System and method for customized document selection

• US 20050177580A1
• Filed: 02/11/2004
• Published: 08/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Hilbert, David M., Trevor, Jonathan J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,395,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/6272 by registering files or documents with a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices

Abstract

An access server allows secure access to commonly used files stored on multiple file sources from a variety of client devices. The access server stores user identification and password information for each of a variety of file sources. Upon receiving a login request from a user, the access server extracts a list of file sources associated with the user, and accesses each of those sources. The server is then configured to extract a list of most recently used files by the current user as well as information associated with those files. The server presents to the user an interface including links to his most recently used files.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to remotely stored files, the method comprising:

receiving an identifier from a user;

contacting at least one file source associated with the identifier; and

generating a list of at least one recently accessed file from the file source.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the user with an option of printing the file.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving the file from the file source.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the list of at least one recently accessed file comprises receiving a list of at least one recently accessed file on the file source.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the list of at least one recently accessed file comprises:

reading a time of last access for files stored on the file source; and

selecting a file according to its time of last access.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the list of at least one recently accessed file comprises:

determining an application available to the user; and

receiving from the file source a list of at least one file associated with the application.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving changes to a copy of the file; and

transmitting the copy of the file to the file source.

8. A system for providing access to remotely stored files, the system comprising:

a client interface configured to receive an identifier from a user; and

a file selection generator configured to;

contact at least one file source associated with the identifier; and

generate a list of at least one recently accessed file from the file source.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the client interface is further configured to present the user with an option to view the file.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the list of recently accessed files comprises a list of most recently created files.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein generating the list of at least one recently accessed file comprises receiving a list of at least one recently accessed file on the file source.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein generating the list of at least one recently accessed file comprises:

reading a time of last access for files stored on the file source; and

selecting a file according to its time of last access.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein generating the list of at least one recently accessed file comprises:

determining an application available to the user; and

receiving from the file source a list of at least one file associated with the application.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the client interface is configured to receive changes to a copy of the file.

15. A computer program product, stored on a computer readable medium, and including computer executable instructions for controlling a processor to provide access to remotely stored files, the instructions comprising:

receiving an identifier from a user;

contacting at least one file source associated with the identifier; and

generating a list of at least one recently accessed file from the file source.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer code instructions further comprise providing the user with an option of transferring the file to a system of the user or to another location.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the list of at least one recently accessed file comprises a list of most recently modified files.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein generating the list of at least one recently accessed file comprises receiving a list of at least one recently accessed file on the file source.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein generating the list of at least one recently accessed file comprises:

reading a time of last access for files stored on the file source; and

selecting a file according to its time of last access.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein generating the list of at least one recently accessed file comprises:

determining an application available to the user; and

receiving from the file source a list of at least one file associated with the application.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise:

receiving changes to a copy of the file; and

transmitting the copy of the file to the file source.

22. A system for providing access to files, the system comprising:

a file server storing files and a list of at least one recently accessed file; and

an access server configured to;

receive an identifier from a user;

contact the file server in response to receiving the identifier; and

retrieve the list of at least one recently accessed file from the file server.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the access server is further configured to retrieve the recently accessed file from the file server.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the access server is further configured to provide the user with an option of emailing the file to another location.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the file server stores a list of at least one recently used file associated with an application.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein generating the unified list comprises receiving a list of recently used files from a file source.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein generating the unified list comprises:

determining an application available to the user; and

receiving from a file source a list of at least one file associated with the application.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising presenting to the user a startup screen which includes a visual display representing the list of recently accessed files.

26. A method for enabling a user to access and manage files from a plurality of file sources, the method comprising:

receiving an identifier from the user;

contacting at least two file sources; and

generating a unified list of recently accessed files from the at least two file sources.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising presenting the user with an option of faxing a file in the unified list.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising retrieving the file from the file source.

32. A computer program product, stored on a computer readable medium, and including computer executable instructions for controlling a processor to provide access to enable a user to access and manage files from a plurality of file sources, the instructions comprising:

receiving an identifier from a user;

contacting at least two file sources; and

generating a unified list of recently accessed files from the at least two file sources.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the computer code instructions further comprise providing the user with an option of viewing a file.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the computer code instructions further comprise retrieving the file from the file source.

35. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein generating the list of at least one recently accessed file comprises:

determining an application available to the user; and

receiving from the file source a list of at least one file associated with the application.

36. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the instructions urther comprise:

receiving changes to a copy of the file; and

transmitting the copy of the file to the file source.

37. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the instructions further comprise:

receiving changes to a copy of the file; and

transmitting the copy of the file to the file source.

38. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the instructions further comprise presenting to the user a startup screen displaying the unified list.