Requesting modification rights to a linked file set

• US 9,881,175 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2017
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Kirigin, Ivan, Adeagbo, Olumakinde Adegboyega
• Primary Examiner(s): POWERS, WILLIAM S
• Application Number:
  US15/410,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20170132428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/116 Details of conversion of file system types or formats
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1794 Details of file format conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/645 using a third party
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2141 Access rights, e.g. capability lists, access control lists, access tables, access matrices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]

Abstract

A computer implemented system and method of sharing files between a link sharer and a link recipient over a network. The method comprises generating, in response to a request by a link sharer, a file sharing link to a file set, where the link does not provide a link recipient the ability to modify the contents of the linked file set. In response to receiving an indication that the generated link has been activated by a link recipient, displaying a representation of the linked file set with a display element configured to send a request for modification rights to the linked file set when activated by the link recipient. In response to receiving the request for modification rights, either automatically granting modification rights to the linked file set or sending notice to the link sharer indicating that the link recipient is requesting modification rights to the linked file set.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

displaying, by a content management system, a representation of a file set along with a display element to request modification rights to the file set, the file set associated with a link sharer account on the content management system, and the displaying being in response to receiving notification of a link providing a link recipient with read-only access to the file set being activated;

receiving, by the content management system, an indication that the display element has been activated;

granting, by the content management system, the link recipient modification rights to the file set at least partially in response to receiving the indication, wherein the granting comprises;

associating the file set with a link recipient account on the content management system, and

converting the read-only access to the file set to modification rights to the file set; and

synchronizing, by the content management system, the file set with at least one client device authorized on the link recipient account.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein granting modification rights is performed in response to determining that certain permission criteria have been satisfied.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein granting modification rights comprises granting modification rights in response to determining that at least one permission criterion has been satisfied, the at least one permission criterion comprising at least one of:

the link sharer and the link recipient are members of a common group on a social media web site, the link recipient is a member of a list of contacts associated with the link sharer, or the link sharer has previously manually granted the link recipient permission to directly upload files to the file set.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that predetermined permission criteria specified by the link sharer have not been satisfied; and

at least partially in response to determining that the predetermined permission criteria have not been satisfied, requesting authorization from the link sharer to grant the link recipient modification rights to the file set.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the file set comprises a shared folder within the content management system.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the modification rights include at least one of a first right to add files to the shared folder, a second right to delete files from the shared folder, or a third right to edit files that are stored within the shared folder.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein granting modification rights is further based on a determination that the link recipient is associated with a user account registered with the content management system, wherein the user account is the link recipient account.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:

instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more processors, cause a content management system to;

display a representation of a file set along with a display element to request modification rights to the file set, the file set associated with a link sharer account on the content management system, and the displaying being in response to receiving notification of a link providing a link recipient with read-only access to the file set being activated;

receive an indication that the display element has been activated;

grant the link recipient modification rights to the file set at least partially in response to receiving the indication, wherein the granting comprises;

associating the file set with a link recipient account on the content management system, and

assigning, to the link recipient account, modification rights to the file set; and

synchronize the file set with at least one client device authorized on the link recipient account.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein granting modification rights is performed in response to determining that certain permission criteria have been satisfied.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein granting modification rights comprises granting modification rights in response to determining that at least one permission criterion has been satisfied, the at least one permission criterion comprising at least one of:

the link sharer and the link recipient are members of a common group on a social media web site, the link recipient is a member of a list of contacts associated with the link sharer, or the link sharer has previously manually granted the link recipient permission to directly upload files to the file set.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, storing additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the content management system to:

determine that predetermined permission criteria specified by the link sharer have not been satisfied; and

in response to determining that the predetermined permission criteria have not been satisfied, request authorization from the link sharer to grant the link recipient modification rights to the file set.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the file set comprises a shared folder within the content management system.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the modification rights include at least one of a first right to add files to the shared folder, a second right to delete files from the shared folder, or a third right to edit files that are stored within the shared folder.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein granting modification rights is further based on a determination that the link recipient has a user account registered with the content management system, wherein the user account is the link recipient account.

15. A content management system comprising:

one or more processors;

at least one computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the content management system to;

display a representation of a file set along with a display element to request modification rights to the file set, the file set associated with a link sharer account on the content management system, and the displaying being in response to receiving notification that a link which provides a link recipient with read-only access to the file set has been activated;

receive an indication that the display element has been activated;

grant the link recipient modification rights to the file set at least partially in response to receiving the indication, wherein the granting comprises;

associating the file set with a link recipient account on the content management system, and

converting the read-only access to the file set to modification rights to the file set; and

synchronize the file set with at least one client device authorized on the link recipient account.

16. The content management system of claim 15, wherein the modification rights are granted in response to at least one permission criterion being satisfied.

17. The content management system of claim 16, wherein the at least one permission criterion comprises one or more of:

a first requirement that the link sharer and the link recipient are members of a common group on a social media web site, a second requirement that the link recipient is a member of a list of contacts associated with the link sharer, or a third requirement that the link sharer has previously manually granted the link recipient permission to upload files to the file set.

18. The content management system of claim 15, the at least one computer-readable storage medium storing additional instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the content management system to:

determine that predetermined permission criteria specified by the link sharer have not been satisfied; and

in response to determining that the predetermined permission criteria have not been satisfied, request authorization from the link sharer to grant the link recipient modification rights to the file set.

19. The content management system of claim 15, wherein the file set comprises a shared folder within the content management system, wherein the modification rights include at least one of a first right to add files to the shared folder, a second right to delete files from the shared folder, or a third right to edit files that are stored within the shared folder.

20. The content management system of claim 15, wherein the link is further configured to facilitate the link recipient to:

view one or more files in the file set or download a copy of one or more files in the file set locally to a link recipient'"'"'s client device.