Local, Paperless Document Sharing, Editing, and Marking System

Abstract

Embodiments are directed to a local, paperless document sharing, editing, and marking system which allows users connected to a local network to share, view, edit, mark, and save documents without needing to download them from an internet-based cloud server. A router is used to create a secure, local network to which all participants connect. A user selects documents from a drive connected to the router and shares those documents with other attendees, allowing the attendees to edit, save, and share the documents, mark the documents as exhibits to a legal proceeding, save the documents to a drive, and/or email the documents.

1 . A document sharing system for use over a local network between a plurality of user devices, the system comprising:
 a router configured to create the local network between the plurality of user devices, the plurality of user devices comprising a leader device authenticated by the router and one or more participant devices approved by the leader device to join the local network;   a document storage device connected to the router and containing thereon one or more documents;   wherein the router and the document storage device are configured to provide access to the one or more documents contained on the document storage device when an application installed on the plurality of user devices is run, the application configured to provide a leader graphical user interface (GUI) on the leader device for allowing leader manipulation of at least one of the one or more documents and sharing of at least one of the one or more documents, and a participant GUI on the one or more participant devices for allowing participant manipulation of at least one of the shared documents.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the leader device authentication by the router comprises verification of a secure password specific to the router. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the local network comprises a wireless network broadcasted by the router, and wherein the document storage device is preconfigured for access of the one or more documents. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein leader manipulation of at least one of the one or more documents comprises one or more of selecting, editing, annotating, saving, downloading, and viewing the at least one of the one or more documents. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the leader GUI comprises one or more windows for one or more of selecting, editing, saving, sharing, downloading, and viewing the at least one of the one or more documents. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein participant manipulation of the at least one of the shared documents comprises one or more of selecting, editing, annotating, saving, downloading, and viewing the at least one of the shared documents. 
     
     
         7 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A computer-implemented method for allowing a plurality of user devices to connect over a local network to share documents, the method comprising:
 creating, via a router, the local network between the plurality of user devices, the plurality of user devices comprising a leader device and one or more participant devices approved by the leader device to join the local network;   connecting to the router a document storage device containing thereon one or more documents;   authenticating, by the router, the leader device;   providing, by the router and the document storage device, access to the one or more documents contained on the document storage device when an application installed on the plurality of user devices is run, the application configured to provide a leader graphical user interface (GUI) on the leader device for allowing leader manipulation of at least one of the one or more documents and sharing with the participant devices of at least one of the one or more documents, and a participant GUI on the one or more participant devices for allowing participant manipulation of at least one of the shared documents.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein authenticating, by the router, the leader device comprises verifying a secure password specific to the router, the secure password entered by a user of the leader device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the local network comprises a wireless network broadcasted by the router, wherein the document storage device is preconfigured for access of the one or more documents. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein leader manipulation of at least one of the one or more documents comprises one or more of selecting, editing, annotating, saving, downloading, and viewing the at least one of the one or more documents 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the leader GUI comprises one or more windows for one or more of selecting, editing, saving, sharing, downloading, and viewing the at least one of the one or more documents. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein participant manipulation of the at least one of the shared documents comprises one or more of selecting, editing, saving, annotating, downloading, and viewing the at least one of the shared documents. 
     
     
         16 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A document sharing system comprising:
 a router configured to broadcast a local network to allow a plurality of user devices to connect to the local network;   a document storage device connected to the router and containing thereon one or more documents;   wherein the router and the document storage device are configured to provide access to the one or more documents contained on the document storage device, via the plurality of user devices, when an application installed on each of the plurality of user devices is run, the application configured to provide one or more levels of access to the one or more documents, wherein the one or more levels of access is based on login credentials.   
     
     
         20 . The document sharing system of  claim 19 , wherein a first level of access of the one or more levels of access is assigned to a leader with a specific password for the document storage device, wherein the first level of access provides the leader with access to the one or more documents stored on the document storage device via a leader graphical user interface (GUI) on a leader device of the plurality of user devices. 
     
     
         21 . The document sharing system of  claim 20 , wherein the access to the one or more documents comprises at least one of selecting, editing, annotating, saving, downloading, and viewing of the one or more documents. 
     
     
         22 . The document sharing system of  claim 20 , wherein the leader grants a secondary level of access of the one or more levels of access to other users, the secondary level of access providing access to shared documents of the one or more documents as selected by the user via a participant GUI on one or more participant devices of the plurality of user devices. 
     
     
         23 . The document sharing system of  claim 22 , wherein the access to shared documents comprises one or more of selecting, editing, annotating, saving, downloading, and viewing at least one of the shared documents. 
     
     
         24 . The document sharing system of  claim 19 , wherein the local network comprises a wireless network broadcasted by the router, and wherein the document storage device is preconfigured for access of the one or more documents.