Viewing and editing content items in shared folder backed integrated workspaces

• US 10,558,677 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Beausoleil, Sean, Pan, Matteus, Greze, Jean-Denis, DeVincenzi, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Repsher, III, John T
• Application Number:
  US14/725,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20160283085A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 715738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/123 Storage facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• 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: G06Q 10/107 : Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 : Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 : Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 : Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 : Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 : Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 : Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 : providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 : Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 : Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 : for supporting social networking services
• 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 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/108 : when the policy decisions are valid for a limited amount of time
• 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

Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for shared folder backed integrated workspaces. In some implementations, a content management system can provide a graphical user interface (GUI) that integrates communications and content management into a single user interface. The user interface can include mechanisms that allow a user to provide input to generate a new workspace. The user interface can provide a mechanism to allow a user to view conversations related to the workspace and/or content items associated with the workspace. The user interface can present representations of content items associated with the workspace and allow the user to provide input to generate, view, edit, and share content items associated with the workspace.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating, by a content management system, a shared-folder backed workspace graphical user interface that provides an integrated environment for manipulating content items in a shared folder of the content management system and communicating with authorized users of the shared folder, wherein each authorized user device includes a local folder stored thereon, the local folder synchronized with the shared folder, the workspace graphical user interface including representations of the content items stored in the shared folder and a chat message stream that includes chat messages generated by the authorized users of the shared folder;

receiving, by the content management system, a first message indicating a selection of one of the representations of the content items stored in the shared folder;

in response to receiving the first message, generating a prompt to select one of a plurality of options for viewing a selected content item, where the plurality of options includes viewing a preview image of the selected content item and viewing the selected content item in a native application installed on a client device;

receiving, by the content management system, a second message indicating a selected option for viewing the selected content item;

in response to determining that the second message comprises the option to view the preview image of the selected content item, generating an editable preview of the selected content item within the chat message stream of the workspace graphical user interface;

identifying, by the content management system, one or more edits performed on the selected content item via the editable preview window;

synchronizing, by the content management system, the one or more edits performed on the selected content item with a local copy of the selected content item stored in the local folder of each authorized user device; and

updating, by the content management system, the editable preview of the selected content item to include the one or more edits.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining that the second message comprises the option to view the selected content item in the native application installed on the client device, determining that the selected content item exists in a local folder on the client device; and

causing the option for viewing the selected content item in the native application installed on the client device to be presented in the prompt when the selected content item exists in the local folder on the client device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the local folder on the client device corresponds to the shared folder and wherein the selected content item was received during a synchronization of the shared folder with the local folder on the client device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected option is viewing the selected content item in the native application installed on the client device, and further comprising:

determining a first native application of a plurality of native applications installed on the client device that corresponds to the selected content item; and

invoking the first native application of the plurality of native applications installed on the client device, wherein the invocation causes the first native application of the plurality of native applications to open the selected content item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected option is viewing the preview image of the selected content item, and further comprising:

sending, by the content management system to the client device, the preview image of the selected content item representing contents of the selected content item, wherein the client device displays the preview image of the selected content item in a web browser application.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first native application of the plurality of native applications installed on the client device modifies the selected content item and stores a modified content item in the local folder on the client device, and further comprising:

synchronizing the local folder on the client device, including the modified content item, with the shared folder.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the first native application of the plurality of native applications installed on the client device that corresponds to the selected content item comprises:

determining a content item type corresponding to the selected content item; and

determining the first native application of the plurality of native applications installed on the client device that corresponds to the selected content item.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause:

generating, by a content management system, a shared-folder backed workspace graphical user interface that provides an integrated environment for manipulating content items in a shared folder of the content management system and communicating with authorized users of the shared folder, wherein each authorized user device includes a local folder stored thereon, the local folder synchronized with the shared folder, the workspace graphical user interface including representations of content items stored in the shared folder and a chat message stream that includes messages generated by the authorized users of the shared folder;

in response to receiving a selection of a content item represented by the workspace graphical user interface, generating a prompt to select an option for viewing a selected content item, where the option includes viewing a preview image of the selected content item or viewing the selected content item in a native application installed on a client device;

in response to receiving an indication, to view the preview image of the selected content item, generating an editable preview image of the selected content item within the chat message stream of the workspace graphical user interface;

