Application recommendation using stored files

• US 9,898,480 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Fushman, Ilya, Carriero, Thomas, Allain, Francois Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Uddin, Md. I
• Application Number:
  US14/868,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20160019234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 707723, 707732, 707735, 707748, 707687, 707749, 707758, 707767, 705 2663, 705 272, 705 14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

The disclosed technology can enable files to be stored with a networked environment. The files can be associated with information (e.g., properties) such as a file name, a file type, a date/time at which a respective file was last accessed, a number of times a respective file was accessed, data representing the contents of a respective file, and other information. Based at least in part on analyzing the information, the disclosed technology can select or identify a file and/or a file property (e.g., a file type) that the disclosed technology predicts to be most relevant to the user. The disclosed technology can then recommend applications based at least in part on the selected or identified file and/or file property (e.g., file type).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

storing a plurality of files in a user account of a network management system, wherein the network management system is connected, by a network, to a client-side application associated with the network management system installed on a computing device;

synchronizing, using the network, the stored plurality of files with a second plurality of files stored in a local folder of the computing device using the client-side application wherein the second plurality of files stored in the local folder can be manipulated in the local folder, while a background process of the client-side application monitors the local folder for changes and the network management system synchronizes the changes with the client-side application;

analyzing information associated with a subset of the plurality of files stored in the user account to;

identify the subset of the plurality of files and properties of the subset of the plurality of files, and

determine a first file type that is associated with a highest number of files, wherein the first file type is selected from a subset of a plurality of file types that includes file types associated with files that have been accessed within a specified time period,

wherein the information includes a relevancy level for each file in the subset of the plurality of files; and

recommending at least one application from an application marketplace to the user account of the network management system by causing the network management system to render an image for the at least one application, the at least one application based on the file type represented by the highest number of files associated with the subset of the plurality of files stored in the user account, the at least one application being compatible with the first file type.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information includes at least one of a file type associated with each file in the subset, a number of times that each file in the subset has been accessed, a time at which each file in the subset was most recently accessed, usage history data related to use of the subset of the plurality of files by the user account, or content included in each file in the subset.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the subset is either an equal subset or a strict subset.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the subset includes files that have been accessed by the user account.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the subset includes files that have been accessed by the user within a specified time period.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one file in the subset is shared with the user account by at least one other user, wherein the information includes identification of a set of applications used by the at least one other user to access the at least one file, and wherein recommending the at least one application is based at least in part on the identification of the set of applications used by the at least one other user.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for causing a processor to:

storing a plurality of files in a user account of a network management system, wherein the network management system is connected, by a network, to a client-side application associated with the network management system installed on a computing device;

synchronizing, using the network, the stored plurality of files with a second plurality of files stored in a local folder of the computing device using the client-side application wherein the second plurality of files stored in the local folder can be manipulated in the local folder, while a background process of the client-side application monitors the local folder for changes and the network management system synchronizes the changes with the client-side application;

analyzing information associated with a subset of the plurality of files stored in the user account to;

identify the subset of the plurality of files and properties of the subset of the plurality of files, and

determine a first file type that is associated with a highest number of files,

wherein the first file type is selected from a subset of a plurality of file types that includes file types associated with files that have been accessed within a specified time period,

wherein the information includes a relevancy level for each file in the subset of the plurality of files; and

recommending at least one application from an application marketplace to the user account of the network management system by causing the network management system to render an image for the at least one application, the at least one application based on the file type represented by the highest number of files associated with the subset of the plurality of files stored in the user account, the at least one application being compatible with the first file type.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the subset is either an equal subset or a strict subset.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the subset includes files that have been accessed by the user account.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the subset includes files that have been accessed by the user account within a specified time period.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein at least one file in the subset is shared with the user account by at least one other user, wherein the information includes identification of a set of applications used by the at least one other user to access the at least one file, and wherein recommending the at least one application is based at least in part on the identification of the set of applications used by the at least one other user.

12. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for causing the processor to;

storing a plurality of files in a user account of a network management system, wherein the network management system is connected, by a network, to a client-side application associated with the network management system installed on a computing device;

synchronizing, using the network, the stored plurality of files with a second plurality of files stored in a local folder of the computing device using the client-side application wherein the second plurality of files stored in the local folder can be manipulated in the local folder, while a background process of the client-side application monitors the local folder for changes and the network management system synchronizes the changes with the client-side application;

analyzing information associated with a subset of the plurality of files stored in the user account to;

identify the subset of the plurality of files and properties of the subset of the plurality of files, and

determine a first file type that is associated with a highest number of files,

wherein the first file type is selected from a subset of a plurality of file types that includes file types associated with files that have been accessed within a specified time period,

wherein the information includes a relevancy level for each file in the subset of the plurality of files; and

recommending at least one application from an application marketplace to the user account of the network management system by causing the network management system to render an image for the at least one application, the at least one application based on the file type represented by the highest number of files associated with the subset of the plurality of files stored in the user account, the at least one application being compatible with the first file type.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the subset includes files that have been accessed by the user account.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the subset includes files that have been accessed by the user account within a specified time period.

15. The system of claim 12, further storing instructions for causing a processor to:

display the at least one application in a user interface in response to a user interaction with respect to a file of the selected file type.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein at least one file in the subset is shared with the user account by at least one other user, wherein the information includes identification of a set of applications used by the at least one other user to access the at least one file, and wherein recommending the at least one application is based at least in part on the identification of the set of applications used by the at least one other user.