Generating link information to access a file stored in a storage area associated with user identification information

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a memory that includes a first storage area and a second storage area and a processor that generates link information to access the file stored in the first storage area, in the second storage area associated with the user identification information associated with the first storage area, requests a notification server that transmits a notification, with identification information that identifies a communication apparatus that corresponds to the user identification information associated with the first storage area, and transfers, in response to a request from the communication apparatus that receives the notification, the link information stored in the second storage area associated with the user identification information corresponding to the communication apparatus and that further transfers, in response to access of the file by the communication apparatus using the link information, the file obtained from the first area to the communication apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
 a memory including:
 a first storage area associated with user identification information; and 
 a second storage area associated with the user identification information that is associated with the first storage area; and 
 
 processing circuitry configured to:
 store a file in the first storage area in response to a request for adding the file to the first storage area; 
 generate link information to access the file stored in the first storage area, and store the link information in the second storage area that is associated with the user identification information associated with the first storage area; 
 request a notification server to transmit a notification that indicates that the file has been newly added to the first storage area, with identification information that identifies a communication apparatus that corresponds to the user identification information associated with the first storage area; 
 transfer, in response to a request from the communication apparatus that receives the notification, the link information of the newly added file stored in the second storage area associated with the user identification information corresponding to the communication apparatus, and to further transfer, in response to a request to access the newly added file by the communication apparatus using the link information, the newly added file obtained from the first storage area to the communication apparatus; 
 delete the link information to access the file from the second storage area associated with the user identification information corresponding to the communication apparatus in response to transferring of the file obtained using the link information to the communication apparatus; and 
 report a number of unread files stored in the second storage area to the communication apparatus, and to change the number of unread files stored in the second storage area when the link information is deleted from the second storage area. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the first storage area of the memory is associated with a process to be performed on a first file stored in the first storage area, the processing circuitry is further configured to perform the process associated with the first storage area on the first file in response to storing the first file in the first storage area, and to request the notification server to send a notification indicating that the process performed on the first file in the first storage area is finished in response to finishing of the process performed on the first file in the first storage area. 
     
     
       3. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first storage area of the memory is associated with a process that generates a second file based on a first file stored in the first storage area, and 
 the processing circuitry is further configured to perform the process that generates the second file, which is associated with the first storage area, based on the first file in response to storing the first file in the first storage area, and to request the notification server to send a notification indicating that the process that generates the second file is finished in response to finishing of the process that generates the second file being performed on the first file in the first storage area. 
 
     
     
       4. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to transfer a number of link information stored in the second storage area associated with the user identification information to the notification server. 
     
     
       5. An information processing system comprising:
 a first storage area associated with user identification information; 
 a second storage area associated with the user identification information that is associated with the first storage area; and 
 an information processing apparatus including circuitry configured to implement:
 a storage processor to store a file in the first storage area in response to a request for adding the file to the first storage area; 
 a generator to generate link information to access the file stored in the first storage area, and to store the link information in the second storage area that is associated with the user identification information associated with the first storage area; 
 a notification requester to request a notification server to transmit a notification indicating that the file has been newly added to the first storage area, with identification information that identifies a communication apparatus that corresponds to the user identification information associated with the first storage area; and 
 a transmitter to transfer, in response to a request from the communication apparatus that receives the notification, the link information of the newly added file stored in the second storage area associated with the user identification information corresponding to the communication apparatus, and to further transfer, in response to a request to access the newly added file by the communication apparatus using the link information, the newly added file obtained from the first storage area to the communication apparatus, wherein 
 
 the circuitry is configured to delete the link information to access the file from the second storage area associated with the user identification information corresponding to the communication apparatus in response to transferring of the file obtained using the link information to the communication apparatus, and 
 the circuitry is configured to report a number of unread files stored in the second storage area to the communication apparatus, and to change the number of unread files stored in the second storage area when the link information is deleted from the second storage area. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5 , wherein, when the first storage area is associated with a process to be performed on a first file stored in the first storage area, the circuitry is configured to perform the process associated with the first storage area on the first file in response to storing the first file in the first storage area, and to request the notification server to send the notification indicating that the process performed on the first file in the first storage area is finished in response to finishing of the process performed on the first file in the first storage area. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 5 , wherein
 the first storage area is associated with a process that generates a second file based on a first file stored in the first storage area, and 
 the circuitry is configured to perform the process that generates the second file, which is associated with the first storage area, based on the first file in response to storing the first file in the first storage area, and to request the notification server to send the notification indicating that the process that generates the second file is finished in response to finishing of the process that generates the second file being performed on the first file in the first storage area. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the circuitry is configured to transfer a number of link information stored in the second storage area associated with the user identification information to the notification server. 
     
