Graphical User Interface for Collaborative Document Sharing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current shared storage systems for electronic documents lack intuitive graphical user interfaces that facilitate efficient uploading and sharing, particularly in collaborative modification scenarios, leading to decreased user productivity and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A graphical user interface is designed for end user applications that provides real-time sharing status information and allows users to easily upload and share electronic documents to shared storage systems, incorporating a sharing interface to manage access and resolve naming conflicts automatically.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a shared storage system is used for collaborative document modification, then document accessibility and collaboration capability are improved, but the complexity of managing access rights and ensuring document consistency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollaborative modification capabilityVSAvoidaccess control management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically manages access control by detecting when a document is opened in a shared storage system and automatically granting access rights to other users who need to view or edit the document. This eliminates the need for manual access control configuration while maintaining secure collaborative access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors document access status and automatically updates access control permissions based on real-time usage patterns. When a document is opened, the system feedback-loop automatically grants necessary access rights to collaborating users, ensuring consistent access management without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If automatic access control is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess control operation simplicityVSAvoidaccess control system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The access control system operates autonomously by detecting document opening events and automatically granting appropriate access rights to users. This self-service mechanism eliminates manual access control configuration while maintaining secure collaborative access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-configures access control rules and automatically applies them when documents are opened. By having access control logic built into the system architecture, the complexity is hidden from users while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If real-time document status information is displayed to users, then ease of operation is improved, but information processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocument sharing interface usabilityVSAvoidinformation processing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The user interface uses visual indicators such as color-coded icons or symbols to represent document status (e.g., green for available, yellow for viewing, red for editing). This visual encoding conveys real-time status information intuitively without requiring complex text displays or excessive data processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system displays only the essential status information needed for collaborative operation (such as who is viewing or editing the document) rather than all possible document metadata. This partial information approach reduces processing overhead while maintaining usability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10812568B2Graphical user interface facilitating uploading of electronic documents to shared storage

Publication Date: 2020.10.20 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

In an end user application running on a computer, for the purpose of collaborative modification of shared electronic documents, a graphical user interface is provided that facilitates storing an electronic document in shared storage. This graphical user interface includes a graphical element that conveys information about shared status of the currently accessed electronic document to the end user. Through input devices of the end user computer, an end user can manipulate this graphical element. Certain manipulations of this graphical element instruct the end user computer to store the currently accessed electronic document in shared storage if that electronic document has not yet been stored in shared storage. After the electronic document is stored in shared storage, the graphical user interface facilitates sharing of the electronic document with others. A graphical user interface that allows an electronic document to be quickly shared improves user efficiency and productivity in collaborative authoring.