METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SYNCHRONIZATION OF ITEMS WITH READ-ONLY PERMISSIONS IN A CLOUD-BASED ENVIRONMENT

• US 20140172799A1
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Published: 06/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Inventors: Dorman, Griffin
• Granted Patent: US 10,235,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for enabling synchronization of items (e.g., folders or files) with read-only permissions in a cloud-based environment. In one embodiment, a method comprises, upon receiving a request from a collaborator to synchronize an item stored in the workspace, determining whether the item is marked as read-only and verifying if the collaborator has permission for downloading the item. The method further comprises, if the item is marked as read-only and if the collaborator has permission for downloading the item, sending the item to the collaborator. The method further comprises synchronizing the item by automatically pushing an updated version of the item unilaterally from the cloud-based environment to the collaborator regardless of whether the collaborator has performed any modification to the sent item. Among other advantages, embodiments disclosed herein provide capabilities to synchronize read-only files/folder in cloud-based platforms, especially where items are often opened/edited among the collaborators.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing an item stored in a workspace hosted by a cloud-based platform, the workspace being shared among a user and a collaborator of the user, the method comprising:

receiving an instruction to synchronize, for the collaborator, the item stored in the workspace;

determining whether the item is read-only;

verifying if the collaborator has permission for downloading the item;

if the item is marked as read-only and if the collaborator has the permission for downloading the item;

sending the item to the collaborator; and

synchronizing the item by automatically pushing an updated version of the item unilaterally from the cloud-based platform to the collaborator in both conditions when the collaborator has modified the sent item and when the collaborator has not modified the sent item.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the collaborator'"'"'s permission for downloading the item is removed, sending an instruction to cause deletion of the item to the collaborator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic pushing is performed as soon as the updated version of the item becomes available.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is sent with an attribute that indicates the item being read-only.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the collaborator who has the permission for downloading the item includes one or more of:

a co-owner, an editor, a viewer-uploader, or a viewer of the item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is a folder in the workspace.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is a file in the workspace.

8. A method for synchronizing an item stored in a workspace hosted by a cloud-based platform via a client application of the platform, the workspace being shared among a user and a collaborator of the user, the method comprising:

receiving, at the collaborator, the item from the platform;

determining whether the item includes an attribute that indicates the item being read-only; and

selectively protecting the item that is received based on the determining such that the attribute is preserved.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the selective protecting comprises:

locking the item so as to prevent any modification to be performed onto the item by the collaborator if the item includes the attribute that indicates the item being read-only.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the locking is performed by utilizing an operating system (OS) hook which intercepts a function call that relates to modifying content of the item.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the selective protecting comprises:

marking the item locally as read-only if the item includes an attribute that indicates the item being read-only.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the selective protecting is performed further in response to what type of action the collaborator attempts to perform on the item.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the selective protecting comprises:

if the collaborator attempts to modify the item;

renaming a modified version of the item as a copy; and

re-downloading the item from the workspace;

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the selective protecting further comprises marking the copy as a problem item.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the selective protecting comprises:

if the collaborator attempts to rename the item, renaming the item back to its original name.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the selective protecting comprises:

if the collaborator attempts to move the item, moving the item back to its original location.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the selective protecting comprises:

if the collaborator attempts to delete the item, re-downloading the item from the workspace.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the selective protecting comprises:

if the collaborator attempts to delete the item, moving the item back from a temporary delete storage to its original location.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the item is a folder in the workspace, and wherein the selective protecting comprises:

if the collaborator attempts to create a file in the folder, verifying whether the collaborator has permission to upload.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the selective protecting comprises:

if the collaborator does not have the permission to upload, marking the file as a problem item.

21. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

before the receiving, transmitting an instruction to the platform so as to synchronize the item stored in the workspace.

22. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

upon receiving an instruction to delete the item, removing the item from all local storages.

23. A server for synchronizing an item stored in a workspace of a cloud-based platform, the workspace being shared among a user and a collaborator of the user, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive an instruction to synchronize, for the collaborator, the item stored in the workspace;

determine whether the item is read-only;

verify if the collaborator has permission for downloading the item;

if the item is marked as read-only and if the collaborator has the permission for downloading the item;

send the item to the collaborator; and

synchronize the item by automatically pushing an updated version of the item unilaterally from the cloud-based platform to the collaborator in both conditions when the collaborator has modified the sent item and when the collaborator has not modified the sent item.

24. The server of claim 23, wherein the processor is further caused to:

if the collaborator'"'"'s permission for downloading the item is removed, send an instruction to cause deletion of the item to the collaborator.

25. The server of claim 23, wherein the automatic pushing is performed as soon as the updated version of the item becomes available.

26. The server of claim 23, wherein the item is sent with an attribute that indicates the item being read-only.

27. The server of claim 23, wherein the collaborator who has the permission for downloading the item includes one or more of:

a co-owner, an editor, a viewer-uploader, or a viewer of the item.

28. The server of claim 23, wherein the item is a folder in the workspace.

29. The server of claim 23, wherein the item is a file in the workspace.

30. A device for synchronizing an item stored in a workspace of a cloud-based platform, the workspace being shared among a user and a collaborator of the user, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

receive, at the collaborator, the item from the platform;

determine whether the item includes an attribute that indicates the item being read-only; and

selectively protect the item that is received based on the determining such that the attribute is preserved.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the processor in performing the selective protecting is further caused to:

lock the item so as to prevent any modification to be performed onto the item by the collaborator if the item includes an attribute that indicates the item being read-only.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the locking is performed by utilizing an operating system (OS) hook which intercepts a function call that relates to modifying content of the item.

33. The device of claim 30, wherein the processor in performing the selective protecting is further caused to:

mark the item locally as read-only if the item includes an attribute that indicates the item being read-only.

34. The device of claim 30, wherein the selective protecting is performed further in response to what type of action the collaborator attempts to perform on the item.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the processor in performing the selective protecting is further caused to:

if the collaborator attempts to modify the item;

rename a modified version of the item as a copy; and

re-download the item from the workspace;

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the processor is further caused to mark the copy as a problem item.

37. The device of claim 34, wherein the processor in performing the selective protecting is further caused to:

if the collaborator attempts to rename the item, rename the item back to its original name.

38. The device of claim 34, wherein the processor in performing the selective protecting is further caused to:

if the collaborator attempts to move the item, move the item back to its original location.

39. The device of claim 34, wherein the processor in performing the selective protecting is further caused to:

if the collaborator attempts to delete the item, re-download the item from the workspace.

40. The device of claim 34, wherein the processor in performing the selective protecting is further caused to:

if the collaborator attempts to delete the item, move the item back from a temporary delete storage to its original location.

41. The device of claim 34, wherein the item is a folder in the workspace, and wherein the processor in performing the selective protecting is further caused to:

if the collaborator attempts to create a file in the folder, verify whether the collaborator has permission to upload.

42. The device of claim 41, wherein the processor in performing the selective protecting is further caused to:

if the collaborator does not have the permission to upload, mark the file as a problem item.

43. The device of claim 30, wherein the processor is further caused to:

before the receiving, transmit an instruction to the platform so as to synchronize the item stored in the workspace.

44. The device of claim 30, wherein the processor is further caused to:

upon receiving an instruction to delete the item, remove the item from all local storages.

45. A system, comprising:

means for receiving an instruction to synchronize, for a collaborator, an item stored in a workspace hosted by a cloud-based platform, the workspace being shared among the user and the collaborator;

means for determining whether the item is read-only;

means for verifying if the collaborator has permission for downloading the item;

means for, if the item is marked as read-only and if the collaborator has the permission for downloading the item;

sending the item to the collaborator; and

synchronizing the item by automatically pushing an updated version of the item unilaterally from the cloud-based platform to the collaborator in both conditions when the collaborator has modified the sent item and when the collaborator has not modified the sent item.

46. A system, comprising:

means for receiving, at a collaborator, an item from a cloud-based platform, the item being stored in a workspace hosted by the cloud-based platform, the workspace being shared among a user and the collaborator;

means for determining whether the item includes an attribute that indicates the item being read-only; and

means for selectively protecting the item that is received based on the determining such that the attribute is preserved.