     
       9. A non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium storing a program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to implement a method of processing information, the method comprising:
 storing, by an information processing apparatus, a file in a first storage area associated with user identification information, in response to a request for adding the file to the first storage area; 
 generating, by the information processing apparatus, link information to access the file stored in the first storage area, and storing the link information in a second storage area that is associated with the user identification information associated with the first storage area; 
 requesting a notification server to transmit a notification indicating that the file has been newly added to the first storage area, with identification information that identifies a communication apparatus that corresponds to the user identification information associated with the first storage area; 
 transferring, by the information processing apparatus in response to a request from the communication apparatus that receives the notification, the link information of the newly added file stored in the second storage area associated with the user identification information corresponding to the communication apparatus; 
 transferring, in response to a request to access the newly added file by the communication apparatus using the link information, the newly added file obtained from the first storage area to the communication apparatus; 
 deleting the link information to access the file from the second storage area associated with the user identification information corresponding to the communication apparatus in response to transferring of the file obtained using the link information to the communication apparatus; 
 reporting a number of unread files stored in the second storage area to the communication apparatus, and 
 changing the number of unread files stored in the second storage area when the link information is deleted from the second storage area. 
 
     
     
       10. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first storage area and the second storage area are folders, and 
 the processing circuitry is configured to transfer information corresponding to a folder list, including information on a folder in the second storage area, in response to receiving a request for acquiring the folder list of the information processing apparatus from the communication apparatus. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 5 , wherein
 the first storage area and the second storage area are folders, and 
 the circuitry is configured to transfer information corresponding to a folder list, including information on a folder in the second storage area, in response to receiving a request for acquiring the folder list of the system from the communication apparatus. 
 
     
     
       12. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to request the notification server to transmit the notification that indicates that the file has been newly added to the first storage area in response to the file being newly added to the first storage area. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 5 , wherein the circuitry is configured to request the notification server to transmit the notification indicating that the file has been newly added to the first storage area in response to the file being newly added to the first storage area. 
     
     
       14. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, users identified by the user identification information in the first storage area and the second storage area are the same. 
     
     
       15. An information processing apparatus, comprising:
 a memory including:
 a first storage area associated with user identification information; and 
 a second storage area associated with the user identification information; and 
   processing circuitry configured to:
 store a file in the first storage area in response to a request for adding the file to the first storage area; 
 generate link information that is used by a communication apparatus to access the file, the communication apparatus corresponding to the user identification information associated with the first storage area; 
 store the link information in the second storage area; 
 transmit to the communication apparatus, in response to storing the link information in the second storage area, information that indicates a number of link information stored in the second storage area; 
 transfer, in response to a request from the communication apparatus, the link information stored in the second storage area to the communication apparatus; 
 transfer, in response to a request from the communication apparatus to access the file with the link information, the file to the communication apparatus; 
 delete the link information from the second storage area in response to transferring the file to the communication apparatus; 
 transmit to the communication apparatus, after deleting the link information from the second storage area, information that indicates an updated number of link information stored in the second storage area; and 
 report a number of unread files stored in the second storage area to the communication apparatus, and change the number of unread files stored in the second storage area when the link information is deleted from the second storage area. 
   
     
     
       16. The information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to
 perform a process on a first file, when the first storage area is associated with the process, after the first file is stored in the first storage area, and   send a notification indicating that the process performed on the first file is complete.   
     
     
       17. The information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein
 the first storage area is associated with a process that generates a second file based on a first file stored in the first storage area, and   the processing circuitry is further configured to
 perform the process to generate the second file based on the first file after the first file is stored in the first storage area, and 
 send a notification indicating that the process that generates the second file is complete. 
   
     
     
       18. The information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to transfer the information that indicates the number of link information stored in the second storage area to a notification server. 
     
