Global link providing modification rights to a shared folder

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method of sharing files between a link sharer and a link recipient over a network. A folder sharing link is generated in response to a request by a link sharer, where the link provides a link recipient the ability to modify the contents of the folder. In response to receiving an indication that the generated link has been activated by a link recipient, the system either automatically grants modification rights to the folder or requests manual approval from the link sharer to grant modification rights to the link recipient. Once modification rights have been granted, the system adds the shared folder to the link recipient's account within the context of a document management system.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 a. receiving a request, from a link sharer, to generate a link that, when activated, facilitates providing modification rights to a folder of digital content;   b. in response to said request, generating a link that, when activated by a link recipient, facilitates providing modification rights to said folder;   c. receiving an indication that said link has been activated; and   d. in response to receiving said indication, facilitating the provision of modification rights, to the link recipient, to said folder.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of facilitating the provision of modification rights to said folder comprises providing modification rights to said folder. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of receiving said request to generate a link comprises receiving said request from a link sharer. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein said link sharer in an owner of said folder. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 a. said step of receiving an indication comprises receiving said indication from a link recipient; and   b. said step of facilitating the provision of modification rights to said folder comprises providing said link recipient with modification rights to said folder.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of facilitating the provision of modification rights to said folder comprises:
 a. automatically determining whether one or more access criteria are satisfied; and   b. at least partially in response to determining that said one or more access criteria are satisfied, providing a user with modification rights to said folder.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a. determining whether one or more access criteria are satisfied;   b. at least partially in response to determining that said one or more access criteria are not satisfied, requesting approval from said link sharer for modification rights to said folder; and   c. at least partially in response to receiving said approval from said link sharer, providing said link recipient with modification rights to said folder.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more access criteria are selected from a group consisting of:
 a. the link sharer and the link recipient are members of a common group on a social media web site; and   b. the link recipient is within a list of contacts associated with the link sharer.   
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing modification rights to said folder comprises adding the folder to a particular user's account within the context of a document management system. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the document management system is a synched file sharing system. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the modification rights include one or more rights selected from a group consisting of:
 a. adding digital content to the folder;   b. deleting digital content from the shared folder; and   c. editing digital content that is stored within the shared folder.   
     
     
         12 . A computer-implemented method of sharing files between a link sharer and a link recipient comprising the steps of:
 a. in response to receiving a request to share a folder containing digital content, generating a link that, when activated, facilitates providing modification rights to said digital content in said folder;   b. at least partially in response to receiving an indication that said folder sharing link has been activated, executing a step that is selected from a group consisting of:
 i. automatically granting modification rights to the folder at least partially based on the satisfaction of at least one permission criterion; and 
 ii. requesting manual approval from a link sharer to provide modification rights to the shared folder. 
   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein modification rights to said shared folder are granted to multiple link recipients within the context of a synched file sharing system. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein said at least one permission criterion is chosen from the group consisting of:
 a. said link recipient belong to a common domain with said link sharer;   b. said link recipient belonging to the same user-defined group as said link sharer;   c. said link recipient's e-mail address being included in the link sharer's contact information; and   d. said link recipient and said link sharer being registered users of the same file storage server system.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of notifying said link sharer when modification rights are granted to said link recipient. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein said modification rights include one or more rights selected from a group consisting of:
 a. adding digital content to said folder;   b. deleting digital content from said folder; and   c. editing digital content in said folder.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of:
 a. receiving a second indication that the link has been activated by a third user; and   b. at least partially in response to receiving said second indication, executing a step that is selected from a group consisting of:
 i. automatically granting modification rights to said folder; and 
 ii. requesting manual approval from said first user to grant modification rights to said folder. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 17 , wherein the step of automatically granting modification rights to said folder comprises adding said folder to said third user's account within the context of a document management system. 
     
     
         19 . A computer-implemented method of sharing one or more files between users of a file management system, the one or more files being stored within a folder and the method comprising the steps of:
 a. at least partially in response to a request from a first user, generating a link, wherein said link provides a recipient of the link modification rights to digital content contained within said folder;   b. receiving an indication that said link has been activated by a second user;   c. at least partially in response to receiving said indication, executing a step that is selected from a group consisting of:
 i. automatically granting modification rights to said folder; and 
 ii. requesting manual approval from said first user to grant modification rights to said folder,
 wherein the modification rights allow said second user the ability to edit digital content contained in said folder. 
 
   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein said first user is an owner of said digital content. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein automatically granting modification rights further comprises the step of verifying that at least one permission criterion is met by said second user. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein said at least one permission criterion comprises verifying an identity of said second user. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of granting modification rights to said folder comprises adding said folder to said second user's account within the context of a document management system. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of:
 a. receiving an indication that the link has been activated by a third user; and   b. at least partially in response to receiving said indication by said third user, executing a step that is selected from a group consisting of:
 i. automatically granting modification rights to said folder; and 
 ii. requesting manual approval from said first user to grant modification rights to said folder. 
   
     
     
         25 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 25 , wherein the step of automatically granting modification rights to said folder comprises adding said folder to said third user's account within the context of a document management system. 
     
     
         26 . A system for providing modification rights to a linked file set, comprising at least one processor configured to:
 a. receive a request to generate a link that, when activated, facilitates providing modification rights to a folder of digital content;   b. in response to said request, generate a link that, when activated by a link recipient, facilitates providing modification rights to said folder;   c. receive an indication that said link has been activated; and   d. in response to receiving said indication, facilitate the provision of modification rights, to the link recipient, to said folder.