US 5,913,032 A · System and methods for automatically distributing a particular shared data object through electronic mail

Abstract

A computer system having a facility for concurrently sharing objects or resources is described. The system includes a publish-and-subscribe facility or "Object Exchange," for facilitating sharing among workgroups. When a data object is "published" by a user ("publisher"), the object is sent from that user's computer to other computer users specified by the publisher. Those interested in the published data object (published pages) may elect to receive or "subscribe" to that data. From that point on, the publisher can choose to update the data, such as whenever the published version changes. The "subscribers" of the published pages automatically get updates. Subscribers of a spreadsheet notebook, for instance, would automatically receive pages as they are published. The Object Manager effects actions by posting messages or "forms" to either the local Object Exchange (assuming one is the publisher) or the Object Exchange of others (subscribers). Connectivity for the system is provided by the various Object Exchange engines negotiating forms. Each Object Exchange posts and retrieves forms at polling intervals (which may be set to continuous polling). By exploiting the connectivity of existing transport media (e.g., LANs), the present invention delivers workgroup computing benefits to users, but without imposing a rigid structure which restricts when and how they work.

Claims33

Dependent claims

In a data processing system, a method for sharing data objects among users of a work group according to user-specified criteria, said method comprising:

(a) receiving a publication request from one user of the work group for establishing a data sharing relationship with other users of the work group, said request identifying a particular data object which is to be shared and further specifying user-specified criteria establishing conditions under which the particular data object may be shared;
(b) storing a copy of said particular data object locally in an object store;
(c) based on said user-specified criteria, sending a publication offer as an electronic mail message to a plurality of other users of the work group that said particular data object is available for use;
(d) receiving from at least one other user a subscription response as an electronic mail message for accepting said publication offer, said at least one other user accepting or rejecting said subscription based on whether the user desires to receive said particular data object;
and
(e) automatically forwarding through electronic mail a copy of said particular data object to each of said at least one other user of the work group from which an acceptance is received.

3 more elements

A multi-user computer system comprising:

a first computer means having a processor and a memory for processing information stored in a storage device local to said first computer means;
a second computer means having a processor and a memory for processing information stored in a storage device local to said second computer means;
input means for processing a request from a first user that a particular data object stored in said first computer means be made available, according to user-specified criteria, to a second user on said second computer means for sharing with said first user;
means for storing an outgoing copy of said particular data object in the storage device of said first computer means;
means for transmitting an offer notification from said first user on said first computer means to said second user on said second computer means, based on said user-specified criteria, said offer notification offering to share said particular data object with said second user;
connectivity means, operably coupled to said transmitting means and said receiving means, for communicating notifications and data objects between said first computer means and said second computer means wherein said connectivity means includes telecommunication means for transporting notifications and data objects across an electronic mail service;
means for receiving a response notification from said second user on said second computer means to said first computer means, said response notification accepting or rejecting said offer notification based on whether said second user desires to receive said particular data object;
and
means, responsive to said response notification, for forwarding said outgoing copy of said particular data object to said second computer means for storage in the storage device of said second computer for use by said second user, upon acceptance of said offer notification offering to share said particular data object.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System and methods for automatically distributing a particular shared data object through electronic mail

Life of this patent

System and methods for automatically distributing a particular shared data object through electronic mail

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33