Collection folder for collecting file submissions and scanning for plagiarism

• US 10,395,045 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2015
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Zhang, Mindy, Piyush, Pranav, Myles, Gideon
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Jeffery L
• Application Number:
  US14/961,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20160308883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,359 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/604 Tools and structures for managing or administering access control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/295 Named entity recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1425 Traffic logging, e.g. anomaly detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1078 Resource delivery mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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

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 submitted files are scanned for plagiarism. 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 and from a client device associated with a collector, a request to collect electronic files from a plurality of submitters;

generating, by the content management system, a link to a designated collection folder based on the request to collect the electronic files from the plurality of submitters, wherein the designated collection folder is associated with an account of the collector within the content management system;

distributing, by the content management system, the link to the designated collection folder to a plurality of client devices associated with the plurality of submitters;

receiving, by the content management system, an electronic file from a client device associated with a submitter of the plurality of submitters based on the submitter accessing the link to the designated collection folder;

storing, by the content management system, the electronic file in the designated collection folder;

receiving, by the content management system, additional electronic files from other client devices associated with other submitters of the plurality of submitters based on the other submitters accessing the link to the designated collection folder;

storing, by the content management system, the additional electronic files in the designated collection folder;

providing the submitter limited rights to the designated collection folder, wherein the limited rights allow for the submitter to upload the electronic file to the designated collection folder and prohibits the submitter from viewing the additional electronic files in the designated collection folder from the other submitters;

generating a similarity parameter corresponding to the electronic file by scanning the electronic file for plagiarism;

determining whether the similarity parameter corresponding to the electronic file meets a predetermined threshold;

if the similarity parameter meets or exceeds the predetermined threshold, sending, to the client device associated with the collector, a plagiarism notification via an electronic message, wherein the plagiarism notification indicates the electronic file is suspected of plagiarism based on determining that the similarity parameter corresponding to the electronic file meets the predetermined threshold; and

based on the similarity parameter being below the predetermined threshold, storing a plagiarism report that indicates a lack of plagiarism within the electronic file without sending the electronic message that includes the plagiarism notification.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning the electronic file for plagiarism comprises scanning the electronic file files by the content management system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein scanning the electronic file for plagiarism comprises scanning the electronic file by a third party service.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a plagiarism report based on scanning the electronic file for plagiarism, wherein the plagiarism report comprises the similarity parameter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message comprises at least one of an email, a text message, and an application notification.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the additional electronic files further comprises:

generating, by the content management system, a unique filename for each electronic file of the additional electronic files, wherein the unique filename comprises information identifying a respective submitter associated with each electronic file of the additional electronic files; and

associating, by the content management system, the unique filename with the corresponding electronic file for each electronic file of the additional electronic files.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the limited rights to the designated collection folder further comprise viewing rights allowing the submitter to view the electronic file uploaded by the submitter and one or more electronic files designated by the collector.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising deactivating the designated collection folder in response to receiving a deactivating command from the client device associated with the collector, wherein deactivating the designated collection folder comprises prohibiting the submitter from accessing the deactivated designated collection folder.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the submitter does not have an account with the content management system.

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

11. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

receive, from a client device associated with a collector, a request to collect electronic files from a plurality of submitters;

generate a link to a designated collection folder based on the received request to collect the electronic files from the plurality of submitters, wherein the designated collection folder is associated with an account of the collector;

distribute the link to the designated collection folder to a plurality of client devices associated with the plurality of submitters;

receive an electronic file from a client device associated with a submitter of the plurality of submitters based on the submitter accessing the link to the designated collection folder;

store the electronic file in the designated collection folder;

receive additional electronic files from other client devices associated with other submitters of the plurality of submitters based on the other submitters accessing the link to the designated collection folder;

store the additional electronic files in the designated collection folder;

provide the submitter limited rights to the designated collection folder, wherein the limited rights allow for the submitter to upload the electronic file to the designated collection folder and prohibits the submitter from viewing the additional electronic files in the designated collection folder from the other submitters;

generate a similarity parameter corresponding to the electronic file by scanning the electronic file for plagiarism;

determine whether the similarity parameter corresponding to the electronic file meets a predetermined threshold;

if the similarity parameter meets or exceeds the predetermined threshold, send, to the client device associated with the collector, a plagiarism notification via an electronic message, wherein the plagiarism notification indicates the electronic file is suspected of plagiarism based on determining that the similarity parameter corresponding to the electronic file meets the predetermined threshold; and

based on the similarity parameter being below the predetermined threshold, store a plagiarism report that indicates a lack of plagiarism within the electronic file without sending the electronic message that includes the plagiarism notification.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the system is a content management system; and

scanning the electronic file for plagiarism is performed by the content management system.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the system is a content management system; and

scanning the electronic file for plagiarism is performed by a third party service.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to generate a plagiarism report based on scanning the electronic file, wherein the plagiarism report comprises the similarity parameter.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the electronic message comprises at least one of an email, a text message, and an application notification.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

generate a unique file name for each electronic file of the additional electronic files, wherein the unique file name comprises information identifying a respective submitter associated with each electronic file of the additional electronic files; and

associating the unique file name with the corresponding electronic file for each electronic file of the additional electronic files.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the limited rights to the designated collection folder further comprise viewing rights allowing the submitter to view the electronic file uploaded by the submitter and one or more electronic files designated by the collector.

18. The system of claim 11 further comprising instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to deactivate the designated collection folder at least partially in response to receiving a deactivating command from the client device associated with the collector, wherein deactivating the designated collection folder comprises prohibiting the submitter from accessing the deactivated designated collection folder.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the system is a content management system; and

the submitter does not have an account with the content management system.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer system to:

receive, from a client device associated with a collector, a request to collect electronic files from a plurality of submitters;

generate a link to a designated collection folder based on the request to collect the electronic files from the plurality of submitters, wherein the designated collection folder is associated with an account of the collector;

distribute the link to the designated collection folder to a plurality of client devices associated with the plurality of submitters;

receive an electronic file from a client device associated with a submitter of the plurality of submitters based on the submitter accessing the link to the designated collection folder;

store the electronic file in the designated collection folder;

receive additional electronic files from other client devices associated with other submitters of the plurality of submitters based on the other submitters accessing the link to designated collection folder;

store the additional electronic files in the designated collection folder;

provide the submitter limited rights to the designated collection folder, wherein the limited rights allow for the submitter to upload the electronic file to the designated collection folder and prohibits the submitter from viewing the additional electronic files in the designated collection folder from the other submitters;

generate a similarity parameter corresponding to the electronic file by scanning the electronic file and the additional electronic files for plagiarism;

determine whether the similarity parameter corresponding to the electronic file meets a predetermined threshold;

if the similarity parameter meets or exceeds the predetermined threshold, send, to the client device associated with the collector, a plagiarism notification via an electronic message, wherein the plagiarism notification indicates the electronic file is suspected of plagiarism based on determining that the similarity parameter corresponding to the electronic file meets the predetermined threshold; and

based on the similarity parameter being below the predetermined threshold, storing a plagiarism report that indicates a lack of plagiarism within the electronic file without sending the electronic message that includes the plagiarism notification.