CLOUD SERVICE OR STORAGE USE PROMOTION VIA PARTNERSHIP DRIVEN AUTOMATIC ACCOUNT UPGRADES

• US 20130262210A1
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2012
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Inventors: Savage, Brandon, Smith, Michael, Nguyen, Hieu
• Application Number:
  US13/431,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20130262210A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

System and method for cloud service or storage use promotion via partnership driven automatic account upgrades are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, for receiving a device identifier of a device used to access the cloud service or storage, at a host of the cloud service or storage, and using the device identifier, by the host, to determine whether a promotion currently exists for the device and for identifying details of the promotion. One embodiment further includes, upgrading an account used to access the cloud service or storage in response to determining that the promotion exists. The use of the cloud service or storage can be promoted at the device by a physical or electronic imprint depicting the promotion available when accessed at the device

Claims

1. A method for automatically upgrading an account in a web-based collaboration environment, the method, comprising:

determining a device identifier of a device used to access the web-based collaboration environment and a user identifier of a user of the account;

wherein, the device identifier is used to determine whether a promotion exists for the device;

wherein, the user identifier is used to upgrade the account of the user when the promotion exists for the device used to access the web-based collaboration environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, parameters of eligibility for the promotion include, one or more of, device parameters, OS parameters, device manufacturers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, parameters of eligibility for the promotion includes a time period for the promotion.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upgrading the account and indicating to the user at the device that the upgrade is complete upon successful upgrade.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to applying the upgrade, verifying that the upgrade is an enhancement to the account including an added feature or an enhanced feature.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, periodically sending the device identifier to determine whether any promotions have become available to the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, the upgrade includes additional storage space for the account.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, the upgrade includes version history tracking.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, the upgrade includes a higher maximum file size upload or download to cloud storage accessed using the account.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, the upgrade includes a feature to download multiple folders or to download the contents of an entire folder from the cloud storage access using the account.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein, the identifier is sent in response to access of the web-based collaboration environment at the device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, the access includes, registration for the account in the web-based collaboration environment.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein, the access includes, login to the web-based collaboration environment.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein, the access includes launching an application to access the web-based collaboration environment.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein, the web-based collaboration environment is accessed using a mobile application installed at the device, wherein, the device is a portable device.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein, the portable device is a tablet or smart phone.

17. A method for promoting use of cloud service or storage via specific devices, the method, comprising:

receiving a device identifier of a device used to access the cloud service or storage, at a host of the cloud service or storage;

using the device identifier, by the host, to determine whether a promotion currently exists for the device and for identifying details of the promotion;

responsive to determining that the promotion exists, upgrading an account used to access the cloud service or storage;

wherein, the use of the cloud service or storage is promoted at the device by a physical or electronic imprint depicting the promotion available when accessed at the device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, the account is upgraded responsive to authentication of a user of the account.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein, the cloud service or storage is provided in the context of a web-based collaboration environment.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein, the specific devices are selected based on partnership relationships with device manufacturers or OS makers.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein, the details of the promotion indicate account enhancements applicable to the upgrade.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein, the promotion is specific to a manufacturer of the device.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein, the promotion is specific to a model of the device.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein, the promotion is specific to an operating system of the device including Android or iOS.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising, responsive to determining that a promotion does not exist for the device, subsequently periodically re-checking the device identifier to determine whether any promotions have become available or the device.

26. A system for promoting use of cloud service or storage via specific devices, the system, comprising:

a processing unit;

a memory unit having stored thereon instructions which when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to;

use a device identifier to determine whether a promotion exists for device and for identifying details of the promotion;

wherein, the device identifier identifies a device used to access the cloud service or storage;

verifies that the upgrade is an enhancement to the account including an added feature or an enhanced feature, prior to applying the upgrade when determined that the promotion exists.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein, the processing unit upgrades an account used to access the cloud service or storage at the device, if the upgrade is verified to be an enhancement to the account.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein, the use of the cloud service or storage is promoted at the device by a physical or electronic imprint depicting the promotion available when accessed at the device.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein, parameters of eligibility for the promotion include, one or more of, device parameters, OS parameters, device manufacturers.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein, parameters of eligibility for the promotion includes a time period for the promotion.