System and method for sharing items in a computer system
First Claim
1. A method of sharing a plurality of items stored on a user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the plurality of items are arranged according to a physical file system structure of an operating system, the method comprising:
- storing a plurality of items on a user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the plurality of items are arranged according to a physical file system structure of an operating system located on the user'"'"'s computing device;
storing in the operating system one or more values corresponding to operating system properties for each of the plurality of items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device;
creating via the operating system a data object corresponding to a virtual folder representing one or more of the plurality of items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the virtual folder comprises a location-independent view that exposes said one or more items, and further wherein the location-independent view is based on metadata associated with the one or more items;
displaying via the operating system the data object corresponding to the virtual folder representing one or more of the plurality of items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device, wherein said virtual folder is navigable according to one or more arbitrary parameters independent of the physical file system structure;
receiving via the operating system a user request to share one or more of the plurality of items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device that are represented by the virtual folder with one or more sharees, wherein sharing the one or more items comprises allowing the one or more sharees direct access to the user'"'"'s computing device on which the one or more items are stored; and
setting permissions on the one or more shared items that are represented by the virtual folder to provide the one or more sharees direct access to said shared items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device, wherein setting permissions comprises;
verifying that an operating system file share exists from which a first shared item represented by the virtual folder can be accessed remotely; and
if an operating system file share exists, setting an operating system permission property on the operating system file share, wherein the operating system permission property is set so as to allow the one or more sharees access to the first shared item represented by the virtual folder.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for sharing items. A sharer may choose to share individual items, such as documents, contacts, and e-mails. To begin the sharing process, a user selects the items that are to be shared. The user then selects the sharees who the items are to be shared with, and the permissions that are to be assigned to the sharees. When items are to be shared, they are left in place on the sharer'"'"'s machine, while the system ensures that the permissions are set, and any security issues are handled so that the sharees are able to access the items. In addition, the details of the sharing transactions may be tracked and recorded for later review. The sharer may also have the system send a link to the sharee for directly accessing the shared items from the sharer'"'"'s machine. The sharee may also be able to query the sharer'"'"'s machine to see what the sharer has shared out with the sharee.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method of sharing a plurality of items stored on a user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the plurality of items are arranged according to a physical file system structure of an operating system, the method comprising:
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storing a plurality of items on a user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the plurality of items are arranged according to a physical file system structure of an operating system located on the user'"'"'s computing device; storing in the operating system one or more values corresponding to operating system properties for each of the plurality of items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device; creating via the operating system a data object corresponding to a virtual folder representing one or more of the plurality of items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the virtual folder comprises a location-independent view that exposes said one or more items, and further wherein the location-independent view is based on metadata associated with the one or more items; displaying via the operating system the data object corresponding to the virtual folder representing one or more of the plurality of items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device, wherein said virtual folder is navigable according to one or more arbitrary parameters independent of the physical file system structure; receiving via the operating system a user request to share one or more of the plurality of items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device that are represented by the virtual folder with one or more sharees, wherein sharing the one or more items comprises allowing the one or more sharees direct access to the user'"'"'s computing device on which the one or more items are stored; and setting permissions on the one or more shared items that are represented by the virtual folder to provide the one or more sharees direct access to said shared items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device, wherein setting permissions comprises; verifying that an operating system file share exists from which a first shared item represented by the virtual folder can be accessed remotely; and if an operating system file share exists, setting an operating system permission property on the operating system file share, wherein the operating system permission property is set so as to allow the one or more sharees access to the first shared item represented by the virtual folder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. One or more computer readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a user'"'"'s computing device comprising an operating system, perform a method of sharing a plurality of items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the plurality of items are arranged according to a physical file system structure of the operating system, the method comprising:
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storing a plurality of items on a user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the plurality of items are arranged according to a physical file system structure of an operating system located on the user'"'"'s computing device; storing in the operating system one or more values corresponding to operating system properties for each of the plurality of items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device; displaying via the operating system a data object corresponding to a virtual folder representing one or more of the plurality of items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the virtual folder comprises a location-independent view that exposes said one or more items, and further wherein the location-independent view is based on metadata associated with the one or more items; providing an option for toggling between the location-independent view and a physical location-dependent view corresponding to the physical file system structure of the operating system located on the user'"'"'s computing device; receiving via the operating system a user request to share one or more of the items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device that are represented by the virtual folder with one or more sharees, wherein sharing the one or more items comprises allowing the one or more sharees direct access to the user'"'"'s computing device on which the one or more items are stored; and setting permissions on the one or more shared items that are represented by the virtual folder to provide the one or more sharees direct access to said one or more shared items without moving the one or more items from the user'"'"'s computing device, wherein setting permissions comprises; verifying that an operating system file share exists from which a first shared item represented by the virtual folder can be accessed remotely; and if an operating system file share exists, setting an operating system permission property on the operating system file share, wherein the operating system permission property is set so as to allow the one or more sharees access to the first shared item represented by the virtual folder. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of sharing items stored on a user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the items are arranged according to a physical file system structure of an operating system located on the user'"'"'s computing device, the method comprising:
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storing a plurality of items on a user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the plurality of items are arranged according to a physical file system structure of an operating system located on the user'"'"'s computing device; identifying a virtual folder representing one or more of the plurality of items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device; receiving at the operating system a request to share one or more of the items represented by the virtual folder with one or more sharees, wherein sharing the one or more items comprises allowing the one or more sharees direct access to the user'"'"'s computing device on which the one or more items are stored; and in response to the sharing request, setting by the operating system user-access permissions on the one or more shared items on the user'"'"'s computing device, the user-access permissions designating permission levels for the one or more sharees on the one or more shared items, wherein setting the operating system user-access permissions comprises; verifying that one or more operating system file shares exist from which the one or more shared items represented by the virtual folder can be accessed remotely; and setting permissions on the one or more operating system file shares to allow the one or more sharees to access the shared items represented by the virtual folder. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. One or more computer readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a user'"'"'s computing device comprising an operating system, perform a method of sharing items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the items are arranged according to a physical file system structure of the operating system, the method comprising:
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storing a plurality of items on a user'"'"'s computing device, wherein the plurality of items are arranged according to a physical file system structure of an operating system located on the user'"'"'s computing device; identifying a virtual folder comprising representations of one or more of the items stored on the user'"'"'s computing device; receiving at the operating system a request to share one or more of the items represented by the virtual folder with one or more sharees, wherein sharing the one or more items comprises allowing the one or more sharees direct access to the user'"'"'s computing device on which the one or more items are stored; and in response to the sharing request, setting by the operating system user-access permissions on the one or more shared items on the user'"'"'s computing device, the user-access permissions designating permission levels for the one or more sharees on the one or more shared items, wherein setting the operating system user-access permissions comprises; verifying that one or more operating system file shares exist from which the one or more shared items represented by the virtual folder can be accessed remotely; and setting permissions on the one or more operating system file shares to allow the one or more sharees to access the shared items represented by the virtual folder. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification