Mobile platform file and folder selection functionalities for offline access and synchronization

• US 9,773,051 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Khong, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US13/689,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20130138608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 707610
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1787 Details of non-transparently synchronising file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1824 implemented using Network-attached Storage [NAS] architecture distributed or networked storage systems G06F3/067; protocols for distributed storage of data in a network H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor

Abstract

Systems and methods for folder synchronization and offline synchronization via a mobile platform in a web-based collaboration environment are disclosed. One embodiment includes synchronizing user selected folders and/or sub-folders via the mobile platform, using portable devices including smart phones and tablets using any mobile operating system to allow offline access. Child or sub-folders of the selected folders and/or sub-folders are automatically detected and synchronized for offline access. Any change or new content detected on the client side or on the server side is also synchronized such that the selected folders and/or sub-folders on the client and server sides are up to date.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing content items of cloud-based collaboration platform for offline access on a mobile device, comprising:

receiving a selection of one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access by a first user;

determining a synchronization status of each of the one or more folders or sub-folders identified in the selection;

determining that the first user is permitted offline access to the one or more folders or sub-folders based on identifying a pre-selected subset of access rules, selected by a second user, for performing a plurality of actions, wherein the pre-selected subset of access rules determine whether the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders can be accessed or modified;

in response to identifying that any of the one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access has an out of date synchronization status;

establishing a network connection between a host server and the mobile device;

synchronizing each folder or sub-folder having the out of date synchronization status between the host server and the mobile device; and

in response to identifying that each of the one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access has a current synchronization status;

assigning an offline access status to the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders, wherein the offline access status indicates that the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders is available for offline access;

updating content metadata of the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders, wherein the content metadata includes the offline access status of the each of the one or more folders or subfolders and the pre-selected subset of access rules corresponding to the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders; and

preventing synchronization of any of the one or more folders or sub-folders that are assigned the offline access status.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to identifying that any of the one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access is out of date, sending to the mobile device an update available notification for each folder or sub-folder for offline access that is out of date.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

downloading to the mobile device updated folder or sub-folder in response to a request from the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the synchronizing includes downloading to the mobile device or uploading to the host server any of the one or more folders or sub-folders having the out of date synchronization status.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the synchronization status includes:

comparing time stamp data for each folder or sub-folder stored in the mobile device with time stamp data for the corresponding folder or sub-folder stored in the host server of the cloud-based platform to determine if the folder or sub-folder on the mobile device or the host server is out of date.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection of one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access is received from a client device different from the mobile device with which the host server is synchronized.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the mobile device includes at least one of a tablet and a smart phone, and wherein the client device includes at least one of a computer, a tablet and a smart phone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each folder includes at least one file or a sub-folder, and wherein each sub-folder includes at least one file.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the update available notification for each folder or sub-folder that is out of date includes hierarchy information that is used by the mobile device to display the update available notification on a folder or sub-folder one level above the out of date folder or sub-folder.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more folders or sub-folders provided for offline access are collaborated folders or sub-folders.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving from the mobile device an updated folder or sub-folder having offline access status for synchronizing with the host server.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether synchronizing of the updated folder or sub-folder received from the mobile device generates a conflict.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

if the synchronizing of the updated folder or sub-folder received from the mobile device generates a conflict, notifying the mobile device of the conflict and postponing the synchronizing.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

if the synchronizing of the updated folder or sub-folder received from the mobile device generates a conflict,

assigning the updated folder or sub-folder a conflict status;

automatically storing the updated folder or sub-folder as a new version; and

sending a notification of conflict to the mobile device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-selected subset of access rules are used to restrict other users or collaborators from modifying the one or more folders or sub-folders stored on the host server.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-selected subset of access rules are used to allow other users or collaborators read access to the one or more folders or sub-folders and access to comment on the one or more folders or sub-folders.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating includes adding, to the content metadata, a time stamp indicative of when the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders was synchronized and made available for offline access.

17. A mobile device for providing folders or sub-folders of cloud-based collaboration platform for offline access, comprising:

a memory;

a processor in communication with the memory, and configured to execute instructions to;

receive a selection of one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access by a first user;

determine a synchronization status of each of the one or more folders or sub-folders identified in the selection;

in response to identifying that any of the one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access has an out of date synchronization status;

establish a network connection between a host server and the mobile device;

synchronize each folder or sub-folder having out of date synchronization status between the host server and the mobile device;

in response to identifying that each of the one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access has a current synchronization status;

assign an offline access status to the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders to the first user based on identifying a pre-selected subset of access rules, selected by a second user, for performing a plurality of actions including modification of the one or more folders or sub-folders, wherein the offline access status indicates that the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders is available for offline access, wherein the pre-selected subset of access rules determine whether the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders can be accessed or modified;

update content metadata of the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders, wherein the content metadata includes the offline access status of the each of the one or more folders or subfolders and the pre-selected subset of access rules corresponding to the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders;

prevent synchronization of any of the one or more folders or sub-folders that are assigned the offline access status; and

receive selection of a folder, a sub-folder or a file having an offline access status to remove the selected folder, sub-folder or file from being available for offline access.

