Transferring files
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of transferring one or more files comprising:
- connecting to a communications system host;
receiving, from a first client connected to the communications system host, a request from a first user of the first client to transfer one or more files that are stored on a second client to the first client, the second client being connected to the communications system host;
enabling a second user of the second client to perceive the request from the first user;
enabling the second user to accept the request; and
in response to the second user accepting the request;
establishing a direct socket connection between the first client and the second client bypassing the communications system host,communicating to the first client identification information that identifies a group of files available for transfer from the second client to the first client,receiving, from the first client, a selection from the first user of at least one selected file from among the group of files available for transfer, andinitiating the transfer of the at least one selected file from the second client over the direct socket connection to the first client,wherein receiving the request from the first user comprises receiving a request from the first user that identifies the second user of the second client, the request from the first user being generated by the first client in response to the first user inputting an identity of the second user for retrieving one or more files stored on a computer of the second user,further comprising, in response to receiving the request, determining whether an identity of the first user is among a predefined group of identities identified by the second user for manual authorization, the predefined group of identities being a subset of all identities from which requests are expected to be received by the second user, andwherein enabling the second user to perceive and accept the request is conditioned on the identity of the first user being included in the predefined group of identities.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and techniques for transferring one or more files by connecting to a communications system host; sending, to a client connected to the communications system host, a request to transfer one or more files; when a client permits access to the one or more files, establishing a direct socket connection from the client and bypassing the communications system host; and initiating the transfer of the one or more files from the client over the direct socket connection.
77 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A method of transferring one or more files comprising:
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connecting to a communications system host; receiving, from a first client connected to the communications system host, a request from a first user of the first client to transfer one or more files that are stored on a second client to the first client, the second client being connected to the communications system host; enabling a second user of the second client to perceive the request from the first user; enabling the second user to accept the request; and in response to the second user accepting the request; establishing a direct socket connection between the first client and the second client bypassing the communications system host, communicating to the first client identification information that identifies a group of files available for transfer from the second client to the first client, receiving, from the first client, a selection from the first user of at least one selected file from among the group of files available for transfer, and initiating the transfer of the at least one selected file from the second client over the direct socket connection to the first client, wherein receiving the request from the first user comprises receiving a request from the first user that identifies the second user of the second client, the request from the first user being generated by the first client in response to the first user inputting an identity of the second user for retrieving one or more files stored on a computer of the second user, further comprising, in response to receiving the request, determining whether an identity of the first user is among a predefined group of identities identified by the second user for manual authorization, the predefined group of identities being a subset of all identities from which requests are expected to be received by the second user, and wherein enabling the second user to perceive and accept the request is conditioned on the identity of the first user being included in the predefined group of identities. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of transferring one or more files comprising:
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connecting to a communications system host; sending, from a first client connected to the communications system host, a request from a first user of the first client to transfer one or more files that are stored on a second client to the first client, the second client being connected to the communications system host; in response to a second user of the second client perceiving and manually accepting the request; establishing a direct socket connection between the first client and the second client bypassing the communications system host, receiving, from the second client, identification information that identifies a group of files available for transfer from the second client to the first client, enabling the first user to perceive the group of files, receiving from the first user a selection of at least one selected file from among the group of files, communicating, from the first client to the second client, the selection received from the first user, and initiating the transfer of the at least one selected file from the second client over the direct socket connection to the first client, further comprising receiving an input of an identity of the second user from the first user for retrieving one or more files stored on a computer of the second user, wherein sending the request from the first user comprises sending the request in response to the input of the identity of the second user by the first user for retrieving the one or more files, and wherein the establishing of the direct socket connection, the receiving of the identification information, the enabling of the first user to perceive the group of files, the receiving from the first user the selection, the communicating of the selection, and the initiating of the transfer are conditioned on an identity of the first user being determined, in response to the request, to be among a predefined group of identities identified by the second user for manual authorization, the predefined group of identities being a subset of all identities from which requests are expected to be received by the second user. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for transferring one or more files, the apparatus comprising a second client configured to:
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connect to a communications system host; receive, from a first client connected to the communications system host, a request from a first user of the first client to transfer one or more files that are stored on the second client to the first client, the second client being connected to the communications system host; enable a second user of the second client to perceive the request from the first user; enable the second user to accept the request; and in response to the second user accepting the request; establish a direct socket connection between the first client and the second client bypassing the communications system host, communicate to the first client identification information that identifies a group of files available for transfer from the second client to the first client, receive, from the first client, a selection from the first user of at least one selected file from among the group of files available for transfer, and initiate the transfer of the at least one selected file from the second client over the direct socket connection to the first client, wherein receiving the request from the first user comprises receiving a request from the first user that identifies the second user of the second client, the request from the first user being generated by the first client in response to the first user inputting an identity of the second user for retrieving one or more files stored on a computer of the second user, further comprising, in response to receiving the request, determining whether an identity of the first user is among a predefined group of identities identified by the second user for manual authorization, the predefined group of identities being a subset of all identities from which requests are expected to be received by the second user, and wherein enabling the second user to perceive and accept the request is conditioned on the identity of the first user being included in the predefined group of identities. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An apparatus for transferring one or more files, the apparatus comprising a first client configured to:
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connect to a communications system host; send, from the first client connected to the communications system host, a request from a first user of the first client to transfer one or more files that are stored on a second client to the first client, the second client being connected to the communications system host; in response to a second user of the second client perceiving and manually accepting the request; establish a direct socket connection between the first client and the second client bypassing the communications system host, receive, from the second client, identification information that identifies a group of files available for transfer from the second client to the first client, enable the first user to perceive the group of files, receive from the first user a selection of at least one selected file from among the group of files, communicate, from the first client to the second client, the selection received from the first user, and initiate the transfer of the at least one selected file from the second client over the direct socket connection to the first client, further comprising receiving an input of an identity of the second user from the first user for retrieving one or more files stored on a computer of the second user, wherein sending the request from the first user comprises sending the request in response to the input of the identity of the second user by the first user for retrieving the one or more files, and wherein the establishing of the direct socket connection, the receiving of the identification information, the enabling of the first user to perceive the group of files, the receiving from the first user the selection, the communicating of the selection, and the initiating of the transfer are conditioned on an identity of the first user being determined, in response to the request, to be among a predefined group of identities identified by the second user for manual authorization, the predefined group of identities being a subset of all identities from which requests are expected to be received by the second user. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A computer program, stored on a computer readable medium, comprising instructions for:
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connecting to a communications system host; receiving, from a first client connected to the communications system host, a request from a first user of the first client to transfer one or more files that are stored on a second client to the first client, the second client being connected to the communications system host; enabling a second user of the second client to perceive the request from the first user; enabling the second user to accept the request; and in response to the second user accepting the request; establishing a direct socket connection between the first client and the second client bypassing the communications system host, communicating to the first client identification information that identifies a group of files available for transfer from the second client to the first client, receiving, from the first client, a selection from the first user of at least one selected file from among the group of files available for transfer, and initiating the transfer of the at least one selected file from the second client over the direct socket connection to the first client, wherein receiving the request from the first user comprises receiving a request from the first user that identifies the second user of the second client, the request from the first user being generated by the first client in response to the first user inputting an identity of the second user for retrieving one or more files stored on a computer of the second user, further comprising, in response to receiving the request, determining whether an identity of the first user is among a predefined group of identities identified by the second user for manual authorization, the predefined group of identities being a subset of all identities from which requests are expected to be received by the second user, and wherein enabling the second user to perceive and accept the request is conditioned on the identity of the first user being included in the predefined group of identities. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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43. A computer program, stored on a computer readable medium, comprising instructions for:
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connecting to a communications system host; sending, from a first client connected to the communications system host, a request from a first user of the first client to transfer one or more files that are stored on a second client to the first client, the second client being connected to the communications system host; in response to a second user of the second client accepting the request; establishing a direct socket connection between the first client and the second client bypassing the communications system host, receiving, from the second client, identification information that identifies a group of files available for transfer from the second client to the first client, enabling the first user to perceive the group of files, receiving from the first user a selection of at least one selected file from among the group of files, communicating, from the first client to the second client, the selection received from the first user, and initiating the transfer of the at least one selected file from the second client over the direct socket connection to the first client, further comprising receiving an input of an identity of the second user from the first user for retrieving one or more files stored on a computer of the second user, wherein sending the request from the first user comprises sending the request in response to the input of the identity of the second user by the first user for retrieving the one or more files, and wherein the establishing of the direct socket connection, the receiving of the identification information, the enabling of the first user to perceive the group of files, the receiving from the first user the selection, the communicating of the selection, and the initiating of the transfer are conditioned on an identity of the first user being determined, in response to the request, to be among a predefined group of identities identified by the second user for manual authorization, the predefined group of identities being a subset of all identities from which requests are expected to be received by the second user. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of transferring files, the method comprising:
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connecting a computer of a first user to a communications system host; receiving, from a computer of a second user connected to the communications system host, a request from the second user to transfer one or more files from the computer of the first user to the computer of the second user, the request being generated by the computer of the second user in response to the second user inputting an identity of the first user for retrieving one or more files stored on the computer of the first user; in response to the request, accessing transfer preferences associated with the identity of the first user, the transfer preferences indicating a predefined group of identities identified by the first user for automatic authorization, the predefined group of identities being a subset of all identities from which requests are expected to be received by the first user; determining whether an identity of the second user is among the predefined group of identities; conditioned on the identity of the second user being determined to be among the predefined group of identities; establishing a direct socket connection between the computer of the first user and the computer of the second user bypassing the communications system host, and initiating a transfer of the one or more files from the computer of the first user over the direct socket connection to the computer of the second user; and conditioned on the identity of the second user not being determined to be among the predefined group of identities; enabling the first user to perceive the request from the second user, enabling the first user to accept the request from the second user, and in response to the second user accepting the request; establishing a direct socket connection between the computer of the first user and the computer of the second user bypassing the communications system host, and initiating a transfer of the one or more files from the computer of the first user over the direct socket connection to the computer of the second user. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification