Method of cascading transfer of authorization rights for file access

The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for transferring authorization rights to access a file. A method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention includes: designating a location to store the file; creating a file-transfer-reference for the file based on the location; creating an authorization protocol for the file; selecting at least one recipient of the file-transfer-reference; and forwarding the file-transfer-reference to the at least one recipient according to the authorization protocol. The method may optionally include defining a validity period for which for access to the file.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to transfer of authorization rights to access a file from a source to one or multiple destinations, and more specifically relates to cascading transfer of authorization rights on a remote basis.

2. Related Art

In an instant messaging (IM) network, file transfer functionality is incorporated such that a user may use an IM client to capture and transfer a file via the IM network to a recipient IM user. On receipt of a file, the client of the recipient IM user displays a graphic indicator to notify the recipient that the sender has initiated a file transfer. Transfer of the file is initiated when the recipient accesses the graphic indicator.

Typically, the file to be transferred is located on the machine of the sender or a server, for example, IBM's SameTime supports the former approach while Yahoo's Messenger supports the latter. Currently available technology provides for immediate transfer or delayed transfer of the file, up to 48 hours between active parties in the same IM session. Parties outside of the IM session do not have access to the file and there is no forwarding mechanism to facilitate access to the transferred file by non-current IM parties.

Accordingly, a need exists for way to disseminate authority to secondary, tertiary or subsequent parties/recipients of an IM session for access to a transferred file.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention transfers authorization rights for access to a file between multiple parties through an authorization protocol that allows the file to be retrieved and/or manipulated according an authorization level accorded to a recipient.

A first aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for transferring authorization rights to access a file, comprising: designating a location to store the file; creating a file-transfer-reference for the file based on the location; creating an authorization protocol for the file; selecting at least one recipient of the file-transfer-reference; and forwarding the file-transfer-reference to the at least one recipient according to the authorization protocol.

A second aspect of the present invention is directed to a system for transferring authorization rights to access a file, comprising: a system for designating a location to store the file; a system for creating a file-transfer-reference for the file based on the location; a system for creating an authorization protocol for the file; a system for selecting at least one recipient of the file-transfer-reference; and a system for forwarding the file-transfer-reference to the at least one recipient according to the authorization protocol.

A third aspect of the present invention is directed to a program product stored on a computer readable medium for transferring authorization rights to access a file, the computer readable medium comprising program code for: designating a location to store the file; creating a file-transfer-reference for the file based on the location; creating an authorization protocol for the file; selecting at least one recipient of the file-transfer-reference; and forwarding the file-transfer-reference to the at least one recipient according to the authorization protocol.

A fourth aspect of the present invention is directed to a method for deploying an application for transferring authorization rights to access a file, comprising: providing a computer infrastructure being operable to: designate a location to store the file; create a file-transfer-reference for the file based on the location; create an authorization protocol for the file; select at least one recipient of the file-transfer-reference; and forward the file-transfer-reference to the at least one recipient according to the authorization protocol.

The illustrative aspects of the present invention are designed to solve the problems herein described and other problems not discussed.

The drawings are merely schematic representations, not intended to portray specific parameters of the invention. The drawings are intended to depict only typical embodiments of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A cascading authorization rights transfer system10for sharing access to a file in a storage location system12, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is depicted inFIG. 1. Cascading authorization rights transfer system10provides to a sender11, who intends to share a file with multiple recipients, a storage location system12, a system13for creating a file-transfer-reference, a system (not shown) for creating an authorization protocol for establishing various authorization levels, a system14for selecting a recipient of the file-transfer-reference and a system (not shown) for forwarding the file-transfer-reference to the selected recipient in accordance with the authorization protocol.

Storage location12may be a local directory on a client machine of the sender or a transfer directory on a server, for example, a virtual server farm that is geographically independent of the sender11or recipient(s)16. Storage location12facilitates authorized access or retrieval of the file at the convenience of the recipient and with the transfer directory on a server, access does not involve the sender once the file-transfer-reference is forwarded with the authorization protocol. System13creates a file-transfer-reference associating the file to storage location12and may include additional information fields like a protocol specifier, a file server and a file name.

