Method and apparatus for information exchange over a web based environment

Abstract

With the ever increasing size and the explorative growth of digital document and content, the traditional electronic information exchanging tool such as email and instant message, web-meeting etc. can not fully satisfy massive user's needs. With the development of central controlled distributed scalable virtual machine (CCDSVM) and the web-based computer user working (operating) environment (WCUWE), the problems mentioned above can be easily solved by introduce a common “dynamic work space” technology of this invention within frame work of CCDSVM and WCUWE. With “dynamic work space” technology, user can use conventional browser to instantly post or un-post messages, digital documents or contents or said resources without install specialized software, without size limitation, with security, and further to obtain capability of anywhere and anytime peer-to-peer exchanging information within organized user-group or in one-to-one fashion. In addition, WCUWE of CCDSVM provides each user a private work space and each group a common work space under the dynamic work space umbrella, therefore, WCUWE provide users of CCDSVM a safe secure infrastructure hierarchy for users or group of users to efficiently manage, sharing, and access the right information in time anywhere on the network.

1 . A web-based central controlled distributed virtual machine (“CCDSVM”) for providing dynamic work space for users in groups performing tasks of post or un-post their messages, files, folders and other resources in said CCDSVM to one or more audiences on a network, said CCDSVM comprises: 
 a control system configured to provisioned one or more provisioned systems connected through a communication network;    at least one client system coupled to said control system and coupled to said communication network;    at least one console system coupled to said client system and configured to connect to said communication network; and    wherein said control system includes console support software, which is configured to provide one or more login users from a web-browser of any system over said communication network with instant performance of posting or un-posting messages or files or folders or system resources information on said control system or on said provisioned system with group based model or non-group 1-to-1 model to one or more audiences across said communication network.    
     
     
         2 . The CCDSVM of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said control system, said provisioned systems, said client system, and said console system are computational systems, wherein each said computational system includes a CPU, a network connecting media, wireless cards, a storage media of memory, disk drives, tape drives, and memory stick; and    wherein said computational systems are server, desktop, laptop, handheld devices, and cell phone.    
     
     
         3 . The CCDSVM of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said communication network is Internet, or Intranet or local area network (“LAN”) or a combination of Internet, Intranet, and LAN, and further includes switches, routers, various cables, network connecting media, domain name services (“DNS”), gateways, communication protocols, or firewalls; and    wherein said communication protocols employed by said communication network includes HTML/HTTP, TCP/IP, WML/WAP, or proprietary based protocols.    
     
     
         4 . The CCDSVM of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said control system is configured to include web-server software, console support software, and web-browser software;    wherein said provisioned system includes service software modules, web-browser, and web-server software, wherein said service software modules are configured to transmit data between said provisioned system and said console support software;    wherein said console support software is configured to provision said provisioning systems through an automatic provisioning protocol, wherein information relating to said provisioned systems is organized into a list of tables stored in said control system after provisioning process, and said console support software further configured to communicate and manage said provisioned systems, said console support software coupled to said web interface software for transmitting data between said console support software and a web-browser of any system visaid web-server software over said communication network;    wherein said console support software, service software, web-server software, and web-browser are implemented by C, C++, Java, or JavaScript programming language; and    wherein said console support software, web-server software modules, service software modules are coupled and create a web-based computer user work environment (“WCUWE”).    
     
     
         5 . The CCDSVM of  claim 1 , 
 wherein said console support software includes said web-browser for displaying web-pages to users; wherein each of said web-pages is encoded with HTML, XML, or WML; and    wherein said web-browser is capable of transmitting tasks of posting objects or un-posting objects to said control system.    
     
     
         6 . The CCDSVM of  claim 1 , 
 wherein each of said users is registered with console support software,    wherein said control system verifies authentications of said users and assigns a private work space for each of said users;    wherein said private work space is assigned with various system resources on control system or on provisioned system;    wherein said console support software is configured to facilitate a login CCDSVM authentication process for each of said users via a web-based communication network, wherein said console support software is further configured to provide authenticated users with web-pages displaying their private work spaces, wherein said console support software allows said users to perform various permitted tasks within said private work space.    
     
     
         7 . The CCDSVM of  claim 6 , 
 wherein said tasks include posting messages, un-posting messages, posting files, posting folders, system management, folder management, file management, network management, storage device management, and authentication management;    wherein said assigned resources include system-groups over said communication network, provisioned systems, control system, and associated information, wherein said associated information includes one or more piece of memory, CPU, storage media of disk drives or RAID or memory stick or tape drives, storage volumes on disks, file systems, folders, sub-folders, files in any folder, messages, and user security profile, groups, user's specific access location/point, email addresses, network information of network interface cards or ports, DNS, gateway, or broadcast;    wherein resources associated with displayed private work space of each login user are dynamically assigned by a privileged user thereby allowing said login user to view assigned resources; and    wherein said login user may permit to change said assigned resources and said tasks in response to security permission assigned to said login user.    
     
     
         8 . The CCDSVM of  claim 1 , 
 wherein if said users who perform tasks of posting or un-posting messages or file or folder or said resources to said one or multiple audience on said communication network and at least one or more audiences are in same user-group as said user with, said communication model is group based model, wherein if said user who perform said tasks of posting or un-posting messages or file or folder or said resources to only one said audience, wherein said one audience has a registered account with said CCDSVM, wherein said communication model is non-group based 1-to-1 model; and    wherein said audience on said communication network is a user having an account with said CCDSVM, wherein said massive users do not have registered accounts with said CCDSMV.    
     
     
         9 . The CCDSVM of  claim 1 , 
 wherein if said user communicate to said audience with group based model, said user configured to be assigned to a group account of said CCDSVM;    wherein said group account is created by privileged users of said CCDSVM;    wherein said console support software assigns a common work space to each group account during group creation time;    wherein said common work space is initially assigned with said resources based on security scope and permission of said group; and    wherein said resources of said common work space is dynamically assigned to authorized users.    
     
