Internet-based group website technology for content management and exchange (system and methods)

• US 8,353,012 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Alejandro Emilio Del Real
• Inventors: Del Real, Alejandro Emilio
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrishamkar, Kaveh
• Application Number:
  US12/366,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20100162365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 726/4, 709/206, 705/326
• US Class Current: 726/4
• 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: G06F 2221/2117 User registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities

Abstract

System and Methods for implementing a Internet-Based Group Cloud Management System (GCMS) comprised by several Cloud Management System sites (CMS sites), where providing institutions, means for: A) The Creation of the Educational Group comprised by: A1) Community CMS sites for Campuses and/or Groups of Users, A2) Personal CMS Sites for each Faculty, Staff, Student and Alumnus, A3) Project CMS sites for each Project Team. B) Communication within the Educational Group: B1) Among CMS Sites, B2) to e-mail and text-messaging devices. The CMS sites are reachable by their own domain names or sub-domain from the GCMS, and by any search engine. Each CMS site is multi-user and includes its own security system, user-defined and predefined pages for among others, Professional Profile, Web Apps, Virtual Desktop/Apps and Web/Cloud Services. Each CMS site is connected to the GCMS, allowing the Exchange of Information among CMS sites within the GCMS and among GCMS sites.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to cloud management system sites in a group-based cloud management system, comprising the steps of:

defining a plurality of roles, with different roles providing a user with associated respective levels of access to at least one cloud management system site, at least one of the associated respective levels of access having a set of configurable parameters to manage at least one group comprised of at least two cloud management system sites connected on at least one of a separate layer from the system hosting environment, and a system hosting environment;

for each cloud management system site for which the user is to have a level of access, assigning the user one of a plurality of roles;

wherein the set of configurable parameters further comprises the steps of;

the administrator user of the group, connecting at least one cloud management system site to the cloud management system site controlling the group;

the administrator user of the group, disconnecting at least one cloud management system site from the cloud management system site controlling the group;

for each cloud management system site for which the user is to have a level of access, assigning the user one of the roles with levels of access to allow the user to connect the cloud management system site to at least one additional group simultaneously; and

for each cloud management system site for which the user is to have a level of access, assigning the user one of the roles with levels of access to allow the user to disconnect the cloud management system site from at least one group and to continue operating the cloud management system site as stand-alone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein connecting and disconnecting the cloud management system to and from the group, further comprising the steps of:

altering the settings of the cloud management system site associated to the front-end look and feel template;

altering the settings of the cloud management system site associated to the methods of communication and sharing content and data files with at least one other cloud management system site in the group; and

altering the settings of the cloud management system site associated to access to content and data files available in the group.

3. A system for providing to users, access to a plurality of cloud management system sites, comprising:

a server computer in communication with at least one of a user internet-browser device, a user e-mail device, and a user text-messaging device over a network, the server computer comprising;

means for storing a plurality of content and data files associated with at least one generation process of at least one cloud management system site, means for assigning a level of access to and control of each content and data files based on a user of the system'"'"'s predetermined role in a generation process;

means for determining whether access to the content and data files associated with at least one generation process of at least one cloud management system site is authorized;

means for allowing access to and control of the content and data files associated with at least one generation process of at least one cloud management system site, if authorization is granted based on the access level of the user of the system;

means for generating and storing a plurality of content and data files associated with at least one cloud management system site, means for customizing the generation process with the use of customizable templates with predefined content and data files, to create at least one category of cloud management system sites, included within are at least one of a template for community cloud management system sites, a template for personal cloud management system sites, and a template for project cloud management system sites, and respectively associating each of the cloud management system sites created with a user and a user role of the system; and

means for managing at least one group comprised of at least two cloud management system sites connected on at least one of a separate layer from the system hosting environment, and a system hosting environment;

wherein managing at least one group further comprises;

means for storing a plurality of content and data files associated with at least one group management of at least one group of cloud management system sites, means for assigning a level of access to and control of the content and data files based on a user of the system'"'"'s predetermined role in a group management;

means for determining whether access to the content and data files associated with the group management of at least one group of cloud management system sites is authorized;

means for allowing access to and control of the content and data files associated with at least one group management of at least one group of cloud management system sites if authorization is granted based on the access level of the user of the system;

means for allowing access to at least one cloud management system site to be connected to at least one additional group simultaneously, each group controlled by at least one cloud management system site, which grants to another cloud management system site, with the proper authorization to connect;

means for denying access to at least one cloud management system site to connect to a group, the group controlled by at least one cloud management system site and the cloud management system site with denied access, to continue operating as stand-alone;

for each cloud management system site for which the user is to have a level of access, means for assigning the user one of the roles with levels of access to allow the user to connect the cloud management system site to at least one additional group simultaneously;

for each cloud management system site for which the user is to have a level of access, means for assigning the user one of the roles with levels of access to allow the user to disconnect the cloud management system site from at least one group and to continue operating the cloud management system site as stand-alone; and

means for allowing at least one cloud management system site to communicate and share content and data files with at least one other cloud management system site.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein at least one of the generated community cloud management system sites comprise predefined content and data files related to the generation of, and control of, at least one group, further comprising:

means for enrolling users in the community cloud management system site, wherein the users are associated with at least one user role defined in the community cloud management system site;

means for generating at least one cloud management system site based on the user attributes captured when enrolling the user in the community cloud management system site, within the means for selecting the appropriate template and respective electronic subscription payment associated with a user role in the community cloud management system site, wherein this user becomes a subscriber of the cloud management system site generated, which this user will manage and control, and wherein the means of manage and control, there is at least the means of administration of the users and user roles in the site; and

means for communicating and share content and data files with at least one other cloud management system site.