Patent ID: 8495751

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for controlling use of a file on a user device, the method comprising: transmitting, by the user device, authentication information to a system, wherein the authentication information includes an identifier of the user device and at least one identification of a user associated with the user device; downloading, by the user device, the file from the system upon successful authentication by the system; limiting, by the user device, access of the file to a client application of the user device independent of a connection between the user device and the system; preventing, by the user device, altering of the file, printing of the file and opening of the file outside of the client application; storing, by the user device, notes corresponding to the file in a local storage area separate from the file; transmitting, by the user device, at least a portion of the notes to the system; permitting, by the user device, the user to designate the file for sharing with a second user to the system at least one of i) an identification of the second user or ii) an identification of a predefined group to which both the user and the second user belong, such that the system is enabled to send the file to the second user; and removing, by the user device, the file from the user device as instructed by the system.