     
         10 . A method of supporting multiple users in multiple groups, each from a web-browser of any systems on network to instantly perform tasks of posting or un-posting information of private files, folders, messages, or resources of each original user to/from common work space of each targeted groups, or to/from private work space of peer-user in a CCDSVM environment, the method comprises: 
 providing privileged users of CCDSVM login to CCDSVM from a web-browser of a system to perform tasks of creating group or user accounts;    assigning said users to one or more specific groups, and assigning associated passwords, security privileges, initial resources either on control system or provisioned systems, and related information to each said user or group;    providing automatic storing information of created user/group into storage media on control system as user account profile;    providing validation of one or more said users to login CCDSVM each from said web-browser;    providing each validated user a dynamic private work space and associated group a dynamic common work space by dynamically retrieving and converting said assigned resources and information into presentable web-format (web-page) to be displayed in web-browser of each validated user;    providing each validated users from said web-browser on any system to instantly concurrently perform tasks of posting or un-posting messages or information of files, folders, or said resources stored in said private work space of validated user to/from said common work space of each targeted groups, or to or from private work space of each targeted peer-user through operation menu associated with group based model or 1-to-1 model;    obtaining and parsing related task information transmitted from each said user's browser, wherein said task information includes operation types, original users, type of resources to be posted or un-posted, targeted user, and time stamps;    executing special designed posting or un-posting tasks, and setting up results of tasks into each targeted user's private work space, or into each targeted group's common work space;    converting said results of tasks into presentable web-format (web-page) to be displayed in each targeted peer users' web-browser; and    providing automatic refreshing to said web-browser of said each targeted peer user to update new information of said file, folder, messages and said resources.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said providing privileged users of CCDSVM login to CCDSVM from a web-browser of a system to perform tasks of creating group or user accounts further includes: 
 creating distinguished account type for each said user and group and assigning with different resources;    assigning same group identification (“ID”) to said users in same group and groups, wherein a group may have at least one user up to maximum number of users the console support software has supported, wherein said security privilege includes which user can access what resource and perform what kind of tasks on what system;    said task information of creating user and groups transmitted from said web-browser of any system to said console support software of said control system, and    said user and group account information automatically stored into storage media in a form of database on said control system upon console support software executing said task; and    said storage media being memory or disk or both.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said providing privileged users of CCDSVM login to CCDSVM from a web-browser of a system to perform tasks of creating group or user accounts further includes: 
 if said assigned resource of a user or group being a private folder of said user, said user permitted to perform tasks of creating or deleting sub-folder, deleting files, posting or un-posting file and folder, upload or download, renaming files and folder, copying or moving file or sub-folder in or out between said private folder and folders on permitted systems, which includes control system, provisioned systems, and non-provisioned system;    if said permitted system provisioned system, said console support software of control system working together with service software modules of provisioned system to provide user a method to directly copy or move folders or files between the folders of permitted system and the assigned private folder area of private work space on either control system or on provisional system without size limitation; and    said console support software provided said users to directly upload files from user's local storage on said client system, or on provisioned system, or on console system to the user's assigned private folder area of private work space on either control system or on provisional system without size limitation.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said assigning said users to one or more specific groups, and assigning associated passwords, security privileges, initial resources either on control system or provisioned systems, and related information to each said user or group: 
 said user login validation including the validation of user account name, password, permitted access point (from what system with what IP address), and related information against counter part information stored in said user account profile;    said presentable web-format may encoded with HTML, XML, or WML and transmitted between to web-browser of any system and said control system via communication link;    said encoded presentable web-format including one or more pieces of run-time code to be run in web-browser and such run-time code implemented with JavaScript; and    the choice of selecting said web-format depending on the communication link and the associated protocol of communication line between the control system and the system wherein said web-browser resides on and said associated protocol is HTTP, SOAP, or WAP.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , said assigning said users to one or more specific groups, and assigning associated passwords, security privileges, initial resources either on control system or provisioned systems, and related information to each said user or group: 
 said privileged user instantly assigning a resource to a general user or group for accessing or instantly withdrawing the previously assign a resource from said general user or group in real-time;    said user's private work space being a per user dynamic work environment, which dynamically includes various permitted assigned information of said resources and allows each user to perform various task over said resources; said resources of private work space including private message area and file and folder area, network or storage information area;    said group's common work space being a per group dynamic work environment, which also dynamically includes various said permitted resources and allows each users in same group to perform various task; said resources of common work space including group common message area, file and folder area, network or storage information area;    said resources being dynamically retrieved from said database stored on said storage media and to be converted to presentable web-format and to be displayed in each user's web-browser depending on the needs;    with security permission, said user in a group moving information back and forth between user's private work space and group's common work space; and    said console support software of control system organizing said work space of each group and user into a dynamic work space of said WCUWE of CCDSVM.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said providing automatic storing information of created user/group into storage media on control system as user account profile includes: 