The authorization protocol establishes a plurality of authorization levels which may be selectively accorded to any recipient16in the primary (1°) group, any recipient18in the secondary (2°) group, or any other group up to the no group of recipients20. The plurality of authorization levels are initially set by sender11. In the primary (1°) group of recipients16, each recipient of the file-transfer-reference is authorized, amongst the plurality of authorization levels, to access the file within a validity period. The number and/or type of authorization levels may differ from one recipient to another recipient. This applies to recipients of other groups or between recipients from different groups.

Authorization levels may be defined according to the type of authorization a recipient is empowered to exercise. For example, one recipient in16may be empowered to: read the file and forward the file-transfer-reference only and would be accorded a lower authorization level when compared to another recipient in16who may be empowered, on top of reading the file and forwarding the file reference, to: select another recipient or a plurality of recipients18, forward the file-transfer-reference to the selected recipient(s)18, add or remove file access rights along with forwarding the file-transfer-reference, change the validity period of access, etc. At a higher authorization level, a recipient from any of16,18or20may be empowered to exercise more rights and may be accorded the authority to change the properties of the file, which may include the right to: modify the file-access-rights, determine the length of validity period, select recipients, forward the file-transfer-reference, determine the authorization level, etc. to which another recipient from any of16,18or20receiving the file-transfer-access would be empowered to exercise. To this extent, some or certain combination of these authorization levels may empower a recipient in group16and/or another group18or20to initiate the method steps of creating an authorization protocol for the file; selecting at least one recipient of the file-transfer-reference; and forwarding the file-transfer-reference to another recipient in group18. For example, recipients from any of16,18or20may be segregated according to authorization levels to form a list consisting of: a readers' list, where the recipient, e.g. selected from16, is authorized to access the file for read-only; and a managers' list, where besides being authorized to read the file, the recipients, e.g. another recipient selected from16or18or20, in this list are authorized to add readers, remove readers, add/remove readers, add managers, remove managers and add/remove managers. As such, disseminating authorization to access the file may be protracted to multiple tiers, from a primary, 1°, group16to a secondary, 2°, group18until an nth, n°, group20of recipients, where n is an integer. The number of recipients in each tier may vary from at least one to any number.

In one embodiment, a visual indicator may be included as part of system10for alerting a recipient of a pending file-transfer-reference if the recipient was not in direct communication at the time the sender has forwarded the file-transfer-reference. Another embodiment, system10incorporates using a password to protect the file as part of the authorization protocol.

A flow diagram50of an illustrative process for determining the transferring authorization rights to access of a file in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is depicted inFIG. 2. The flow diagram50is described below in conjunction with the components of the illustrative cascading authorization rights transfer system10depicted inFIG. 1.

In step S52, the sender11activates the cascading authorization rights transfer system10where a file to be shared is determined in step S54. The file is then stored in a location12in step S56and a file-transfer-reference is generated with system13based on this location in step S58.

In step S60, the sender11selects recipients16using system14. and creates a list. Sender11may optionally create multiple lists to which different authorization levels may be designated.

In step S62, sender11creates the authorization protocol and a check is made to determine if a default authorization level is to be set in step S64. If the sender11selects a default authorization level, for example, authorized to access the file for read-only purpose, step S66is activated before consideration for additional authorization levels is activated in step S68. If sender11selects not to have a default authorization level, step S66is omitted and step S68will follow immediately after step S64. Once the authorization level and/or type is selected in step S68, the period within which the selected authorization level(s) remains valid is set in step S70. Following the set validity period in step S70, the file-transfer-reference is forwarded with the set authorization protocol in step S66and/or S68to the selected recipients16selected in step S60. The illustrative process terminates after step S72at step S74. Where recipient16is empowered to transfer authorization to another recipient18, steps S60through S74may be repeated with recipient16assuming the sender's11role. The above-example is provided for illustrative purposes only. Many other schemes for transferring authorization rights to access a file originating from a sender11are also possible.

FIG. 3shows an illustrative system100for transferring authorization rights to access of a file in accordance with embodiment(s) of the present invention. To this extent, the system100includes a computer infrastructure102that can perform the various process steps described herein for sharing a file through cascading transfer of authorization rights. In particular, the computer infrastructure102is shown including a computer system104that comprises a cascading authorization rights transfer system110, which enables the computer system104to designate authorization rights130to access a file140by performing the process steps of the invention.

