in claim 13.

18. A system providing remote management of data directory structures across at least one communications network comprising:

at least one computer server, the computer server operably coupled to the communications network;

at least one client computing device, the client computing device operably coupled to the communications network;

a computing application, the computing application having processing rules to process requests for remote management of data directory structures, the requests originating from the at least one client computing device and comprising a request for desired data found in a corresponding data directory structure, wherein the computing application provides control over data directory structures to participating users; and

a profile data store comprising information relating to the data and data directory structures accessible to each of the participating users, wherein the profile data store is queried for the data directory structures accessible to each of the participating users, wherein a single directory structure from among a plurality of the data directory structures associated with the profile data store is selected by each of the participating users for modification, the computing application determining if user requested data is accessible based on the information in the profile data store and, if so, delivering the user requested data and sending a confirmation of the delivery.

19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the communications network comprises a combination of any of:

a wireless LAN, a fixed wire LAN, a wireless WAN, a fixed wire WAN, a wireless intranet, a fixed wire intranet, a wireless extranet, a fixed wire extranet, a wireless peer-to-peer network, a fixed wire peer-to-peer network, a central office, a public switch telephone network (PSTN), a voice provider communications network, the Internet, and the wireless Internet.