System, method, and program for sharing photos via the internet

• US 7,778,973 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric Chi-Wah Choi, Tat Kuen Choi
• Original Assignee: Eric Chi-Wah Choi, Tat Kuen Choi
• Inventors: Choi, Tat Kuen, Choi, Eric Chi-Wah
• Primary Examiner(s): Cottingham; John R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Arjomandi; Noosha
• Application Number:
  US11/804,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20080288499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/628, 707/827, 707/9, 707/100, 711/117, 715/716
• US Class Current: 707/628
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor

Abstract

A system for sharing files over a computer network via a hosting site is presented. The system includes a data storage space associated with the hosting. The space includes albums created by the one or more users for storage of related files. The albums include at least one level of sharing associated with each of the users, the level of sharing being in part assigned by users creating the albums. One or more accounts are associated with each user. The accounts allow the each of the users to access albums they created and albums that they are allowed access. An album creator creates the album. An album viewer views contents of the album. A file viewer views contents of the files. An album manager allows the one or more users to associate levels of sharing of the album and to modify the contents of the album.

Claims

1. A system for sharing files over a computer network via a hosting site, the system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a memory;

a data storage space associated with the hosting site and accessible by one or more users via the computer network, said data storage space comprising albums created by said one or more users for storage of related files, said albums comprising at least one different level of sharing associated with each of said one or more users, said different level of sharing being in part assigned by said one or more users creating said albums;

accounts associated with each of said one or more users, one or more accounts of the user accounts allowing said each of said users to access said albums wherein said users who created said albums are allowed to access to said different level of sharing, wherein said different level of sharing is time sensitive and is expired after a specified interval has elapsed;

an album creator for creating an album;

an album contributor for viewing and adding contents of said album;

an album viewer for viewing contents of said album;

a file viewer for viewing contents of said files; and

an album manager for allowing said one or more users to associate different levels of sharing of said album and to modify the contents of said album, where said different levels of sharing comprise

said album viewer who is associated with viewed contents is only authorized to view said album,

said album contributor who is associated with contributed contents is only authorized to view said album and add files,

said album manager who is associated with managed contents is only authorized to manage said album by associating users as contributors to said album, and

said album creator who is associated with created contents is only authorized to delete said album and change said different levels of sharing associated with users.

2. The system for sharing files as recited in claim 1, in which one or more users are associated with a group and said group may be associated with one or more levels of sharing for one or more albums.

3. The system for sharing files as recited in claim 1, in which said levels of sharing further comprise editor, where users associated as such may edit contents of files in said album.

4. The system for sharing files as recited in claim 1, in which said user may refuse an associated level of sharing said album and as such access to said album.

5. A system for sharing files over a computer network via a hosting site, the system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a memory;

means for providing a data storage space, the data storage space associated with the hosting site and accessible by one or more users via the computer network, said data storage space comprising albums created by said one or more users for storage of related files, said albums comprising at least one different level of sharing associated with each of said one or more users, said different level of sharing being in part assigned by said one or more users creating said albums;

means for providing different levels of sharing;

means for providing user accounts, one or more accounts of the user accounts associated with each of said one or more users, said user accounts allowing each of said users to access said albums, wherein said users who created said albums are allowed to access to said different levels of sharing;

means for creating said albums;

means for contributing to view and add contents of said albums;

means for viewing said albums;

means for viewing files in said albums; and

means for managing said albums for enabling said one or more users to associate different levels of sharing of at least one album and to modify the contents of said albums, wherein said different level of sharing is time sensitive and is expired after a specified interval has elapsed and

wherein said different levels of sharing at least comprise

an album viewer who is associated with viewed contents is only authorized to view said album,

an album contributor who is associated with contributed contents is only authorized to view said album and add files,

an album manager who is associated with managed contents is only authorized to manage said album by associating users as contributors to said album, and

an album creator who is associated with creating contents, is only authorized to delete said album and change said levels of sharing associated with users.

6. The system for sharing files as recited in claim 5, further comprising means for editing said files.

7. The system for sharing files as recited in claim 5, further comprising means for grouping users.

8. A method for sharing files over a computer network via a hosting site, the method comprising:

accessing a data storage space associated with the hosting site via the computer network by one or more users, the data storage space associated with the hosting site and accessible by said one or more users via the computer network, said data storage space comprising albums created by said one or more users for storage of related files, said albums comprising at least one different level of sharing associated with each of said one or more users, said different level of sharing being in part assigned by said one or more users creating said albums;

providing user accounts, one or more accounts of the user accounts associated with each of said one or more users, said user accounts allowing said each of said users to access said albums said users who created said albums are allowed to access to said different level of sharing;

creating one or more albums in said space by said one or more users for storage of related files;

associating different levels of sharing for said albums for said one or more users, wherein said different level of sharing is time sensitive and is expired after a specified interval has elapsed and

wherein the different levels of sharing being in part associated by said one or more users creating said albums for associating

a viewer who is authorized only to view said albums, a contributor authorized only to view said albums and add files, and

a manager who is authorized only to manage said albums by associating users as contributors to said albums;

setting up the one or more accounts by each of said one or more users, said user accounts allowing said each of said users to access said albums, wherein said users who are created said albums are allowed access to by said different levels of sharing;

viewing contents of said albums and contents of files by said users; and

managing said albums by said users to associate different levels of sharing of said albums and to modify contents of said albums.

9. The method for sharing files as recited in claim 8, further comprising grouping one or more users into a group by said one or more users and associating said group with one or more levels of sharing for one or more albums.

10. The method for sharing files as recited in claim 8, in which said associating further comprises said one or more users associating editor, to users that edit contents of files in said album.

11. The method for sharing files as recited in claim 8, further comprising refusing an associated level of sharing by said user and as such access to said album.

12. A computer program product stored in a computer readable storage medium for sharing files over a computer network via a hosting site, the computer program product comprising:

a computer code that accesses a data storage space associated with the hosting site via the computer network by one or more users, the data storage space associated with the hosting site and accessible by said one or more users via the computer network, said data storage space comprising albums created by said one or more users for storage of related files, said albums comprising at least one different level of sharing associated with each of said one or more users, said different level of sharing being in part assigned by said one or more users creating said albums;

a computer code that provides user accounts, one or more accounts of the user accounts associated with each of said one or more users, said user accounts allowing said each of said users to access said albums, said users who created said albums are allowed to access to said different level of sharing;

a computer code that creates one or more albums in said space by said one or more users for storage of related files;

a computer code that associates different levels of sharing for said albums for said one or more users, wherein said different level of sharing is time sensitive and is expired after a specified interval has elapsed and

wherein the different levels of sharing being in part associated by said one or more users creating said albums for associating

a viewer who is authorized only to view said albums, a contributor authorized only to view said albums and add files, and

a manager who is authorized only to manage said albums by associating users as contributors to said albums;

a computer code that sets up the one or more accounts by each of said one or more users, said user accounts allowing said each of said users to access said albums, wherein said users who are created said albums are allowed access to by said different levels of sharing;

a computer code that views contents of said albums and contents of files by said users; and

a computer code that manages said albums by said users to associate different levels of sharing of said albums and to modify contents of said albums.

13. The computer program product for sharing files as recited in claim 12, further comprising computer code that allows one or more users to edit files in said album if said one or more users is allowed access by said level of sharing.