SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PERMISSIONING REMOTE FILE ACCESS VIA PERMISSIONED LINKS

• US 20110131633A1
• Filed: 12/01/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AWES Me Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SmugMug Incorporated
• Inventors: MacAskill, Chris, MacAskill, Don, Strong, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 9,195,843 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/4
• 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 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links

Abstract

Permissioned links for a novel method of credentialing users and assigning permissions to the user using the link to access repositories holding or intended to hold digital files. The permissioned links comprise a unique identifier that can be correlated to a specific repository of digital files and permission set. Users using the permissioned links for access need not enter a login or password. Moreover, permissioned links are portable, allowing multiple users to access the repository of digital files using the same permissioned link.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one computer making a repository of digital files available to a remote user, the repository of digital files being accessible from remote locations, the repository being permissioned with a set of permissions by an owner of the repository, wherein the owner communicates to the user a permissioned link that is created upon the repository being permissioned;

a permissioned link database having a table therein correlating a uniform resource indicator (URI) of the permissioned link with the set of permissions, the set of permissions defining access permissions for use of the digital files in the repository;

a communicator for receiving from the user the permissioned link and for communicating digital files to at least the user based on the set of permissions associated with the permissioned link;

wherein the device allows any user requesting access to the repository with the permissioned link to access the repository according to the permissions in the permission set.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the repository is permissioned with a second set of permissions by the owner of the repository, the second set of permissions being different from the set of permissions;

wherein the owner communicates to an entity a second permissioned link that is created upon the repository being permissioned with the second set of permissions;

wherein the entity is the user or a second user.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the set of permissions and the second set of permissions are both created when the repository is created.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the repository exists in conjunction with an event.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the event comprises at least one sub-event, each sub-event being a repository,

wherein each sub-event can inherit the permissions of the repository or be separately permissioned.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the repository contains only sub-events and does not contain digital files.

7. A method comprising:

permitting a first user to cause creation of repository, wherein the first user chooses a set of permissions to be associated with a permissioned link that can be used to remotely access the repository;

causing transmission of a communication containing the permissioned link to a second user;

receiving from the second user a request to access files associated with the permissioned link;

resolving the permissioned link by correlated the permissioned link with the set of permissions; and

permitting the second user to access the content associated with the permissioned link according to the permissions in the set of permissions;

wherein the permissioned link comprises at least a unique identifier.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising permitting any third user to access the content associated with the permissioned link according to the permissions in the set of permissions if the permissioned link is received from the third user.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising permitting the first user to choose a second set of permissions to be associated with a second permissioned link that can be used to remotely access the repository, the second set of permissions being different from the first set of permissions;

causing transmission of a communication containing the second permissioned link to an entity;

receiving a request to access files associated with the permissioned link;

resolving the permissioned link by correlating the permissioned link with the second set of permissions;

permitting access to the content associated with the second permissioned link according to the permission in the second set of permissions;

wherein the second permissioned link comprises at least a unique identifier;

wherein the entity is the second user or another user.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the repository is a component of an event, and wherein each event comprises at least one sub-event, the sub-event being a repository of files.

11. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon comprising:

permitting a first user to cause creation of repository, wherein the first user chooses a set of permissions to be associated with a permissioned link that can be used to remotely access the repository;

causing transmission of a communication containing the permissioned link to a second user;

receiving from the second user a request to access files associated with the permissioned link;

resolving the permissioned link by correlated the permissioned link with the set of permissions; and

permitting the second user to access the content associated with the permissioned link according to the permissions in the set of permissions;

wherein the permissioned link comprises at least a unique identifier.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising permitting any third user to access the content associated with the permissioned link according to the permissions in the set of permissions if the permissioned link is received from the third user.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising permitting the first user to choose a second set of permissions to be associated with a second permissioned link that can be used to remotely access the repository, the second set of permissions being different from the first set of permissions;

causing transmission of a communication containing the second permissioned link to an entity;

receiving a request to access files associated with the permissioned link;

resolving the permissioned link by correlating the permissioned link with the second set of permissions;

permitting access to the content associated with the second permissioned link according to the permission in the second set of permissions;

wherein the second permissioned link comprises at least a unique identifier;

wherein the entity is the second user or another user.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the repository is a component of an event, and wherein each event comprises at least one sub-event, the sub-event being a repository of files.