US 10,097,557 B2 · Virtual collaboration systems and methods

Abstract

A system including a domain controller and a document, policy, and collaboration servers. The document server receives a request signal based on an input received at a web browser of a user device and generates an authentication signal. The request signal requests access to a document. The document server provides a cloud-based service for access to the document. The domain controller, based on the authentication signal, determines a profile or authorization level of a user. The document server, based on the profile or the authorization level, transmits a second authentication signal to the user device. The policy server stores a digital rights management policy for the user. The collaboration server: based on the second authentication signal, receives a digital rights management signal from the user device; and based on the digital rights management policy of the user, permits a controller of the user device to access the document.

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Drawings

Claims26

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a document server configured to (i) receive a first request signal based on an input received at a web browser of a first user device, and (ii) generate a first authentication signal based on the first request signal, wherein the first request signal requests access to view a first document at the first user device or download the first user document to the first user device, and wherein the document server provides a cloud-based service for the first user device to access the first document;
a first domain controller configured to, based on the first authentication signal, determine a profile or authorization level of a first user of the first user device,
wherein the document server is configured to, based on the profile or the authorization level, transmit a second authentication signal to the first user device;
a policy server comprising memory, wherein the memory is configured to store a digital rights management policy for the first user;
a mail server configured to:
send a first email notification to a second user device requesting access to the first document for the first user,
receive a first response signal from the second user device indicating whether the first user is permitted access to the first document,
based on the first response signal, send a second email notification to a third user device requesting access to the first document for the first user,
receive a second response signal indicating whether the first user is permitted access to the first document, and
sending a third email notification to the first user device indicating whether the first user is permitted access to the first document;
and
a collaboration server configured to (i) based on the second authentication signal and the third email notification, receive a digital rights management signal from the first user device, and (ii) based on the digital rights management policy of the first user, permit a controller of the first user device to access the first document, wherein the collaboration server is separate from the document server, and the first domain controller;
and
wherein the system is a virtual collaboration center (VCC) system configured to share the first document and other documents between network devices, wherein the network devices include the first user device;
and
the document server is configured to execute a configurator application to create a plurality of VCC instances,
wherein each of the plurality of VCC instances includes one or more of the network devices and is assigned ownership of one or more of the first document and the other documents, and wherein the first user and the first user device are associated with one of the plurality of VCC instances.

14 more elements

A method comprising:

receiving a first request signal at a document server based on an input received at a web browser of a first user device;
generating a first authentication signal based on the first request signal, wherein the first request signal requests access to view a first document at the first user device or download the first document to the first user device, and wherein the document server provides a cloud-based service for the first user device to access the first document;
based on the first authentication signal, determining a profile or authorization level of a first user of the first user device,
wherein the document server is configured to, based on the profile or the authorization level, transmit a second authentication signal to the first user device;
storing a digital rights management policy for the first user in a memory of a policy server;
sending from a mail server a first email notification to a second user device requesting access to the first document for the first user;
receiving at the mail server a first response signal from the second user device indicating whether the first user is permitted access to the first document;
based on the first response signal, send a second email notification from the mail server to a third user device requesting access to the first document for the first user;
receive at the mail server a second response signal indicating whether the first user is permitted access to the first document;
sending a third email notification from the mail server to the first user device indicating whether the first user is permitted access to the first document;
based on the second authentication signal and the third email notification, receiving at a collaboration server a digital rights management signal from the first user device;
based on the digital rights management policy of the first user, permitting a controller of the first user device to access the first document, wherein the collaboration server is separate from the document server;
wherein the method is implemented via a virtual collaboration center (VCC) system that is configured to share the first document and other documents between network devices, and wherein the network devices include the first user device;
and
executing a configurator application at the document server to create a plurality of VCC instances, wherein each of the plurality of VCC instances includes one or more of the network devices and is assigned ownership of one or more of the first document and the other documents, and wherein the first user and the first user device are associated with one of the plurality of VCC instances.

