Method and system for sharing content files using a computer system and data network

• US 9,660,821 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2014
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pushfor Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Pushfor Ltd.
• Inventors: Safa, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Shiferaw, Eleni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Callahan, Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/303,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20150082386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/116 Details of conversion of file system types or formats
• 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: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1859 adapted to provide push services, e.g. data channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0245 Filtering by information in the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A system for distributing digital content obtained from a variety of sources in a variety of formats is described that utilizes a content distribution system configured to receive and store the content files, convert the content file both into a standardized format file and into a thumbnail file, and associate the content with one or more tags that can signify characteristics or relevant facts about the content file. Users of the system select one or more tags on their remote devices in order that the content distribution system automatically transmit to the remote device thumbnail images of those content files that match the selected tags. Users can then select the thumbnail image in order to cause the system to transmit to the remote device the standardized format version of the content.

Claims

1. A system for distributing document files comprised of a computer server and at least one remote computing device associated with a corresponding at least one viewer operating a viewer program on the remote device, said system comprised of:

a conversion subsystem comprised of logic operating on the server configured to receive a document file and convert the document file into a predetermined image format file that is displayable by the viewer program and a representative thumbnail image file;

a first input subsystem comprised of logic to receive from an author of the received document file at least one content tag data to be associated with the document file and a viewer selection data representing at least one viewer;

a second input subsystem comprised of logic to receive from at least one viewer an at least one channel tag data to be associated with the at least one viewer;

a data storage subsystem comprised of logic comprised of a database configured to persistently store data that associates the received document file with the image format file, the thumbnail image file and the corresponding at least one content tag data, and to persistently store data that associates the at least one channel tag data with the corresponding at least one viewers;

a routing subsystem comprised of logic configured to automatically, select at least one of the at least one viewers by determining using logic whether the at least one content tag data associated with the document file conforms with any of the channel tag data associated with at least one of the at least one viewers, select at least one of the at least one viewer by determining using logic to match the viewer selection data to an at least one viewer; and

, automatically transmit a data message to at least one remote device associated with the selected at least one viewer, the data message being comprised of data comprising the representative thumbnail image;

wherein the routing subsystem is further configured to select a subset of the selected viewers where a restriction condition encoded in the at least one content tag data associated with the document file applies to the channel tag data associated with the viewers comprising the selected subset and in dependence on such determination, prevent transmission of the document file to the remote devices associated with the selected subset of viewers,

wherein the restriction condition is one of;

the channel tag data associated with the selected subset of viewers not including values indicating permission to access the document file, the IP address of the remote computer not being within some predetermined range associated with the document file, and a domain associated with the selected subset of viewers not being associated with a permissible domain associated with the document file.

2. The system of claim 1 where the at least one content tag data associated with the image format file is comprised of data encoding use permissions and the system is further comprised of a security subsystem comprised of logic that verifies whether the selected at least one viewer associated with the remote device is associated with a user permission that conforms to the use permissions comprising the at least one content tag data associated with the image format file and in dependence thereon, either causing or preventing transmission of the data message.

3. The system of claim 1 where the viewing program is comprised of logic and configured to receive the image file from the transmitting subsystem and display it and to prevent the selected at least one viewer from accessing the image format file upon the viewer program detecting a restriction condition.

4. The system of claim 1 where the transmitted data message is not comprised of the image format file and instead is comprised of a hyperlink to a location on the servers, whereby activation of the hyperlink by the selected at least one viewer using the associated remote device causes computer code to be downloaded to the remote device further causing such computer code to operate on the remote device, in order to retrieve and display the image file and prevent the image file from being stored or modified on the remote device.

5. The system of claim 3 where the restriction condition is the expiration of a predetermined amount of time from receiving the request to view the image format file.

6. The system of claim 3 where the restriction condition is:

the remote device is in a restricted location.

7. The system of claim 1 where the image format file is transmitted to the viewer program operating on the associated remote device with data encoding use restrictions in order to cause the viewing program to prevent use of the image format file in violation of the encoded restrictions.

8. The system of claim 7 where the data encoding use restrictions is comprised of one of:

restriction on saving the image format file on the remote device, restriction on further transmitting the image format file, and restriction on viewing the image format file more than a predetermined number of times.

9. The system of claim 1 where the routing subsystem is further configured to interact with a viewing program operating on the remote device in order to receive from the remote device an indicia of identity, and use the received indicia of identity in order to determine if a restriction condition applies to that remote device.

