Pervasive intermediate network attached storage application

Abstract

A Pervasive Intermediate Network Attached Storage Application (PINApp) enables users to digitally assign (pin) a folder or drive to a cloud storage service for the purpose of sharing their digital content between with recipients. The PINApp enables users to engage cloud storage services without the need to upload the digital content to the same in order for the digital content to be viewed or shared.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A digital content sharing system comprising:
 one or more content provider devices that store digital content and receive user input, wherein one or more content profiles are generated from the user input, the one or more content profiles comprising one or more access permissions and one or more recipient identifiers;   one or more recipient devices that receive one or more notifications when the digital content is shared and present a prompt a recipient for recipient identification information; and   one or more server devices comprising:
 one or more storage devices storing the one or more content profiles; 
 one or more processors that authorize the one or more recipient devices, wherein in response to user engagement with the one or more notifications at the one or more recipient devices, the one or more processors authorize the one or more recipient devices by validating the one or more access permissions and comparing the recipient identification information to the one or more recipient identifiers; and 
 one or more communication devices, wherein, when the one or more recipient devices are authorized, a temporary connection between the one or more content provider devices and the one or more recipient devices via the one or more communication devices is established and the digital content is transmitted from the one or more content provider devices to the one or more recipient devices through the temporary connection; 
   wherein the recipient is never logged into the one or more server devices.   
     
     
         2 . The digital content sharing system of  claim 1 , wherein the duration of the temporary connection is defined in the one or more content profiles. 
     
     
         3 . The digital content sharing system of  claim 1 , wherein a record of the transmission of the digital content is stored in the one or more content profiles. 
     
     
         4 . The digital content sharing system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more access permissions are selected from the group consisting of view only, download, and read and write permissions. 
     
     
         5 . The digital content sharing system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more access permissions are selected from the group consisting of expiration time and date, number of accesses, and duration of access. 
     
     
         6 . The digital content sharing system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more recipient identifiers are employee identification numbers. 
     
     
         7 . The digital content sharing system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more communication devices transmit a message to the one or more content provider devices when the one or more recipient devices are authorized. 
     
     
         8 . A digital content sharing system for sharing digital content stored on one or more first client devices with one or more second client devices, the digital content sharing system comprising:
 one or more storage devices storing one or more content profiles, wherein the one or more content profiles comprise one or more access permissions and one or more recipient identifiers and are generated from user input received via the one or more first client devices;   one or more processors that authorize the one or more second client devices, wherein in response to user engagement with one or more messages at the one or more second client devices, the one or more processors authorize the one or more second client devices by validating the one or more content profiles at least by comparing the recipient identification information to one or more recipient identifiers received from a recipient at the one or more second client devices; and   one or more communication devices, wherein, when the one or more second client devices are authorized, a connection between the one or more first client devices and the one or more second client devices via the one or more communication devices is established and the digital content is transmitted from the one or more first client devices to the one or more second client devices through the connection;   wherein the recipient is never logged into the digital content sharing system.   
     
     
         9 . The digital content sharing system of  claim 8 , wherein the duration of the connection is limited to a particular duration defined in the one or more content profiles. 
     
     
         10 . The digital content sharing system of  claim 8 , wherein a record of the transmission of the digital content is stored in the one or more content profiles. 
     
     
         11 . The digital content sharing system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more access permissions are selected from the group consisting of read only, download, and read and write permissions. 
     
     
         12 . The digital content sharing system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more access permissions are selected from the group consisting of expiration time and date, number of accesses, and duration of access. 
     
     
         13 . The digital content sharing system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more recipient identifiers are employee identification numbers. 
     
     
         14 . The digital content sharing system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more communication devices transmit a message to the one or more first client devices when the one or more second client devices are authorized. 
     
     
         15 . A method for sharing digital content stored on one or more first client devices with one or more second client devices performed by one or more processors of a digital content sharing system, the method comprising:
 storing one or more content profiles on one or more storage devices generated from user input received via the one or more first client devices, wherein the one or more content profiles comprise one or more access permissions and one or more recipient identifiers;   authorizing the one or more second client devices in response to user engagement with one or more messages at the one or more second client devices, wherein the the one or more second client devices are authorized by validating the one or more content profiles at least by comparing the recipient identification information to one or more recipient identifiers received from a recipient at the one or more second client devices;   when the one or more second client devices are authorized, establishing a connection between the one or more first client devices and the one or more second client devices via one or more communication devices; and   transmitting the digital content from the one or more first client devices to the one or more second client devices through the connection;   wherein the recipient is never logged into the digital content sharing system.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising terminating the connection is limited to a particular duration defined in the one or more content profiles. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising storing a record of the transmission of the digital content in the one or more content profiles. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more access permissions are selected from the group consisting of expiration time and date, number of accesses, and duration of access. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more recipient identifiers are employee identification numbers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further transmitting a message to the one or more first client devices when the one or more recipient devices are authorized.