Patent ID: 8195776

Claim:
A data storage system for storing data files of multiple accounts on a system computer, the data files being retrievable at any account user computer having a display and storage device and operatively connected to the system computer via the Internet; said data storage system comprising: the system computer having a system storage device and means for storing and selectively retrieving data files for each respective account, the data files for each account being unique to that account, the system computer being operatively connected to the Internet; means for the system computer to verify account user information for each account user computer seeking access to the system computer over the Internet; means for the system computer to display on the account user computer display a list of unique data files on the system computer storage device for and only for the verified account and a list of data files stored on the user computer storage device; means to instruct the account user computer to recognize the unique data files of the system storage device for the verified account as a local storage device for said account user computer; means for transferring files from the account user computer storage device to the system computer storage device and transferring files from the system computer storage device to the account user computer storage device; means for authorizing one or more subusers of the account, and file rights control means for limiting the permissions that such subusers have to the account where said file rights control means permissions may include designation of one or more specific account user computers from which the subuser may access the account, said system computer displaying on the account user computer display those said controlled access personal subaccount files and controlled access shared account files for said verified account; and means for instructing the account user computer to cease recognizing the system storage device for the verified account as a local storage device for the account user computer after a logoff instruction is received by the system computer.