File Sharing Service Message Thread Association
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing and securing large email attachments is challenging for both individuals and businesses, as it is difficult to control access and can be costly to maintain on-premise email services.
Innovation Solution
A sharing service that uses message metadata to associate electronic messages related to file sharing, allowing users to specify access permissions and share files within a message thread, with the sharing service providing access to authorized users and managing file storage and communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users encrypt emails or password protect attachments to control access, then data security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to the time-consuming and difficult access control process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a sharing service as an intermediary between the email system and file storage. This service handles access control, authentication, and file distribution automatically, eliminating the need for users to manually encrypt emails or add password protection. The sharing service mediates between the sender, recipients, and file storage system, managing security while simplifying user operations.
2Reliability
If businesses deploy on-premise email servers to manage data and communication, then data control is improved, but cost increases due to hardware upkeep and administrative requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the file storage and sharing functionality from the traditional on-premise email server infrastructure. By separating these functions and implementing them as a cloud-based sharing service, businesses no longer need to maintain expensive on-premise infrastructure for file sharing. The email system retains control over communication while the sharing service handles data storage and distribution, reducing operational costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The sharing service provides multiple functions including file storage, access control, distribution, and integration with email systems through a single platform. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for separate on-premise servers for email, file storage, and access management, consolidating infrastructure requirements and reducing overall operational costs while maintaining data control.
3Ease of operation
If users send large attachments via email to share files, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential loss of control and security issues
Solution Approach 1:
The sharing service acts as an intermediary that receives files from users and distributes them to recipients through controlled mechanisms. Instead of users directly attaching files to emails, the sharing service mediates the transfer, maintaining security controls and access permissions throughout the process. This preserves ease of operation while ensuring reliable access control.
Data Source
AI summary
Functionality is disclosed for informing users of feedback provided that is related to a shared file. In some configurations, a sharing service utilizes a message identifier to associate subsequent electronic messages related to the shared file with a first electronic message. Instead of electronic messages being displayed in different threads, the electronic messages related to the sharing of the file with a same group of users may be included within a same message thread. For example, a sharing service may include the message identifier within a message header of a subsequent sharing message such that a message client identifies the received sharing message as part of the same message thread as previous electronic messages relating to the sharing of the file. The sharing service may create a sharing message associated with an initial sharing message in response to receiving feedback for a file that is shared by the sharing service.