Method and system for allowing multiple users to access and unlock shared electronic documents in a computer system
US8024361B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 23, 2007 |
| Grant date | Sep 20, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 8, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F2221/2147
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system for allowing multiple users to access and unlock shared electronic documents in a computer system. A group of users are defined as potential “lock-breaker” users for a document, such that they are automatically contacted in the event that a user wishes to unlock the document after it has been locked by another user. The lock-breaker users defined for a document are given access rights to the document that allow them to break a current lock on the document, so that it can be opened for editing, and accordingly re-locked. The lock-breaker users for a document may be organized in a hierarchy, such as a hierarchy matching the relationships of employees of an organization. The lock-breaker hierarchy may define the order in which the lock-breaker users are automatically contacted when a user wishes to access a locked document (e.g. an LDAP directory tree or social network).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.