 to support posting or un-posting messages, the web-page provided by said console support software containing a messages input area section and a messages display section;    to support posting or un-posting file or folder, the web-page provided by said console support software containing a file and folder management section, which is either graphically displayed as a file and folder tree or non-graphically displayed and has an associated operation menu; and the web-page including a displaying posted files and folders section for said group based model only, and    to support posting or un-posting said resource information, the web-page provided by said console support software containing said sections to display various different type of resources information, which is information of storage devices, network cards or IP address, CPU status or memory usages on a system of CCDSVM.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further including: 
 to support said group based model, said message display section displaying messages in common message area of common work space of said group for all posted messages by users in the same groups;    to support said 1-to-1 model, said message display section displaying messages in private message area of private work space of each peer user for all posted messages by both original user and peer user; and said message display section including an additional input field to indicate a targeted peer user; and    said message displaying area associated with an operation menu.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  15 , further including: 
 to support said group based model, said displaying posted files and folders section displaying files and folders in common file and folder area of common work space of said group for all posted files or folders from users in said group; and    to support said 1-to-1 model, said file and folder management section displaying file and folder tree containing the files or folders of private file and folder area of private work space of said user, which includes the files or folders posted by said peer user in addition to the files and folders belong to the original user; an operation menu associated with said file and folder management section.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , said providing automatic storing information of created user/group into storage media on control system as user account profile further includes: 
 to post a message, said user typing a message in said message input area section and clicking an associated submitting button to submit the task of posing a message or with a equivalent submitting method to send the task of posing a message from said web-browser on said any system to said console support software of said control system;    to post a file or folder, said user selecting a file or folder from said file and folder tree in said file and folder management section, and then selecting and clicking on a posting operation from said operation menu to submit the posting task from said web-browser on said any system to said console support software of said control system; and with 1-to-1 model, said user providing a targeted user in responding to a pop-up prompt provided by said designated run-time script encoded in said web-page; and    said system being said client system, console system or control system.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing automatic storing information of created user/group into storage media on control system as user account profile includes: 
 to un-post a message, if it is permitted; said user selecting a targeted message in said message display section, and then selecting and clicking on un-posting operation from said operation menu to submit the task of un-posting a message from said web-browser on said any system to said console support software of said control system; and    to un-posting a file or folder for both said model, said user selecting a previously posted file or folder from the file and folder tree in said displayed file and folder management section and then selecting and clicking on un-posting operation from said operation menu to submit the task of un-posting a file or folder from said web-browser on said any system to said console support software of said control system; and with 1-to-1 model, said user providing a targeted user to response to a pop-up prompt provided by said designated run-time script encoded in said web-page.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further includes: 
 said console support software providing said an alternative method for group based model of un-posting a file or folder;    said alternative method providing an operation menu to said displaying posted files and folders section in said web-page for said group based model; and    if it is permitted, said user selecting a previously posted file or folder, regardless belong to which user, from said displaying posted files and folders section, and then selecting and clicking on un-post operation from operation menu to submit un-posting task from said browser to console support software of control system.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  further includes: 
 said console support software providing a special personal share management section on a web-page for 1-to-1 model to list all previously posted files or folders belong to the original user, and providing an operation menu to allow said original user performing said tasks of un-posting file or folder; and    said special section containing and displaying all previously posted files and folders along with associated information of who is the targeted user, which system the targeted user logging in from, when said file or folder posted.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , further includes: 
 said displayed file and folder tree displayed in file and folder management section of said web-browser being dynamically updated along with the permitted selection of the file or folder for posting operation by said user from their web-browser; and    said file and folder tree being designed with multiple layers for displaying and operating the entire underneath file system for browser base management.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said providing automatic storing information of created user/group into storage media on control system as user account profile includes: 