18. A system for providing a folder or a sub-folder of cloud-based collaboration platform for offline access via a client device, comprising:

a memory storing computer-executable instructions of;

an offline manager configured to allow a first user to favorite folders or sub-folders of the cloud-based collaboration platform for offline access or modification;

wherein the first user is permitted offline access or modification rights to one or more folders or sub-folders in the favorited folders or subfolders, based on identifying a pre-selected subset of access rules, selected by a second user, for performing a plurality of actions;

a sync request manager configured to;

in response to identifying that any of the one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access has an out of date synchronization status;

establish a network connection between a host server and the client device;

generate a request for syncing the favorited folders or sub-folders such that the favorited folders or sub-folders are available for offline access on the client device and

in response to identifying that each of the one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access has a current synchronization status;

assign an offline access status to the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders, wherein the offline access status indicates that the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders is available for offline access and

update content metadata of the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders, wherein the content metadata includes the offline access status of the each of the one or more folders or subfolders and the pre-selected subset of access rules corresponding to the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders; and

prevent synchronization of any of the one or more folders or sub-folders that are assigned the offline access status; and

an offline change detector module configured to;

detect modification to any of the favorited folders or sub-folders; and

based on the detection, identify at least one modified folder or sub-folder for syncing via the sync request manager; and

a processor for executing the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions of:

a folder sync module configured to identify a folder or a sub-folder related to the favorited folders or sub-folders for syncing with the cloud-based collaboration platform.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the offline change detector is further configured to detect modification to the related folder or sub-folder identified for synchronization.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions of:

an access monitoring module configured to monitor access history associated with the favorited folders or sub-folders; and

an access reporting module configured to report access history associated with the favorited folders or sub-folders.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions of:

an offline status module configured to accord an offline status to each favorited folder or sub-folder by modifying meta data associated with the favorited folder or sub-folder.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the related folder or sub-folder is identified based on folder hierarchy.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the related folder or sub-folder is identified based on an application used to access or modify any of the favorited folders or sub-folders.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions of:

a user preference module configured to allow a user of the client device to customize the sync request manager to generate a request for syncing on demand or automatically upon receiving a trigger from the offline change detector module.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions of:

a user preference module configured to allow a user of the client device to define criteria for identifying the folder or sub-folder related to the favorited folders or sub-folders.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the client device is at least one of a computer, a smart phone and a tablet device that can access the cloud-based collaboration platform via a web browser or an application installed on the client device.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the user favoriting the folders or sub-folders of the cloud-based collaboration platform for offline access or modification includes at least one of a user of the client device that is synced and an admin, owner of a user of a workspace within which the folders or sub-folders reside.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the sync request manager is further configured to receive an update available notification for each favorited folder or sub-folder that is modified.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the favorited folder or sub-folder is modified by collaborators of the favorited folder or sub-folder.

31. The system of claim 18, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions of:

a folder sync module configured to sync at the folder or sub-folder level each favorited folder or sub-folder for which an update is available.

32. A non-transitory machine readable storage medium encoded with instructions for performing method of providing content items of cloud-based collaboration platform for offline access on a mobile device, the instructions configured to:

receive selection of one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access by a first user;

determine a synchronization status of each of the one or more folders or sub-folders identified in the selection;

determine that the first user is permitted offline access to the one or more folders or sub-folders based on identifying a pre-selected subset of access rules, selected by a second user, for performing a plurality of actions, wherein the pre -selected subset of access rules determine whether the one or more folders or sub-folders can be accessed or modified;

in response to identifying that any of the one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access has an out of date synchronization status;

establish a network connection between a host server and the mobile device;

synchronize each folder or sub-folder having out of date synchronization status between the host server and the mobile device; and

in response to identifying that each of the one or more folders or sub-folders for offline access has a current synchronization status;

update content metadata of the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders, wherein the content metadata includes the offline access status of the each of the one or more folders or subfolders and the pre-selected subset of access rules corresponding to the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders;

assign an offline access status to the one or more folders or sub-folders, wherein the offline access status indicates that the each of the one or more folders or sub-folders is available for offline access; and

prevent synchronization of any of the one or more folders or sub-folders that are assigned the offline access status.