Collection folder for collecting file submissions

• US 10,091,296 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2015
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Zhang, Mindy, Levi, Alon, Souba, Brandon, Li, Angela, Goldman, Erik, Giurgea, Mihnea Cezar, Sarfani, Aadil, Embiricos, Alex, Puckett, Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Viet D
• Application Number:
  US14/960,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20160308966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 709204, 709205, 709213, 709214, 709217, 709219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A content management system for collecting files from one or more submitters in a collection folder. A collector, who generates the collection folder, can invite one or more submitters to submit one or more files to the collection folder. The one or more submitters have limited rights to the collection folder. The limited rights can include uploading rights and prohibiting a submitter from viewing files that other submitters associated with the collection folder submitted. Thus, the collection folder is able to store files from the one or more submitters, but prevent them from viewing other'"'"'s submissions.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a content management system, a request, associated with a collector account, to generate a file request collection comprising a designated collection folder and a link to the designated collection folder, wherein the file request collection is used to collect one or more files from one or more submitters;

at least partially in response to receiving the request, providing, by the content management system, one or more prompts requesting information from the collector;

receiving, by the content management system, information responding to the prompts;

generating, by the content management system, the designated collection folder and the link to the designated collection folder using at least some of the received information including a name for the designated collection folder;

distributing, by the content management system, the generated link to two or more submitters based on at least some of the received information;

receiving, by the content management system, at least one file from a submitter who accesses the distributed link; and

storing, by the content management system, the at least one received file in the designated collection folder in an account associated with the collector, wherein each of the two or more submitters has limited rights to the designated collection folder, the limited rights permitting a first submitter to upload and view a first file to the designated collection folder and prohibiting a second submitter from viewing the first file that is stored in the designated collection folder.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more prompts are rendered in one or more submission user interfaces.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the received information comprises:

a name for a file request;

a designated collection folder to store one or more files received from the one or more submitters; and

one or more email addresses for the two or more submitters.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the received information further includes a message from the collector to the submitter and distributing, by the content management system, the message along with the generated link to the two or more submitters.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the storing further comprises:

generating, by the content management system, a unique filename for each received file, with the filename including a name for the file request and information identifying the submitter; and

associating, by the content management system, the unique filename with the file.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the limited rights to the designated collection folder further comprise viewing rights allowing the submitter to view one or more files designated by the collector.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising deactivating the designated collection folder, by the content management system, at least partially in response to receiving a deactivating command from the collector, where a user is prohibited from accessing the deactivated designated collection folder.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the two or more submitters does not have an account with the content management system.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the content management system is a synchronized content management system.

10. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having processor-executable instructions store therein for causing a processor to;

receiving a request, associated with a collector account, to generate a file request collection comprising a designated collection folder and a link to the designated collection folder, wherein the file request collection is used to collect one or more files from one or more submitters;

at least partially in response to receiving the request, providing one or more prompts to the collector, wherein the one or more prompts request information from the collector;

receiving information responding to the prompts;

generating the designated collection folder and the link to the designated collection folder in a content management system using at least some of the received information including a name for the designated collection folder;

distributing the generated link to two or more submitters based on at least some of the received information;

receiving at least one file from a submitter who accesses the distributed link; and

storing the at least one received file in the designated collection folder in an account associated with the collector, wherein each of the two or more submitters has limited rights to the designated collection folder, the limited rights permitting a first submitter to upload and view a first file to the designated collection folder and prohibiting a second submitter from viewing the first file that is stored in the designated collection folder.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the one or more prompts are rendered in one or more user interfaces.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the received information comprises:

a name for a file request;

a designated collection folder to store one or more files received from the one or more submitters; and

one or more email addresses for the two or more submitters.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the received information further includes a message from the collector to the submitter and distributing the message along with the generated link to the two or more submitters.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the storing further comprises:

generating a unique filename for each received file, with the filename including a name for the file request and information identifying the submitter; and

associating the unique filename with the file.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the limited rights to the designated collection folder further comprise viewing rights allowing the submitter to view one or more files designated by the collector.

16. The system of claim 10 further comprising deactivating the designated collection folder at least partially in response to receiving a deactivating command from the collector, where a user is prohibited from accessing the deactivated designated collection folder.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein at least one of the two or more submitters does not have an account with the content management system.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the content management system is a synchronized content management system.