Automatic uploading of attachments to group cloud storage at send time

• US 10,389,663 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2015
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Uraizee, Misbah, Herbert, III, George Arthur, Walker, Christopher, Stolarz, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Viet D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards, James A
• Application Number:
  US14/846,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20160315887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Technologies are presented directed to uploading of attachments to a relevant group cloud storage at send time. A communication application and/or service may suggest to a user to upload an attachment of an outgoing communication to a group cloud storage upon generation of the communication. Suggestion of group may be based on last use, document type, content, user(s), which account the user is in, and comparable factors. The user (or sender) may also be provided with options to set permissions for the attachment based on the upload destination selection. In some examples, upload of work documents to personal cloud storage may be prevented and suitable groups may be selected for user that are part of multiple groups.

Claims

1. A computing device to provide uploading of attachments to a group cloud storage at send time, the computing device comprising:

a memory configured to store instructions;

one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to execute, in conjunction with the instructions stored in the memory, a communication service, wherein the one or more processors are configured to;

detect inclusion of an attachment in the outgoing communication;

determine a relevant group cloud storage for the attachment through inference based on one or more of an account used by a sender to send the outgoing communication, a credential of the sender, a last use, attachment content, and attachment metadata;

present a suggestion to the sender to store the attachment at the relevant group cloud storage;

upon detecting an acceptance of the suggestion, upload the attachment to the relevant group cloud storage; and

transmit the outgoing communication with a live version of the attachment stored in the relevant group cloud storage, wherein the live version of the attachment reflects a latest update to the attachment.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the relevant group cloud storage associated with the attachment based on a sender input.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

present a dialog box with the suggestion upon first time inclusion of the attachment in an outgoing communication; and

present a selection of the sender for subsequent transmission of one of the attachment, attachments with at least one attribute that is the same as the attachment, and all attachments.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to detect the inclusion of the attachment in the outgoing communication based on one of an activation of an attachment control, a drag-and-drop of the attachment onto the outgoing communication, and generation of the outgoing communication in conjunction with the attachment.

5. The computing device of claim 4, wherein generation of the outgoing communication in conjunction with the attachment includes activation of the communication service from a folder where the attachment is selected and activation of the communication service from an application that is processing the attachment.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to infer that the sender wishes to collaborate based on an attempt by the sender to send the attachment while in a group space or the sender selects a file associated with a group to send.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the attachment is one of a file and an object.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to present the suggestion to the sender employing one or more of a textual scheme, a graphical scheme, a highlighting scheme, a coloring scheme, and a shading scheme.

9. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the outgoing communication is one of an email, an instant message, an online conference recording, a data sharing session, and an application sharing session.

10. A method executed on a computing device to provide uploading of attachments to a group cloud storage at send time, the method comprising:

detecting inclusion of an attachment in an outgoing mail;

determining a relevant group cloud storage for the attachment through inference based on one or more of an account used by a sender to send an outgoing communication, a credential of the sender, a last use, attachment content, and attachment metadata;

presenting a suggestion to the sender to store the attachment at the relevant group cloud storage;

upon detecting an acceptance of the suggestion, uploading the attachment to the relevant group cloud storage; and

transmitting the outgoing email with a live version of the attachment stored in the relevant group cloud storage, wherein the live version of the attachment reflects a latest update to the attachment.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

presenting one or more options to set or modify permissions associated with the attachment to the sender, wherein the options are based on one or more of the relevant group cloud storage, a sender attribute, one or more recipient attributes, and one or more attachment attributes.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

if all members of a group associated with the relevant group cloud storage have same permission levels, setting the same permission levels for the attachment automatically; and

if members of the group associated with the relevant group cloud storage have layered permission levels, setting the permission levels for the attachment based on the layered permission levels.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining the attachment to be stored in a first group cloud storage;

determining the relevant group cloud storage to be a second group cloud storage; and

uploading the attachment to the second group cloud storage.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

indicating a change in a storage location of the attachment employing one or more of a textual scheme, a graphical scheme, a highlighting scheme, a coloring scheme, and a shading scheme.

15. A computer readable memory device with instructions stored thereon to provide uploading of attachments to a group cloud storage at send time, the instructions comprising:

detecting inclusion of an attachment in an outgoing email;

determining a relevant group cloud storage for the attachment through inference based on one or more of an account used by a sender to send an outgoing communication a credential of sender, a last use, attachment content, attachment metadata, and one or more recipients of the outgoing communication;

presenting a suggestion to the sender based on the relevant group cloud storage;

upon detecting an acceptance of the suggestion, uploading the attachment to the relevant group cloud storage; and

transmitting the outgoing email with a live version of the attachment stored in the relevant group cloud storage, wherein the live version of the attachment reflects a latest update to the attachment.

16. The computer readable memory device of claim 15, wherein the instructions further comprise:

detecting the inclusion of the attachment in the outgoing email based on one of an activation of an attachment control, a drag-and-drop of the attachment onto the outgoing email, and generation of the outgoing email in conjunction with the attachment;

presenting a dialog box with the suggestion upon first time inclusion of the attachment in an outgoing email;

persisting a selection of the sender for subsequent transmission of one of the attachment, attachments with at least one attribute that is the same as the attachment, and all attachments.