The computer system104is shown as including a processing unit106, a memory108, at least one input/output (I/O) interface114, and a bus112. Further, the computer system104is shown in communication with at least one external device116and a storage system118. In general, the processing unit106executes computer program code, such as the authorization rights transfer system110, that is stored in memory108and/or storage system118. While executing computer program code, the processing unit106can read and/or write data from/to the memory108, storage system118, and/or I/O interface(s)114. Bus112provides a communication link between each of the components in the computer system104. The at least one external device116can comprise any device (e.g., display120) that enables a user (not shown) to interact with the computer system104or any device that enables the computer system104to communicate with one or more other computer systems.

In any event, the computer system104can comprise any general purpose computing article of manufacture capable of executing computer program code installed by a user (e.g., a personal computer, server, handheld device, etc.). However, it is understood that the computer system104and the authorization rights transfer system110are only representative of various possible computer systems that may perform the various process steps of the invention. To this extent, in other embodiments, the computer system104can comprise any specific purpose computing article of manufacture comprising hardware and/or computer program code for performing specific functions, any computing article of manufacture that comprises a combination of specific purpose and general purpose hardware/software, or the like. In each case, the program code and hardware can be created using standard programming and engineering techniques, respectively.

Similarly, the computer infrastructure102is only illustrative of various types of computer infrastructures that can be used to implement the invention. For example, in one embodiment, the computer infrastructure102comprises two or more computer systems (e.g., a server cluster) that communicate over any type of wired and/or wireless communications link, such as a network, a shared memory, or the like, to perform the various process steps of the invention. When the communications link comprises a network, the network can comprise any combination of one or more types of networks (e.g., the Internet, a wide area network, a local area network, a virtual private network, etc.). Regardless, communications between the computer systems may utilize any combination of various types of transmission techniques.

As previously mentioned, the authorization rights transfer system110includes a file location designation system130for designating a location for the file140. To this extent, the authorization rights transfer system110is shown as including a file transfer reference creation system132for allocating a reference (e.g., file name, URL, etc) at which the file is stored to enable retrieval of the file by a recipient, an authorization protocol creation system134, a recipient selection system136and a file transfer reference forwarding system138. Operation of each of these systems is discussed above. It is understood that some of the various systems shown inFIG. 3can be implemented independently, combined, and/or stored in memory for one or more separate computer systems104that communicate over a network. Further, it is understood that some of the systems and/or functionality may not be implemented, or additional systems and/or functionality may be included as part of the system100.

While shown and described herein as a method and system for transferring authorization rights to access a file, it is understood that the invention further provides various alternative embodiments. For example, in one embodiment, the invention provides a computer-readable medium that includes computer program code to enable a computer infrastructure to transfer authorization rights to access a file. To this extent, the computer-readable medium includes program code, such as the authorization rights transfer system110, which implements each of the various process steps of the invention. It is understood that the term “computer-readable medium” comprises one or more of any type of physical embodiment of the program code. In particular, the computer-readable medium can comprise program code embodied on one or more portable storage articles of manufacture (e.g., a compact disc, a magnetic disk, a tape, etc.), and/or on one or more data storage portions of a computer system, such as the memory110and/or storage system118(e.g., a fixed disk, a read-only memory, a random access memory, a cache memory, etc.).

In another embodiment, the invention provides a business method that performs the process steps of the invention on a subscription, advertising, and/or fee basis. That is, a service provider could offer to manage sharing of a file as described above. In this case, the service provider can create, maintain, support, etc., a computer infrastructure, such as the computer infrastructure102, that performs the process steps of the invention for one or more customers. In return, the service provider can receive payment from the customer(s) under a subscription and/or fee agreement and/or the service provider can receive payment from the sale of advertising space to one or more third parties.

In still another embodiment, the invention provides a method of sharing a file. In this case, a computer infrastructure, such as the computer infrastructure102, can be obtained (e.g., created, maintained, having made available to, etc.) and one or more systems for performing the process steps of the invention can be obtained (e.g., created, purchased, used, modified, etc.) and deployed to the computer infrastructure. To this extent, the deployment of each system can comprise one or more of (1) installing program code on a computer system, such as the computer system104, from a computer-readable medium; (2) adding one or more computer systems to the computer infrastructure; and (3) incorporating and/or modifying one or more existing systems of the computer infrastructure, to enable the computer infrastructure to perform the process steps of the invention.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of this invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously, many modifications and variations are possible.