Method and system for metadata-driven document management and access control

• US 8,131,762 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Smetters, Diana K., Churchill, Elizabeth F., Nelson, Lester D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stevens, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): MYINT, DENNIS Y
• Application Number:
  US13/086,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20110196896A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 707/708, 707/713, 707/781, 707/783, 707/694, 712/216
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2453 Query optimisation

Abstract

A system is provided to facilitate tag-based organization of documents. During operation, the system receives an original user query. The system extends the query to include documents with an IN-tag and exclude documents with an OUT-tag. The system then performs a search based on the extended query to indicate a collection of documents which satisfy the extended query. The system further allows a user to add a document to the collection of documents or remove a document from the collection of documents. Next, the system modifies a tagging property of the document.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating tag-based document access control, the method comprising:

providing at a computer system a user interface to allow a recipient of a document to create an access-control tag that specifies an access-control scheme for a part of the document, wherein the access-control tag comprises;

a condition part that specifies the conditions for enforcing access control policies, and

a policy part that specifies the access control policies to be enforced and specifies the part of the document over which the access control policies are applied; and

applying the access-control scheme at the computer system to the part of the document based on the access-control tag, wherein applying the access-control scheme involves;

issuing a warning in response to receiving a command from the recipient of the document that conflicts with the access-control scheme; and

allowing the recipient of the document to remove the access-control tag.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the access-control tag specifies one or more of:

a time at which the access-control scheme is activated or deactivated; and

a period of time during which the access-control scheme is effective.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the access-control tag specifies an event upon the occurrence of which the access-control scheme is activated or deactivated.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the access-control scheme specifies one or more users or user groups to whom access to the part of the document is denied or allowed.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for facilitating tag-based document access control, the method comprising:

providing at a computer system a user interface to allow a recipient of a document to create an access-control tag that specifies an access-control scheme for a part of the document, wherein the access-control tag comprises;

a condition part that specifies the conditions for enforcing access control policies, and

a policy part that specifies the access control policies to be enforced and specifies the part of the document over which the access control policies are applied; and

applying the access-control scheme at the computer system to the part of the document based on the access-control tag, wherein applying the access-control scheme involves;

issuing a warning in response to receiving a command from the recipient of the document that conflicts with the access-control scheme; and

allowing the recipient of the document to remove the access-control tag.

6. The storage medium of claim 5, wherein the access-control tag specifies one or more of:

a time at which the access-control scheme is activated or deactivated; and

a period of time during which the access-control scheme is effective.

7. The storage medium of claim 5,

wherein the access-control tag specifies an event upon the occurrence of which the access-control scheme is activated or deactivated.

8. The storage medium of claim 5,

wherein the access-control scheme specifies one or more users or user groups to whom access to the part of the document is denied or allowed.

9. A system for facilitating tag-based document access control, the method comprising:

a processor;

a user interface configured to allow a recipient of a document to create an access-control tag that specifies an access-control scheme for a part of the document, wherein the access-control tag comprises;

a condition part that specifies the conditions for enforcing access control policies, and

a policy part that specifies the access control policies to be enforced and specifies the part of the document over which the access control policies are applied; and

an access-control mechanism configured to apply the access-control scheme at the computer system to the part of the document based on the access-control tag, wherein, while applying the access-control scheme, the access-control mechanism is configured to;

issue a warning in response to receiving a command from the recipient of the document that conflicts with the access-control scheme; and

allow the recipient of the document to remove the access-control tag.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the access-control tag specifies one or more of:

a time at which the access-control scheme is activated or deactivated; and

a period of time during which the access-control scheme is effective.

11. The system of claim 9,

wherein the access-control tag specifies an event upon the occurrence of which the access-control scheme is activated or deactivated.

12. The system of claim 9,

wherein the access-control scheme specifies one or more users or user groups to whom access to the part of the document is denied or allowed.