# US 2006/0155705 A1 · Managing hierarchical authority to access files in a shared database

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- Number: US 2006/0155705 A1
- Document ID: US20060155705A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 11/032,184
- Filed: 2005-01-10
- Published: 2006-07-13
- Earliest claimed: 2005-01-10
- Inventors: Robert Kamper; Kulvir Bhogal
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20060155705A1

## CPC

- G06F 16/10: File systems; File servers
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A method, system, and program product that enable dynamic scheduling/arranging of access by multiple users to a single electronic file. A network-database access management utility (NAMU) is provided, which manages/schedules network-level access to the electronic file. NAMU includes an access-request queue that schedules/arranges the user identifier (IDs) for each of multiple users that have requested access to the file while the file was checked out to a previous user. When the first user completes his access to the file and closes the file, an alert is generated for the next user in queue. This alert informs the next user that the first user has closed the file and that he/she may now access the electronic file.

## Claims

### Claim 1

In a network environment with a storage facility with user-accessible files, a method comprising:
granting a first user access to a file stored on said storage facility;
receiving a request from a second user for access to the file while the file is being accessed by the first user;
queuing said second user to be given a next access to the file when the access by the first user is terminated;
automatically signaling said second user when said access by the first user has terminated, wherein said second user is alerted when said file is available for access by said second user and said second user's access is provided ahead of a subsequent request for access by another user while said access by said first user is ongoing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
parsing the request for one of a user identifier (ID) or client system ID;
placing said user ID or client system ID in a queue; and
sequentially assigning access to said file to the user ID or client system ID at the head of the queue.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
tagging said file at said storage facility with the identifier (ID) of at least said second user when access to said file belongs to said first user; and
assigning a next access to a first of the at least said second user whose ID is tagged to said file.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising:
allocating said second user to a location within the queue based on a pre-assigned priority of users with access to said file, wherein the second user is placed ahead of a third user when the second user has higher priority, regardless of when the queued request for the second user was received relative to the queued request from the third user.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein said priority is a time-based priority, wherein said method includes:
barring the second user from accessing the file during a pre-specified time during which a the third user is allowed access; and
providing access to the second user outside of the pre-specified time when the file is available for access and said second user is at the head of the queue.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
establishing a pre-determined amount of time for each user to access the file; and
when the pre-determined amount of time expires for the first user and at least one other user is presently in queue for the access, terminating the access of the first user and providing said access to the second user.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising:
signaling said first user of the end of the pre-determined amount of time;
saving the file on the storage facility; and
closing the file from access by the first user.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein said closing includes:
prompting the user to select whether to retain a copy of the file; and
providing the user with a child copy of the file, while the file is assigned to the second user.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein said providing step is completed utilizing one of a plurality of user-access processes from among:
transmitting a dialog box prompting said second user to select to open the file at the user's client system;
automatically activating an application on a client system of the second user to open up the file; and
providing a visual/audible signal recognizable b the second user as an indication that said file is available for access at the storage facility.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein said transmitting and providing steps includes a time-out feature wherein access to the file by the second user is required before expiration of a preset time, and failure of said second user to access said file within the preset time causes said second user to forfeit the access permission and be placed at the end of the queue, whereby another queued request by a third user is provided said access.

