Controlling access to documents using file locks
First Claim
1. A system for controlling access to document files on a document server, the system comprising:
- one or more document files stored on a document server, at least one document file referencing a file lock stored on the document server, wherein the file lock comprises a first file lock that is a shared lock, and wherein the first file lock permits write-access to the at least one document file by a plurality of software applications; and
a document access processing module, the document access processing module comprising;
a file sharing processing module that determines a coauthoring status of a software application of a client computer requesting access to the document file, wherein the coauthoring status indicates whether the software application supports coauthoring; and
a file lock processing module that stores a plurality of file locks, controls the setting and resetting of file locks, and determines a file lock status of the at least one document file, wherein the plurality of file locks comprises at least the first file lock and a second file lock that is an exclusive lock, wherein the second file lock permits exclusive write-access to the at least one document file by a single software application;
wherein the document access processing module uses the coauthoring status of the software application and the file lock status of the at least one document file to determine whether the software application is permitted to have write-access to the at least one document file, and wherein the document access processing module resets the first file lock to the second file lock if the software application supports coauthoring and the at least one document file includes features that do not support coauthoring.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Examples are related to systems and methods for controlling access to document files on a document server. One example system includes document files stored on a document server, at least one of the document files referencing a file lock, and a document access processing module. The example document access processing module includes a file sharing processing module that determines a coauthoring status of a software application of a client computer requesting access to the document file, and a file lock processing module that stores one or more file locks and that controls the setting and resetting of file locks. The example document access processing module uses the coauthoring status of the software application and the file lock status of a document file to determine whether a software application is permitted to have write access to the document file.
295 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for controlling access to document files on a document server, the system comprising:
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one or more document files stored on a document server, at least one document file referencing a file lock stored on the document server, wherein the file lock comprises a first file lock that is a shared lock, and wherein the first file lock permits write-access to the at least one document file by a plurality of software applications; and a document access processing module, the document access processing module comprising; a file sharing processing module that determines a coauthoring status of a software application of a client computer requesting access to the document file, wherein the coauthoring status indicates whether the software application supports coauthoring; and a file lock processing module that stores a plurality of file locks, controls the setting and resetting of file locks, and determines a file lock status of the at least one document file, wherein the plurality of file locks comprises at least the first file lock and a second file lock that is an exclusive lock, wherein the second file lock permits exclusive write-access to the at least one document file by a single software application; wherein the document access processing module uses the coauthoring status of the software application and the file lock status of the at least one document file to determine whether the software application is permitted to have write-access to the at least one document file, and wherein the document access processing module resets the first file lock to the second file lock if the software application supports coauthoring and the at least one document file includes features that do not support coauthoring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for controlling access to document files, the method comprising:
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receiving a request from a software application to access a document file on a server; determining a coauthoring status of the software application; determining a file lock status of the document file, wherein the file lock status comprises one of exclusive and shared, wherein a first file lock is a shared lock that permits write-access to the document file by a plurality of software applications, and wherein a second file lock is an exclusive lock that permits exclusive write-access to the at least one document file by a single software application; permitting write-access to the document file if the software application supports coauthoring and the file lock status permits coauthoring; denying write access to the document file if the software application supports coauthoring but the file lock status does not permit coauthoring; and setting the second file lock if the software application supports coauthoring and the at least one document file includes features that do not support coauthoring. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for controlling access to document files stored on a document server, the method comprising:
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receiving a request at a document server to set a first file lock that designates a document file for shared access by a plurality of software applications, the request being made when the document file is closed, and the request being made independently of a request by a software application of the plurality of software applications to access the document file; setting the first file lock for the document file, the first file lock preventing software applications that do not support coauthoring from writing to the document file; receiving a request from a first software application of the plurality of software applications to access the document file; determining whether the first software application supports coauthoring; permitting write-access to the document file if the first software application supports coauthoring; setting a second lock for the document file if the first software application permits coauthoring, the second lock permitting additional software applications that support coauthoring to have write-access to the document file; denying write-access to the document file if the first software application does not support coauthoring; receiving a request from a second software application of the plurality of software applications to access the document file; determining whether the second software application supports coauthoring; permitting write-access to the document file if the second software application supports coauthoring; and denying write-access to the document file if the second software application does not support coauthoring. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification