Saving message attachments to an online content management system

• US 9,002,962 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2013
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Lynch, Sean, Fushman, Ilya
• Primary Examiner(s): JEAN GILLES, JUDE
• Application Number:
  US13/777,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20140164535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/217, 709/213
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate a messaging system, such as an email system, a text-messaging system or an instant-messaging system, that enables a user to save a message attachment to an online content management system (for example, to their Dropbox™). The system receives a call from a messaging system associated with the user to save a message attachment to the online content management system, wherein the call includes a link to the message attachment. In response to the call, the system commences downloading the message attachment to the online content management system. While the message attachment is downloading, the system provides a selection interface to enable the user to select a destination for the message attachment within the online content management system. After the user selects the destination and after the message attachment finishes downloading, the system saves the message attachment to the selected destination in the online content management system.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a user to save a message attachment to an online content management system, comprising:

receiving a call at the online content management system from a messaging system to save a message attachment to the online content management system;

in response to the call, commencing downloading of the message attachment to the online content management system;

while the message attachment is downloading, determining a destination for the message attachment within the online content management system; and

after the destination is selected and after the message attachment finishes downloading, saving the message attachment to the selected destination in the online content management system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the destination for the message attachment includes providing a selection interface to enable the user to select a destination for the message attachment within the online content management system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the message attachment includes one of:

a content item communicated as an email attachment;

a content item communicated as a text message attachment; and

a content item communicated through an instant-messaging session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein downloading the message attachment involves one of:

the online content management system using a URL included in the function call to pull the message attachment from the messaging system; and

the messaging system using a temporary URL obtained from the online content management system to push the message attachment to the online content management system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the call from the messaging system is received from a function associated with the messaging system, and wherein the function is provided by an entity that operates the online content management system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the message attachment is downloaded to the online content management system from an associated messaging-system server.

7. A method for enabling a user to save a message attachment to an online content management system, comprising:

receiving a command at a messaging system to save the message attachment to the online content management system, wherein the command is received through a user-interface on the messaging system;

in response to the command, making a call from the messaging system to the online content management system to save the message attachment; and

while the message attachment is downloading to the online content management system, allowing a destination to be determined for the message attachment in the online content management system, wherein the online content management system saves the message attachment to the selected destination after the downloading is complete.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein allowing the destination to be determined includes allowing the user to interact with the online content management system to select the destination.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein downloading the message attachment involves one of:

the online content management system using a URL included in the function call to pull the message attachment from the messaging system; and

the messaging system using a temporary URL obtained from the online content management system to push the message attachment to the online content management system.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the call to the online content management system is made through a function associated with the messaging system, and wherein the function is provided by an entity that operates the online content management system.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the message attachment is downloaded to the online content management system from an associated messaging-system server.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for enabling a user to save a message attachment to an online content management system, the method comprising:

receiving a call from a messaging system at the online content management system to save the message attachment to the online content management system;

in response to the call, commencing downloading of the message attachment to the online content management system;

while the message attachment is downloading, determining a destination for the message attachment within the online content management system; and

after the destination is selected and after the message attachment finishes downloading, saving the message attachment to the selected destination in the online content management system.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein determining the destination for the message attachment includes providing a selection interface to enable the user to select a destination for the message attachment within the online content management system.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein downloading the message attachment involves one of:

the online content management system using a URL included in the function call to pull the message attachment from the messaging system; and

the messaging system using a temporary URL obtained from the online content management system to push the message attachment to the online content management system.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the call from the messaging system is received from a function associated with the messaging system, and wherein the function is provided by an entity that operates the online content management system.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the message attachment is downloaded to the online content management system from an associated messaging-system server.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for enabling a user to save a message attachment to an online content management system, the method comprising:

receiving a command at a messaging system to save the message attachment to the online content management system, wherein the command is received through a user-interface on the messaging system;

in response to the command, making a call from the messaging system to the online content management system to save the message attachment; and

while the message attachment is downloading to the online content management system, allowing a destination to be determined for the message attachment in the online content management system, wherein the online content management system saves the message attachment to the selected destination after the downloading is complete.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein allowing the destination to be determined includes allowing the user to interact with the online content management system to select the destination.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein downloading the message attachment involves one of:

the online content management system using a URL included in the function call to pull the message attachment from the messaging system; and

the messaging system using a temporary URL obtained from the online content management system to push the message attachment to the online content management system.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the call to the online content management system is made through a function associated with the messaging system, and wherein the function is provided by an entity that operates the online content management system.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the message attachment is downloaded to the online content management system from an associated messaging-system server.

22. A system that enables a user to save a message attachment to an online content management system, comprising:

a host for the online content management system, wherein the host comprises at least one processor and a memory; and

the online content management system that resides on the host and is configured to,

receive a call from a messaging system to save the message attachment to the online content management system;

in response to the call, commence downloading of the message attachment to the online content management system;

while the message attachment is downloading, determine a destination for the message attachment within the online content management system; and

after the destination is selected and after the message attachment finishes downloading, save the message attachment to the selected destination in the online content management system.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein while allowing the destination to be determined the online content management system is configured to allow the user to interact with the online content management system to select the destination.

24. A system that enables a user to save a message attachment to an online content management system, comprising:

a computing device comprising at least one processor and a memory;

a messaging system on the computing device, wherein the messaging system is configured to,

receive a command to save the message attachment to the online content management system, wherein the command is received through a user-interface on the messaging system,

in response to the command, make a call from the messaging system to the online content management system to save the message attachment, and

while the message attachment is downloading to the online content management system, allow a destination to be determined for the message attachment in the online content management system, wherein the online content management system saves the message attachment to the selected destination after the downloading is complete.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein while allowing the destination to be determined, the messaging system client is configured to allow the user to interact with the online content management system to select the destination.