identifying, by the content management system, one or more edits performed on the selected content item via the editable preview window;

synchronizing, by the content management system, the one or more edits performed on the selected content item with a local copy of the selected content item stored in the local folder of each authorized user device; and

updating, by the content management system, the editable preview of the selected content item to include the one or more edits.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions cause:

in response to receiving an indication to view the selected content item in the native application installed on the client device,

determining that the selected content item exists in a local folder on the client device; and

causing an option for viewing the selected content item in the native application installed on the client device to be presented in the prompt when the selected content item exists in the local folder on the client device.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the local folder on the client device corresponds to the shared folder and wherein the selected content item was received during a synchronization of the shared folder with the local folder on the client device.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the selected option is viewing the selected content item in the native application installed on the client device, and wherein the instructions cause:

determining a first native application of a plurality of native applications installed on the client device that corresponds to the selected content item; and

invoking the first native application of the plurality of native applications installed on the client device, wherein the invocation causes the first native application of the plurality of native applications to open the selected content item.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions cause:

sending, by the content management system to the client device, the preview image of the selected content item representing contents of the selected content item, wherein the client device displays the preview image of the selected content item in a web browser application.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first native application of the plurality of native applications installed on the client device modifies the selected content item and stores a modified content item in the local folder on the client device, and wherein the instructions cause:

synchronizing the local folder one the client device, including the modified content item, with the shared folder.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions that cause determining the first native application of the plurality of native applications installed on the client device that corresponds to the selected content item include instructions that cause:

determining a content item type corresponding to the selected content item; and

determining the first native application of the plurality of native applications installed on the client device that corresponds to the selected content item.

15. A content management system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause;

generating, by a content management system, a shared-folder backed workspace graphical user interface that provides an integrated environment for manipulating content items in a shared folder of the content management system and communicating with authorized users of the shared folder, wherein each authorized user device includes a local folder stored thereon, the local folder synchronized with the shared folder, the workspace graphical user interface including representations of the content items stored in the shared folder and a chat message stream that includes chat messages generated by the authorized users of the shared folder;

synchronizing, by the content management system, contents of the shared folder with respective local folders on user devices of the authorized users of the shared folder;

in response to receiving a selection of a content item represented by the workspace graphical user interface, generating a prompt to select an option for viewing a selected content item, where the option includes viewing a preview image of the selected content item or viewing the selected content item in a native application installed on a client device;

in response to receiving an indication of a selected option to view the preview image of the selected content item, generating an editable preview image of the selected content item within the chat message stream of the workspace graphical user interface;

identifying, by the content management system, one or more edits performed on the selected content item via the editable preview window;

synchronizing, by the content management system, the one or more edits performed on the selected content item with a local copy of the selected content item stored in the local folder of each authorized user device; and

updating, by the content management system, the editable preview of the selected content item to include the one or more edits.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause:

in response to determining that an indication of a selected option to view the selected content item in the native application installed on the client device,

determining that the selected content item exists in a local folder on the client device; and

causing an option for viewing the selected content item in the native application installed on the client device to be presented in the prompt when the selected content item exists in the local folder on the client device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the local folder on the client device corresponds to the shared folder and wherein the selected content item was received during a synchronization of the shared folder with the local folder on the client device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the selected option is viewing the selected content item in the native application installed on the client device, and wherein the instructions cause:

determining a first native application of a plurality of native applications installed on the client device that corresponds to the selected content item; and

invoking the first native application of the plurality of native applications installed on the client device, wherein the invocation causes the first native application of the plurality of native applications to open the selected content item.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the selected option is viewing the preview image of the selected content item, and wherein the instructions cause:

sending, by the content management system to the client device, the preview image of the selected content item representing contents of the selected content item, wherein the client device displays the preview image of the selected content item in a web browser application.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first native application of the plurality of native applications installed on the client device modifies the selected content item and stores a modified content item in the local folder on the client device, and wherein the instructions cause:

synchronizing the local folder on the client device, including the modified content item, with the shared folder.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions that cause determining the first native application of the plurality of native applications installed on the client device that corresponds to the selected content item include instructions that cause:

determining a content item type corresponding to the selected content item; and

determining the first native application of the plurality of native applications installed on the client device that corresponds to the selected content item.