Correcting access rights of files in electronic communications

• US 9,361,473 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Chou Fritz, Victoria Hsiao-tsung, Harris, Jeff Scott, Wu, Sarah Shuilen, Sharp, Phillip, Saviano, Steven Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Zong, Ruolei
• Application Number:
  US13/616,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20150199533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/229, 709/202
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• 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 2221/031 Protect user input by software means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/04 for providing a confidential data exchange among entities communicating through data packet networks

Abstract

A method for modifying access rights to electronically stored files linked in a draft electronic communication stored at a client device includes receiving, at a server from the client device, information relating to a plurality of recipients of the draft electronic communication, information relating to a sender of the draft electronic communication, and a first link, where the first link represents a first file. The method further includes determining, at the server, for the sender and for each recipient in the plurality of recipients, the access rights to the first file. The method further includes generating, at the server, a plurality of options for the sender to modify the access rights for the plurality of recipients, where the plurality of options is based on the access rights to the first file, and sending the plurality of options from the server to the client device.

Claims

1. A method for modifying access rights to electronically stored files linked in a draft electronic communication stored at a client device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a server from the client device in response to a sender inserting a first link representing a first file to the draft electronic communication;

information relating to a plurality of recipients of the draft electronic communication,

information relating to the sender, at the client device, of the draft electronic communication, and

a first link representative of a first file;

determining, at the server, for the sender and for each recipient in the plurality of recipients, the access rights to the first file;

generating, at the server, a plurality of options for the sender to modify the access rights for the plurality of recipients, wherein the plurality of options is based on the access rights to the first file and the plurality of options generated is limited by the access rights of the sender to the first file;

sending the plurality of options from the server to the client device;

receiving, from the client device, a selection by the sender of one of the plurality of options; and

modifying, based on (1) the access rights of the sender and (2) the selection by the sender, the access rights to the first file for at least a subset of the plurality of recipients.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information relating to the plurality of recipients comprises each recipient'"'"'s e-mail address and information relating to the sender includes the sender'"'"'s e-mail address.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first file includes an access control list and the determining includes searching the access control list for the sender and the plurality of recipients.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the access rights of the first file includes the sender'"'"'s access rights to the first file and each recipient'"'"'s access rights to the first file.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the access rights of the first file includes a visibility of the first file.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of options comprises changing the visibility of the first file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of options includes adding the plurality of recipients to an access control list.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein the server:

receives, from a browser of the client device, the information relating to the plurality of recipients;

receives, from the browser, the information relating to the sender;

sends the plurality of options to the browser; and

receives the sender'"'"'s selection from the browser.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a notification to the client device if the selection of the sender is to make a modification that is beyond the access rights of the sender.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the selection by the sender is a request to modify the access rights of the plurality of recipients; and

providing a notification to the client device indicating that the request cannot be fulfilled for at least one recipient outside of the subset of the plurality of recipients.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the selection by the sender is a request to make the file publically accessible, and the notification to the sender indicates that the request cannot be fulfilled because the file is stored on a closed domain and the sender is not associated with the closed domain.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the request is to send the first link to the at least one recipient, and the notification indicates that the access rights of the at least one recipient are changed only by explicitly allowing access to the file.

8. A method for modifying access rights to electronically stored files linked in a draft electronic communication stored at a client device, the method comprising:

detecting, at the client device, the insertion of a first link into the draft electronic communication, wherein the first link represents a first file;

sending, from the client device to a server, information relating to a plurality of recipients of the draft electronic communication, information relating to a sender of the draft electronic communication, and the first link;

receiving, at the client device from the server, a plurality of options for modifying the access rights of the plurality of recipients to the first file, wherein the plurality of options is based on the access rights to the first file and the plurality of options generated is limited by the access rights of the sender to the first file;

displaying the plurality of options to the sender before the draft electronic communication is sent;

receiving, from the sender, a selection of one of the plurality of options; and

sending, from the client device to the server, the selection, wherein (1) the access rights of the sender and (2) the selection by the sender are used to modify the access rights to the first file for at least a subset of the plurality of recipients.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information relating to the plurality of recipients includes each recipient'"'"'s e-mail address and the information relating to the sender includes the sender'"'"'s e-mail address.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the access rights of the first file includes the sender'"'"'s access rights to the first file and each recipient'"'"'s access rights to the first file.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the access rights of the first file includes a visibility of the first file.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of options comprises changing the visibility of the first file.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of options includes adding the plurality of recipients to an access control list.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the client device determines an additional plurality of options for modifying the access rights of the plurality of recipients to the first file.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the displaying comprises showing a notification window on the client device that displays the plurality of options.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

detecting, at the client device, the insertion of a second link into the draft electronic communication, wherein the second link represents a second file;

sending, from the client device to a server, information relating to the plurality of recipients, information relating to the sender, the first link, and the second link;

receiving, at the client device from the server, a revised plurality of options for modifying the access rights of the plurality of recipients to the first file and the second file, wherein the revised plurality of options is based on the access rights to the first file and the second file; and

displaying the revised plurality of options to the sender before the draft electronic communication is sent.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein the displaying is performed when the sender attempts to send the draft electronic communication.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the detecting, sending, and receiving is performed when the sender adds an additional recipient to the plurality of recipients.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the detecting, sending, and receiving is performed when the sender removes a recipient from the plurality of recipients.

32. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing a notification to the client device if the selection of the sender is to make a modification that is beyond the access rights of the sender.

33. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the selection by the sender is a request to modify the access rights of the plurality of recipients; and

providing a notification to the client device indicating that the request cannot be fulfilled for at least one recipient outside of the subset of the plurality of recipients.

20. A system comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, the system for modifying access rights to electronically stored files linked in a draft electronic communication, the system comprising:

a communication connection connecting a client device to a server; and

the server, wherein the server is configured to;

receive, from the client device through the communication connection;

information relating to a plurality of recipients of the draft electronic communication, information relating to a sender of the draft electronic communication, and a first link representative of a first file;

determine, for the sender and for each recipient in the plurality of recipients, the access rights to the first file;

generate a plurality of options for the sender to modify the access rights for the plurality of recipients, wherein the plurality of options is based on the access rights to the first file and the plurality of options generated are limited by the access rights of the sender to the first file;

send the plurality of options from the server to the client device through the communication connection;

receive, from the client device, a selection by the sender of one of the plurality of options; and

modify, based on (1) the access rights of the sender and (2) the selection by the sender, the access rights to the first file for at least a subset of the plurality of recipients.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first file has an access control list and the determining includes searching the access control list for the sender and the plurality of recipients.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the access rights of the first file includes the sender'"'"'s access rights to the first file and each recipient'"'"'s access rights to the first file.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the access rights of the first file includes a visibility of the first file.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of options comprises changing the visibility of the first file.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the plurality of options includes adding the plurality of recipients to an access control list.

27. The system of claim 20, wherein the server is further configured to:

receive, from a browser of the client device, the information relating to the plurality of recipients;

receive, from the browser, the information relating to the sender;

send the plurality of options to the browser; and

receive the sender'"'"'s selection from the browser.

34. The system of claim 20, wherein the server is further configured to provide a notification to the client device if the selection of the sender is to make a modification that is beyond the access rights of the sender.

35. The system of claim 20, wherein the server is further configured to:

determine that the selection by the sender is a request to modify the access rights of the plurality of recipients; and

provide a notification to the client device indicating that the request cannot be fulfilled for at least one recipient outside of the subset of the plurality of recipients.