### Claim 11

A computer program product comprising:
a computer readable medium; and
program instructions on said medium that when executed completes the following:
enabling storage of a file at a storage facility of a network that is accessible to multiple users;
granting a first user access to a file stored on said storage facility;
receiving a request from a second user for access to the file while the file is being accessed by the first user;
queuing said second user to be given a next access to the file when the access by the first user is terminated;
automatically signaling said second user when said access by the first user has terminated, wherein said second user is alerted when said file is available for access by said second user and said second user's access is provided ahead of a subsequent request for access by another user while said access by said first user is ongoing.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising program instructions for:
parsing the request for one of a user identifier (ID) or client system ID;
placing said user ID or client system ID in a queue; and
sequentially assigning access to said file to the user ID or client system ID at the head of the queue.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising program instructions for:
tagging said file at said storage facility with the identifier (ID) of at least said second user when access to said file belongs to said first user; and
assigning a next access to a first of the at least said second user whose ID is tagged to said file.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising program instructions for:
allocating said second user to a location within the queue based on a pre-assigned priority of users with access to said file, wherein the second user is placed ahead of a third user when the second user has higher priority, regardless of when the queued request for the second user was received relative to the queued request from the third user; and
when said priority is a time-based priority:
barring the second user from accessing the file during a pre-specified time during which a the third user is allowed access; and
providing access to the second user outside of the pre-specified time when the file is available for access and said second user is at the head of the queue.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising program instructions for:
establishing a pre-determined amount of time for each user to access the file; and
when the pre-determined amount of time expires for the first user and at least one other user is presently in queue for the access:
signaling said first user of the end of the pre-determined amount of time;
saving the file on the storage facility;
closing the file from access by the first user; and
providing said access to the second user, wherein said providing step is completed utilizing one of a plurality of user-access processes from among:
transmitting a dialog box prompting said second user to select to open the file at the user's client system;
automatically activating an application on a client system of the second user to open up the file; and
providing a visual/audible signal recognizable b the second user as an indication that said file is available for access at the storage facility.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said program instructions for closing the file includes instructions for:
prompting the user to select whether to retain a copy of the file; and
providing the user with a child copy of the file, while the file is assigned to the second user.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The computer program product of claim 15, wherein said program instructions for transmitting and providing includes a time-out feature wherein access to the file by the second user is required before expiration of a preset time, and failure of said second user to access said file within the preset time causes said second user to forfeit the access permission and be placed at the end of the queue, whereby another queued request by a third user is provided said access.

### Claim 18

A network comprising:
a network management server;
a storage facility with at least one file that is accessible by multiple users via the network management server;
a plurality of client systems coupled to the network backbone and utilized by respective ones of said multiple users to access said file; and
a network-database access management utility (NAMU) that completes the following:
enabling storage of a file at a storage facility of a network that is accessible to multiple users;
granting a first user access to a file stored on said storage facility;
receiving a request from a second user for access to the file while the file is being accessed by the first user;
queuing said second user to be given a next access to the file when the access by the first user is terminated;
automatically signaling said second user when said access by the first user has terminated, wherein said second user is alerted when said file is available for access by said second user and said second user's access is provided ahead of a subsequent request for access by another user while said access by said first user is ongoing.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The network of claim 18, wherein said NAMU further comprises program logic for:
parsing the request for one of a user identifier (ID) or client system ID;
placing said user ID or client system ID in a queue; and
sequentially assigning access to said file to the user ID or client system ID at the head of the queue
tagging said file at said storage facility with the ID of at least said second user when access to said file belongs to said first user; and
assigning a next access to a first of the at least said second user whose ID is tagged to said file.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The network of claim 19, said NAMU comprising program logic for:
allocating said second user to a location within the queue based on a pre-assigned priority of users with access to said file, wherein the second user is placed ahead of a third user when the second user has higher priority, regardless of when the queued request for the second user was received relative to the queued request from the third user; and
when said priority is a time-based priority:
barring the second user from accessing the file during a pre-specified time during which a the third user is allowed access; and
providing access to the second user outside of the pre-specified time when the file is available for access and said second user is at the head of the queue.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The network of claim 18, said NAMU further comprising program logic for:
establishing a pre-determined amount of time for each user to access the file; and
when the pre-determined amount of time expires for the first user and at least one other user is presently in queue for the access:
signaling said first user of the end of the pre-determined amount of time;
saving the file on the storage facility;
closing the file from access by the first user; and
providing said access to the second user, wherein said providing step is completed utilizing one of a plurality of user-access processes from among:
transmitting a dialog box prompting said second user to select to open the file at the user's client system;
automatically activating an application on a client system of the second user to open up the file; and
providing a visual/audible signal recognizable b the second user as an indication that said file is available for access at the storage facility; and
wherein said program logic for transmitting and providing includes a time-out feature wherein access to the file by the second user is required before expiration of a preset time, and failure of said second user to access said file within the preset time causes said second user to forfeit the access permission and be placed at the end of the queue, whereby another queued request by a third user is provided said access.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The network of claim 21, wherein said program logic for closing the file includes logic for:
prompting the user to select whether to retain a copy of the file; and
providing the user with a child copy of the file, while the file is assigned to the second user.