 said console support software of control system providing designed operation menu associated with resources being a pop-up menu or a non-pop-up menu, and displayable on each user's web-browser;    said operation menu for file and folder management including tasks of rename, copy/past, delete, move, upload, and download; and    said operation menu for operating said resources being provided with corresponding operation menu depending on the needs.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing automatic storing information of created user/group into storage media on control system as user account profile includes: 
 the screen layout of said web-page provided by said console support software being depending on applications and communication model of this invention without limitation;    a group based online meeting including four sections in said web-page; said message input area section, said group message display section, said displayed file and folder tree management section of user's private work space, and said displayed section of files and folders in group common work space, which contains files or folder posted by users in same group;    a group based online meeting including two sections in said web-page; said message input area section, and said group message display section;    a group based online meeting including two sections in said web-page; said displayed file and folder tree management section of user's private work space, and said displayed section of files and folders in group common work space, which contains files or folder posted by users in same group;    a non-group based 1-to-1 meeting could including three sections; said message input area section, said message display section for messages from both 1-to-1 party, and said displayed file and folder tree management section of user's private work space, which includes files or folders posted/shared from peer users in addition to files and folders belong to the original user;    a non-group based 1-to-1 meeting including four sections; said message input area section, said message display section for messages from both 1-to-1 party, and said displayed file and folder tree management section of user's private work space, which includes files or folders posted/shared from peer users in addition to files and folders belong to the original user, and said special personal share management section;    a non-group based 1-to-1 meeting including only two sections; said message input area section, and said message display section for messages from both 1-1 party;    a non-group based 1-to-1 meeting including only two sections; said displayed file and folder tree management section and said personal share management section;    a model of dynamic posting or un-posting messages or file or folders by users in a group to each web-browser of massive Internet or Intranet online un-registered users having two web-pages, one for users in said group and another for said massive un-registered users; the first said web-page for said massive user containing one section of either said message display section or said displayed files and folders section of common file and folder area of common work space of said group; said first web-page containing two sections of said message display section and said displayed files or folders section; the second said web-page for said users in said group containing said four sections to instantly post or un-post messages, files or folders, instantly posting or un-posting messages, or files and folders; and    with each communication model, said participating users getting and viewing a same web-page with identical number of screen sections layout; and    getting an identical contents view on message display section and on file and folder display section for said common work space of said group if said user participating group based model of communication;    each user getting an unique view on said file and folder management section, which contains file and folders in their own private work space.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing each validated user a dynamic private work space and associated group a dynamic common work space by dynamically retrieving and converting said assigned resources and information into presentable web-format (web-page) to be displayed in web-browser of each validated user further includes: 
 said console support software of control system executing said posting or un-posting tasks based on obtained and parsed information with following rules,    (1) if said original user posts information of private files or folders in user private work space to targeted users in the same group, the information of said file or folder is deposited to the file and folder area of group common work space of designated group;    (2) if said user try to un-posting previously posted files or folders in a group common work space, said console support software searching a matched file or folder in said common file and folder area of group common work space based original user and information of file or folder, if there is a match, the matched entry is deleted from said group common work space;    (3) if said original user posts files or folders in his/her private work space to a targeted user with said 1-to-1 model, said information of files or folders of said user deposited to the file and folder area of private work space of targeted user;    (4) if said user un-posts a previous posted file or folder for targeted user with said 1-to-1 model, said console support software searches a matched file or folder in said private file and folder area of targeted user's private work space based information of original user and information of file or folder, if there is a match, the matched entry is deleted from said targeted user's private work space;    (5) if said user posts a message to multiple users in the same group, said message will be deposited to the common message area of targeted group's common work space;    (6) if said user posts a message to a targeted users with said non-group based 1-to-1 model, said message is deposited to the private message area of private work space of targeted user;    (7) if said user un-posts a message in group based communication, said console support software searches a matched message with information of original user, message identification and time stamp in said common message area of a group, if a match is found, the corresponding entry is deleted from the common message area of targeted group's common work space; and    (8) if said user un-posts message in said non-group based 1-to-1 communication, said console support software search a matched message with information of original user, message identification, and time stamp in said private message area of targeted user's private work space, if a match is found, the corresponding entry is deleted from the private message area of targeted user's private work space.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  further includes: 
 said console support software of control system executing each task of posting or un-posting file or folder or messages or any said resources initiated by multiple said users concurrently in memory speed; and    during said depositing information of file or folder or depositing a message to said any work space, a lock mechanism deployed to protect the integrity of task operation.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , further includes: 