10. The system of claim 1 where the restriction conditions are one of:

restriction on how many views the image format file can have on a single receiving remote device, how long the image format file can be viewed for on a single receiving remote device, causing the image format file to be deleted from the remote device upon being viewed once, limitations on time periods when the image format file may be viewed, and limitations on geographic locations of the remote device where viewing of the image format file is permissible.

11. The system of claim 1 where the received document file is comprised of data representing a text document.

12. A method for distributing document files, executed by a computer system comprised of a computer server, a computing device associated with a document author and at least one remote computing device associated with a corresponding at least one viewer operating a viewer program on the remote device said method-comprised of:

receiving a document file at the server from a device associated with the document'"'"'s author;

converting the received document file into a predetermined image format file that is displayable by the viewer program and a representative thumbnail image;

receiving from the device associated with the author of the document file at least one content tag data to be associated with the document file and a viewer selection data representing at least viewer;

receiving from the at least one remote devices associated with corresponding at least one viewers and at least one channel tag data to be associated with the corresponding at least one viewers;

persistently storing in a database data that associates the document file and the received corresponding at least one content tag data and the representative thumbnail image;

persistently storing in the database at least one channel tag data corresponding to the at least one viewers;

automatically selecting at least one of the at least one viewers by determining using logic whether the at least one content tag data associated with the document file conforms with the at least one channel tag data associated with the at least one viewer, and

automatically selecting at least one viewer by use of the viewer selection data;

automatically transmitting a data message to the remote device associated with the selected at least one viewer, the data message being comprised of data comprising the representative thumbnail image file,

selecting a subset of the selected at least one viewers where a restriction condition encoded in the at least one content tag data associated with the document file applies to the channel tag data associated with the at least one viewer in the subset and in dependence on such selection of the subset, prevent transmission of the document file to the remote devices associated with the selected subset of viewers, and

wherein the restriction condition is one of;

the channel tag data associated with the selected subset of viewers not including values indicating permission to access the document file, the IP address of the remote computer not being within some predetermined range associated with the document file, and a domain associated with the selected subset of viewers not being associated with a permissible domain associated with the document file.

13. The method of claim 12 where the at least one content tag data associated with the image format file is comprised of data encoding use permissions and the method is further comprised of verifying whether the at least one viewer associated with the remote device is associated with a user permission that conforms to the use permissions comprising the at least one first tag data associated with the image format file and in dependence thereon, either causing or preventing transmission of the data message.

14. The method of claim 12 where the method is further comprised of:

the viewing program receiving the image format file from the transmitting subsystem and displaying it and preventing the at least one selected viewer from accessing the image format file upon the viewer program detecting a restriction condition.

15. The method of claim 14 where the restriction condition is one of:

the expiration of a predetermined amount of time from receiving the request to view the image format file and the remote device being in a restricted location.

16. The method of claim 12 where the transmitting step is not comprised of transmitting the image format file and instead is comprised of transmitting data representing a hyperlink to a location on the server, whereby activation of the hyperlink by the selected at least one viewer using the associated remote device causes computer code to be downloaded to the remote device causing such computer code to operate on the remote device, and in operation retrieve and display the image format file and prevent the image format file from being stored or modified on the remote device.

17. The method of claim 12 where the step of transmitting the image format file to the viewer program operating on the associated remote device is further comprised of transmitting data encoding use restrictions in order to cause the viewing program operating on the associated remote device to prevent use of the image format file in violation of the encoded restrictions.

18. The method of claim 17 where the data encoding use restrictions is comprised of one of:

restriction on saving the image format file on the remote device, restriction on further transmitting the image format file, and restriction on viewing the image format file more than a predetermined number of times.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

interacting by the server with the viewing program operating on the remote device, a protocol in order that the server receive an indicia of identity; and

determining by logic using the received indicia of identity if the restriction condition applies to that remote device.

20. The method of claim 12 where the restriction conditions are one of:

restriction on how many views the document file can have on a single receiving remote device, how long the document file can be viewed for on a single receiving remote device, causing the document file to be deleted from the remote device upon being viewed once, limitations on time periods when the document file may be viewed, and limitations on geographic locations of the remote device where viewing of the document file is permissible.

21. The method of claim 12 where the received document file is comprised of data representing a text document.