Managing permissions in a collaborative workspace

• US 8,464,161 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2008
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Giles, Jason D., Han, Alixandra M., Anders, Ulrike A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, RUAY L
• Application Number:
  US12/136,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20090307604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,827 Days
• Field of Search: 715200-277, 715700-867, 700701-866, 709201-229, 705 50- 79, 705/39, 345 30-111, 707/9
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2147 Locking files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An approach for managing permissions in a collaborative workspace involves providing a permissions user interface presentation without loosing a context associated with a collaborative workspace user interface presentation. The permissions user interface presentation visually organizes a set of workspace members into two or more permission level categories. The permissions user interface presentation also allows a user to efficiently add new workspace members from a local system or an alternative system.

Claims

1. A method executed at least in part in a computing device for managing permissions in a network environment, the method comprising:

providing an interactive user interface through a display for enabling one or more users to collaborate on one or more items associated with a collaborative workspace in the network environment, wherein the collaborative workspace defines a linked collection of one or more of;

members, permissions, items, activities, notifications, and messages and wherein items include one or more of;

word processing document items, spreadsheet document items, presentation-related document items, data items, discussion items;

displaying on the display a menu providing a plurality of available functions for interacting with the collaborative workspace provided by the interactive user interface, wherein the available functions include one or more of;

a workspace option, a document option, a people option, and a message option;

displaying on the display a list of users associated with the collaborative workspace on the interactive user interface;

displaying on the display the one or more items associated with the collaborative workspace in an item display portion of the interactive user interface, wherein the workspace stores the items as one or more of;

an actual copy included in the workspace and a virtual copy with a reference pointer pointing to where the items are stored;

enabling a user with administrative rights to add and remove items from the collaborative workspace utilizing a workspace management module;

displaying on the display tasks associated with the collaborative workspace in an activity management module on the interactive user interface for enabling the user with administrative rights to set up tasks for one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace;

displaying on the display a message thread in a discussion management module on the interactive user interface for enabling the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace to exchange messages;

upon detection of a request through an input device from the user with administrative rights to manage permissions for the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace, providing a permissions user interface in a separate window overlapping with the interactive user interface on the display without losing a context associated with the collaborative workspace for enabling the user with administrative rights to specify a permission level of one or more local users associated with the collaborative workspace and to add one or more alternative users associated with one or more alternative systems that are separate from the collaborative workspace to the workspace; and

enabling the user with administrative rights to modify the permission level of one or more users on the displayed list of users through drag-and-drop operations on the permissions user interface on the display.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a permission level assigned to each of the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace, wherein the permission level comprises one or more of;

an owner permission level that identifies one or more owners associated with the collaborative workspace;

an editor permission level that identifies one or more editors who are permitted to make changes to items associated with the collaborative workspace; and

a viewer permission level that identifies one or more viewers who are permitted to view the items associated with the collaborative workspace, but not makes changes to the items associated with the collaborative workspace; and

organizing the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace into groups corresponding to each permission level; and

displaying the groups of one or more users corresponding to each permission level in separate portions on the permissions user interface.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

enabling the user with administrative rights to modify the permission level assigned to a user by selecting on the display the user in a portion of the permissions user interface corresponding to a first permission level and performing a drag-and-drop operation to move the user into a portion of the permissions user interface corresponding to a second permission level.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

enabling the user with administrative rights to modify the permission level assigned to a user by selecting on the display to view additional information for the user in a portion of the permissions user interface corresponding to a first permission level and modifying the additional information to assign a second permission level to the user.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

upon detecting modification of the additional information on the display assigning a second permission level to the user, automatically moving the user from the portion of the permissions user interface corresponding to the first permission level to the portion of the permissions user interface corresponding to the second permission level.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the user with administrative rights to add a new user associated with the network environment to the collaborative workspace by;

receiving a request by the administrating user to add the new user to the collaborative workspace through an input device;

presenting another list of users who are associated with the user with administrative rights within the collaborative environment on the display;

receiving a selection of one or more of the users in the other list of users from the user with administrative rights;

in response to the selection, adding the one or more selected users to the collaborative workspace; and

enabling the user with administrative rights to assign a permission level to the one or more users added to the collaborative workspace.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein adding the one or more selected users to the collaborative workspace further comprises:

displaying a selection option for the user with administrative rights to select a user from the other list of users and to perform a drag-and-drop operation to move the user into a portion of the permissions user interface corresponding to the permission level that the user with administrative rights desires to assign to the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein adding the one or more selected users to the collaborative workspace further comprises:

presenting another list of users who are associated with the user with administrative rights within an alternative system including a social networking system separate from collaborative workspace on the display;

receiving a selection of one or more of the users in the other list of users from the user with administrative rights;

in response to the selection, adding the one or more selected users to the collaborative workspace; and

enabling the user with administrative rights to assign a permission level to the one or more users added to the collaborative workspace.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the other list of users is presented in a separate window overlapping with the interactive user interface and the permissions user interface.

10. A computing device for providing an interactive user interface for managing permissions in a network environment, comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor coupled to the memory, the processor configured to execute;

a workspace management module configured to;

manage set-up and operation of a workspace; and

employ a frontend interface component to present a workspace user interface to a user with administrative rights enabling the user with administrative rights to interact with a collaborative workspace within a context of the network, wherein the administrative rights with respect to the workspace include one or more of;

set up, manage, and terminate the workspace;

an item management module configured to;

enable the user with administrative rights to add and remove items from the collaborative workspace, wherein addition of an item to the collaborative workspace places the item in a shared location to be accessed and acted upon by members of the workspace in a manner defined by respective permissions of the members;

a presentation module coupled to the workspace management module, the presentation module configured to;

display a menu providing a plurality of available functions for interacting with the collaborative workspace provided by the interactive user interface; and

display a list of users associated with the collaborative workspace on the interactive user interface;

a permissions management module coupled to the presentation module, the permissions management module configured to;

manage permissions associated with workspace members;

upon detection of a request from a user with administrative rights to manage permissions for the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace, provide a permissions user interface through the presentation module in a separate window overlapping with the interactive user interface without losing a context associated with the collaborative workspace; and

enable the user with administrative rights to modify a permission level of one or more users through drag-and-drop operations on the permissions user interface;

an interface module configured to;

couple the permissions management module to at least one alternative system; and

enable the permissions management module to interact with the at least one alternative system retrieving a list of the one or more users whose rights are to be modified; and

an activity management module configured to;

enable the user with administrative rights to set up and assign one or more tasks to the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace;

display the one or more tasks assigned to the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace;

provide notifications and alerts regarding the status of the one or more tasks to the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace; and

enable the user with administrative rights to add a new user associated with an alternative system, wherein the alternative system is a processing environment that is physically implemented using a collection of data processing equipment for performing prescribed tests; and

a discussion management module configured to display a message thread for enabling the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace to exchange messages, reply to an existing message, and start a new message thread.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the permissions management module is further configured to:

identify a permission level assigned to each of the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace;

wherein the permission level comprises one or more of;

an owner permission level that identifies one or more owners associated with the collaborative workspace;

an editor permission level that identifies one or more editors who are permitted to make changes to items associated with the collaborative workspace; and

a viewer permission level that identifies one or more viewers who are permitted to view the items of associated with the collaborative workspace, but not makes changes to the items associated with the collaborative workspace; and

organize the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace into groups corresponding to each permission level;

display the groups of one or more users corresponding to each permission level in separate portions on the permissions user interface; and

enable the user with administrative rights to modify the permission level assigned to a user by selecting the user in a portion of the permissions user interface corresponding to a first permission level and performing a drag-and-drop operation to move the user into a portion of the permissions user interface corresponding to a second permission level.

12. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the permissions management module is further configured to:

enable the user with administrative rights to add a new user associated with an email system within the network environment to the collaborative workspace by;

receiving a request by the administrating user to add the new user to the collaborative workspace;

presenting another list of users who are associated with the email system;

receiving a selection of one or more of the users in the other list of users from the user with administrative rights;

in response to the selection, adding the one or more selected users to the collaborative workspace; and

enabling the user with administrative rights to assign a permission level to the one or more users added to the collaborative workspace.

13. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the permissions management module is further configured to:

enable the user with administrative rights to add a new user associated with a social network to the collaborative workspace by;

receiving a request by the administrating user to add the new user to the collaborative workspace;

presenting another list of users who are associated with the social network associated with the user with administrative rights;

receiving a selection of one or more of the users in the other list of users from the user with administrative rights;

in response to the selection, adding the one or more selected users to the collaborative workspace; and

enabling the user with administrative rights to assign a permission level to the one or more users added to the collaborative workspace.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the other list of users is displayed on a panel adjacent to a permission level panel on the permissions user interface.

15. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the permissions management module is further configured to:

display a selection option for the user with administrative rights to sign in to the social network prior to retrieving the other list of users.

16. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the permissions management module is further configured to:

enable the user with administrative rights to import a plurality of new users associated with one of an email system with the network environment and a social network associated with the user with administrative rights to the collaborative workspace through single user interface.

17. A computer-readable memory device with instructions stored thereon for providing an interactive user interface for managing permissions in a collaborative environment, the instructions comprising:

providing an interactive user interface through a display viewable on a plurality of electronic devices accessible over a network for enabling one or more users to collaborate on one or more items associated with a collaborative workspace in the network environment, wherein at least a portion of a functionality and information provided on the interactive user interface are implemented on a local device and at least a portion of a functionality and information provided on the interactive user interface are implemented at a network accessible location;

displaying on the display a menu providing a plurality of available functions for interacting with the collaborative workspace provided by the interactive user interface, wherein the collaborative workspace defines a linked collection of one or more of;

members, permissions, items, activities, notifications, and messages and wherein items include one or more of;

word processing document items, spreadsheet document items, presentation-related document items, data items, discussion items;

displaying on the display a list of users associated with the collaborative workspace on the interactive user interface via a workspace management module;

displaying on the display the one or more items associated with the collaborative workspace in an item display portion of the interactive user interface, wherein the workspace stores the items as one or more of;

an actual copy and a virtual copy with a reference pointer pointing to where the items are stored;

enabling a user with administrative rights to add and remove items from the item display portion utilizing an item management module, wherein addition of an item to the collaborative workspace places the item in a shared location to be accessed and acted upon by members of the workspace in a manner defined by respective permissions of the members;

enabling the user with administrative rights to add a new user associated with an alternative system, wherein the alternative system is a processing environment that is physically implemented using a collection of data processing equipment for performing prescribed tests including an email system and a social network;

displaying on the display one or more tasks assigned to one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace in an activity management module on the interactive user interface and providing notifications to the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace related to the status of the one or more tasks;

displaying on the display a message thread in a discussion management module on the interactive user interface for enabling the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace to exchange messages; and

upon detection of a request through an input device from the user with administrative rights to manage permissions for the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace, providing a permissions user interface in a separate window overlapping with the interactive user interface on the display without losing a context associated with the collaborative workspace;

enabling the user with administrative rights to modify a permission level of one or more users on the displayed list of users through drag-and-drop operations on the permissions user interface by;

identifying a permission level assigned to each of the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace, wherein the permission level comprises one or more of;

an owner permission level that identifies one or more owners associated with the collaborative workspace;

an editor permission level that identifies one or more editors who are permitted to make changes to items associated with the collaborative workspace; and

a viewer permission level that identifies one or more viewers who are permitted to view the items associated with the collaborative workspace, but not makes changes to the items associated with the collaborative workspace; and

organizing the one or more users associated with the collaborative workspace into groups corresponding to each permission level; and

displaying on the display the groups of one or more users corresponding to each permission level in separate portions on the permissions user interface.

18. The computer-readable memory device of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise:

enabling the user with administrative rights to add a new user associated with one of an email system with the network environment and a social network associated with the user with administrative rights to the collaborative workspace by;

receiving a request by the administrating user to add the new user to the collaborative workspace;

presenting another list of users who are associated with one of the email system with the network environment and the social network associated with the user with administrative rights;

receiving a selection of one or more of the users in the other list of users from the user with administrative rights;

in response to the selection, adding the one or more selected users to the collaborative workspace; and

enabling the user with administrative rights to assign a permission level to the one or more users added to the collaborative workspace through a drag-and-drop operation.

19. The computer-readable memory device of claim 17, wherein the instructions further comprise:

enabling the user with administrative rights to sign in to one of the email system and the social network prior to retrieving the other list of users; and

displaying the other list of users on a panel adjacent to a permission level panel on the permissions user interface.