12 more elements

A system comprising:

a document server configured to (i) receive a first request signal based on an input received at a web browser of a first user device, and (ii) generate a first authentication signal based on the first request signal, wherein the first request signal requests access to a first document, and wherein the document server provides a cloud-based service for the first user device to access the first document;
a first domain controller configured to, based on the first authentication signal, determine a profile or authorization level of a first user of the first user device,
wherein the document server is configured to, based on the profile or the authorization level, transmit a second authentication signal to the first user device;
a policy server comprising memory, wherein the memory is configured to store a digital rights management policy for the first user;
and
a collaboration server configured to (i) based on the second authentication signal, receive a digital rights management signal from the first user device, and (ii) based on the digital rights management policy of the first user, permit a controller of the first user device to access the first document, wherein the collaboration server is separate from the document server and the first domain controller,
wherein
the system is a virtual collaboration center (VCC) system configured to share the first document and other documents between network devices,
the network devices include the first user device,
the document server is configured to execute a configurator application to create a plurality of VCC instances,
each of the plurality of VCC instances includes one or more of the network devices and is assigned ownership of one or more of the first document and the other documents,
the first user and the first user device are associated with one of the plurality of VCC instances, and
when the first request signal requests access to delete the first document, the document server deletes the first document, generates a certificate of deletion and sends instructions for an electronic mail (email) notification to be sent to the first user device comprising a link to the certificate of deletion.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description14,219 words

Summary1,525 words

#The present disclosure relates to document sharing systems.

#The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

#There is a need for employees of a corporation, customers and suppliers to electronically share highly sensitive documents (e.g., agreements, documents pertaining to intellectual property, etc.). Current options for sharing such data are limited to an extranet, email, white rooms, online file sharing services, and/or physical delivery of data. An extranet refers to a network located at the corporation, which allows customers and/or suppliers to remotely access documents. An extranet places an owner of the extranet (e.g., the corporation) in a privileged position. The extranet owner has control of the data and documents stored in the extranet, as well as control of accessibility, traceability, and auditability of the documents. This can place the customers and/or suppliers at a disadvantage.

Brief description of the drawings12 figures

#The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a virtual collaboration center (VCC) system in accordance with the present disclosure;

#FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the VCC system illustrating data flow in accordance with the present disclosure;

Detailed description12,449 words

#In the drawings, reference numbers may be reused to identify similar and/or identical elements.

#Traditional options for sharing data including extranet, email, white rooms, online file sharing services, and physical delivery of data are limited. These options have limited security and lack the ability for process automation in the form of workflows, digital rights management, user management tools, and collaboration tools. Although online file sharing services allow for the sharing of files and provide basic security through user authentication and exchange of credentials, the online file sharing services lack robust user management, digital rights management, workflows, and collaboration tools.

#The following disclosure provides examples of a virtual collaboration center (VCC) system, which provides improved security, allows for process automation, and provides robust user management, digital rights management, workflows, and collaboration tools. The user management tools have a dedicated domain controller for user authentication and profile determination. The collaboration tools may include and/or provide a dedicated email server, discussion boards, dashboards, chat applications, user task lists and files, calendars, and/or wikis. A wiki refers to a website that allows collaborative modification of content directly from a web browser.

Facts

Application

15/007,391Filed 27 Jan 2016 · us provisional application

Priority

1 Oct 2015

Published

US 2017/0099297 A16 Apr 2017

Granted

9 Oct 2018

Term ends

24 Jul 2036

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 179 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification10 codes

H04L 63/105
For controlling access to devices or network resources: multiple levels of security
H04L 51/224
Monitoring or handling of messages: providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
H04L 51/42
User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail:…
H04L 63/08
Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security: for authentication of entities

Timeline

1 Oct 2015Priority claimedParent application 62/235,846
27 Jan 2016Application filedUS 15/007,391
27 Jan 2016Assigned to Lam Research Corporationassignment of assignor's interest
6 Apr 2017PublishedUS 2017/0099297 A1
9 Oct 2018GrantedUS 10,097,557 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
24 Jul 2036Term endsEstimated, includes 179 days of adjustment

Virtual collaboration systems and methods

Life of this patent

Virtual collaboration systems and methods

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims26

Description14,219 words

Drawings

Classification10 codes

Life of this patent

Description14,219 words