Systems and methods for providing third-party application specific storage in a cloud-based storage system

• US 9,461,870 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2013
• Issued: 10/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Buzbee, Thomas P., Procopio, Michael J., Schneider, Ronald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): HENDERSON, ESTHER BENOIT
• Application Number:
  US13/893,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20140344456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a dedicated storage directory for third-party applications in a cloud storage system may include allocating a user specific and application specific directory for the third-party application and controlling access to the directory. The directory may be used to store application data associated with the third-party application. The directory is made available to the respective third-party application and may be hidden from view from other applications and users.

Claims

1. A method for providing dedicated storage for a third-party application in a cloud storage system, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a file for storage in a cloud storage system, wherein the file is associated with a third-party application and a user of the cloud storage system;

identifying by the processor, the third-party application;

automatically allocating, by the processor, a directory for the identified third-party application and the user, wherein the directory is associated with a first authorization field corresponding to the third-party application and the user;

storing the file in the directory;

copying the first authorization field from the directory to the file;

providing, by the processor, access to the directory for the identified third-party application to the third-party application, when the third-party application matches authentication information in the first authorization field; and

hiding the file from a view of the user, wherein the file includes application-specific data from the third-party application.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising assigning, by the processor, a reference link to the directory, the reference link based on application data associated with the third-party application and an identifier for the user.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving at the processor, an access request from a second user to access a second file associated with a second third-party application, and associating a second directory with the second third-party application and the second user.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving at the processor, a request from the third-party application to access the file in the directory;

and determining whether the third-party application is authorized to access the file by comparing the third-party application to the authentication information in the first authorization field of the file.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein determining whether the third-party application is authorized to access the file in the directory comprises determining that the third-party application matches authentication information in the first authorization field and that the third-party application is associated with the user identified in the authentication information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the directory is configured to store application data for the third-party application, wherein the stored application data is not modifiable by the user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the directory is configured to store user specified data for the third-party application.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting by the processor that the third-party application is no longer available to the user, and prompting the user to delete contents of the directory.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

presenting, to the user, directory information that includes a storage volume utilized by the directory that includes files visible in the view of the user and files hidden from the view of the user, and

providing, to the user, an option to modify the files visible in the view of the user.

10. A system for providing dedicated storage for a third-party application in a cloud storage system, the system comprising a processor and a memory accessible via a network, the processor configured to:

receive a file for storage in the memory, wherein the file is associated with a third-party application and a user of the cloud storage system;

identify the third-party application;

automatically allocate a directory for the identified third-party application and the user,. wherein the directory is associated with a first authorization field corresponding to the third-party application and the user;

store the file in the directory;

copy the first authorization field from the directory to the file;

provide access to the directory for the identified third-party application to the third-party application, when the third-party application matches authentication information in the first authorization field; and

hide the file from a view of the user, wherein the file includes application-specific data from the third-party application.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to assign a reference link to the directory, the reference link based on application data associated with the third-party application and an identifier for the user.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to receive an access request from a second user to access a second file associated with a second third-party application, and associating the second directory with the second third-party application and the second user.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to receive an access request to the file in the directory by the third-party application;

and

determine whether the third-party application is authorized to access the file by comparing the third-party application to the authentication information in the first authorization field of the file.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein determining whether the third-party application is authorized to access the file in the directory comprises determining that the third-party application matches authentication information in the first authorization field and that the third-party application is associated with the user identified in the authentication information.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the directory is configured to store application data for the third-party application, wherein the stored application data is not modifiable by the user.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the directory is configured to store user specified data for the third-party application.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to detect that the third party application is no longer available to the user, and prompt the user to delete contents of the directory.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the processor is further configured to:

present, to the user, directory information that includes a storage volume utilized by the directory that includes files visible in the view of the user and files hidden from the view of the user; and

provide, to the user, an option to modify the files visible in the view of the user.

19. A method for supporting a third-party application in a cloud storage system, the method comprising:

allocating, by a processor, a directory for a third-party application, wherein the directory is associated with a first authorization field corresponding to the third-party application and a user of the cloud storage system;

associating, by the processor, the directory with the user of the cloud storage system;

receiving, by the processor, application data for the third-party application;

storing the application data in the directory;

copying the first authorization field from the directory to the application data; and

hiding contents of the directory from view by the user.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the contents of the directory hidden from a view of the user include at least a portion of the application data.

20. A system for supporting a third-party application in a cloud storage system, the system comprising a processor and a memory accessible via a network, the processor configured to:

allocate a directory for a third-party application, wherein the directory is associated with a first authorization field corresponding to the third-party application and a user of the cloud storage system;

associate the directory with the user of the cloud storage system;

receive application data for the third-party application;

store the application data in the directory;

copy the first authorization field from the directory to the application data; and

hide contents of the directory from view by the user.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the contents of the directory hidden from a view of the user include at least a portion of the application data.