     
       19. The information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein
 the first storage area and the second storage area are folders, and   the processing circuitry is configured to transfer information corresponding to a folder list, including information on a folder in the second storage area, in response to receiving a request for acquiring the folder list of the information processing apparatus from the communication apparatus.   
     
     
       20. The information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to transmit a notification that indicates that the file has been stored in the first storage area. 
     
     
       21. The information processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein, users identified by the user identification information in the first storage area and the second storage area are the same. 
     
     
       22. An information processing system comprising:
 a memory including:
 a first storage area associated with user identification information; and 
 a second storage area associated with the user identification information; and 
   an information processing apparatus including processing circuitry configured to:
 store a file in the first storage area in response to a request for adding the file to the first storage area; 
 generate link information that is used by a communication apparatus to access the file, the communication apparatus corresponding to the user identification information associated with the first storage area; 
 store the link information in the second storage area; 
 transmit to the communication apparatus, in response to storing the link information in the second storage area, information that indicates a number of link information stored in the second storage area; 
 transfer, in response to a request from the communication apparatus, the link information stored in the second storage area to the communication apparatus; 
 transfer, in response to a request from the communication apparatus to access the file with the link information, the file to the communication apparatus; 
 delete the link information from the second storage area in response to transferring the file to the communication apparatus; 
 transmit to the communication apparatus, after deleting the link information from the second storage area, information that indicates an updated number of link information stored in the second storage area; and 
 report a number of unread files stored in the second storage area to the communication apparatus, and change the number of unread files stored in the second storage area when the link information is deleted from the second storage area. 
   
     
     
       23. The information processing system of claim 22, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to
 perform a process on a first file, when the first storage area is associated with the process, after the first file is stored in the first storage area, and   send a notification indicating that the process performed on the first file is complete.   
     
     
       24. The information processing system of claim 22, wherein
 the first storage area is associated with a process that generates a second file based on a first file stored in the first storage area, and   the processing circuitry is further configured to
 perform the process to generate the second file based on the first file after the first file is stored in the first storage area, and 
 send a notification indicating that the process that generates the second file is complete. 
   
     
     
       25. The information processing system of claim 22, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to transfer the information that indicates the number of link information stored in the second storage area to a notification server. 
     
     
       26. The information processing system of claim 22, wherein
 the first storage area and the second storage area are folders, and   the processing circuitry is configured to transfer information corresponding to a folder list, including information on a folder in the second storage area, in response to receiving a request for acquiring the folder list of the information processing apparatus from the communication apparatus.   
     
     
       27. The information processing system of claim 22, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to transmit a notification that indicates that the file has been stored in the first storage area. 
     
     
       28. A non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium storing a program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to implement a method of processing information, the method comprising the steps of:
 storing, by an information processing apparatus, a file in a first storage in response to a request for adding the file to the first storage area, the first storage area associated with user identification information;   generating, by the information processing apparatus, link information that is used by a communication apparatus to access the file, the communication apparatus corresponding to the user identification information associated with the first storage area;   storing the link information in a second storage area that is associated with the user identification information;   transmitting to the communication apparatus, in response to storing the link information in the second storage area, information that indicates a number of link information stored in the second storage area;   transferring, by the information processing apparatus in response to a request from the communication apparatus, the link information stored in the second storage area to the communication apparatus;   transferring, in response to a request from the communication apparatus to access the file with the link information, the file to the communication apparatus;   deleting the link information from the second storage area in response to transferring the file to the communication apparatus;   transmitting to the communication apparatus, after deleting the link information from the second storage area, information that indicates an updated number of link information stored in the second storage area; and   reporting a number of unread files stored in the second storage area to the communication apparatus, and changing the number of unread files stored in the second storage area when the link information is deleted from the second storage area.   
     
     
       29. The non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium of claim 28, wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 performing a process on a first file, when the first storage area is associated with the process, after the first file is stored in the first storage area, and   sending a notification indicating that the process performed on the first file is complete.   
     
     
       30. The non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium of claim 28, wherein
 the first storage area is associated with a process that generates a second file based on a first file stored in the first storage area, and   the method further comprises the steps of:
 performing the process to generate the second file based on the first file after the first file is stored in the first storage area, and 
 sending a notification indicating that the process that generates the second file is complete. 
   
     
     
       31. The non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium of claim 28, wherein the method further comprises transferring the information that indicates the number of link information stored in the second storage area to a notification server.