 said console support software of control system also providing privileged user to perform tasks of saving messages in either said group common message area or in said private message area by write messages into either a record file or text file on external storage media such as disk; said records in record file containing message identification number, the original user, the targeted user and the message its self;    said console support software also providing privileged user to perform task of resetting said message area in either group common work space or said user private work space by emptying said message area.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing each validated users from said web-browser on any system to instantly concurrently perform tasks of posting or un-posting messages or information of files, folders, or said resources stored in said private work space of validated user to/from said common work space of each targeted groups, or to or from private work space of each targeted peer-user through operation menu associated with group based model or 1-to-1 model includes: 
 a designated said run-time code encoded in said web-page setting up and periodically initiating the task of said automatic refreshing web-page of said web-browser of each user;    the rate of periodically auto refreshing said web-browser adjusted by said console support software depends on the needs of communication; and    each said user also manually refreshing said web-page by clicking on a designed refreshing button to submit the task.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing each validated users from said web-browser on any system to instantly concurrently perform tasks of posting or un-posting messages or information of files, folders, or said resources stored in said private work space of validated user to/from said common work space of each targeted groups, or to or from private work space of each targeted peer-user through operation menu associated with group based model or 1-to-1 model further includes: 
 upon receiving task/request of refreshing web-page/web-browser, said console support software obtaining and parsing the requested task to determine which user, which browser, and which section of browser need to be refreshed, and what information need to be update; and    based on parsed information, said console support software retrieved corresponding information either from said user's private work space or group's common work space, and further converting said information into said presentable web-format, and finally transmit the converted new web-page back to the corresponding sections of said browser for displaying.    
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein providing each validated users from said web-browser on any system to instantly concurrently perform tasks of posting or un-posting messages or information of files, folders, or said resources stored in said private work space of validated user to/from said common work space of each targeted groups, or to or from private work space of each targeted peer-user through operation menu associated with group based model or 1-to-1 model further includes: 
 in both said group based communication or non-group based 1-to-1 communication model, each user seeing files (digital documents and contents) posted by each peer user, each user retrieving files posted by peer users to realize the exchanging files between communication party with conventional web-browser and without size limitation.    
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 10 , further include: 
 said console support software providing each said users a center view for personal share control and further to effectively control the massive previously posted file or folder during 1-to-1 communication;    said user conveniently selecting a previously posted file or folder and further to perform un-posting task via an operation menu.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 10 , further includes: 
 with said different security permission hierarchy imposed on various users and groups, said console support software providing a leader in a work team to post one or more folders without entering group online meeting model, and to be access by all members in a team while do not permit other individual member to do the similar task;    each team member still having privilege to perform non-group based 1-to-1 posting or un-posting operation and sharing for files and folders; and    said privileged user dynamically setting each user's security permission and roles in real-time, and therefore, the each users in said team having a changed scope and view of resource for access when their roles are changed.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 10 , further includes: 
 said division of each user's private work space and each group's common work space provided by said WCUWE of CCDSVM enforcing security protection for each user and each group of users to perform posting or un-posting or said tasks concurrently without interfering with each other; and    letting each user or group of users to securely work together and sharing each other throughout the universe of Intranet, Intranet, and LAN.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 24 , further includes: 
 said rich resources information assigned by WCUWE of CCDSVM and contained in each users' private user work space or group common work space providing displaying and sharing information with various web-page layout to satisfy various applications; and    combining said rich resources information and each user's ability of performing concurrent multi-tasks from a single web-browser on any system provided by WCUWE, user can perform various tasks over network, storage, system monitoring and so on far beyond the file or folder or message's post and un-post operation over CCDSVM.    
     
     
         35 . A method of web based information exchange, comprising: 
 receiving a first posting request from a first user resided across an Internet;    identifying a first posting object in response to said posting request and posting requirements associated with said first posting request;    determining a first group in which said first user is a member;    obtaining a list users within said first group from a local storage device;    generating a first web page including said posting object; and    providing said first web page to users of said first group via users' systems through the Internet; and    monitoring said first web page and determining whether any of said users have access said web page.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , further comprising: 
 receiving a second posting request from a second user resided across an Internet;    identifying a second posting object in response to said second posting request and posting requirements associated with said second posting request;    generating a second web page including said second posting object;    un-posting said first web page;    providing said second web page to users of said first group via users' systems through the Internet; and    monitoring said second web page and determining whether any of said users have access said second web page.