Methods, systems, and computer program products for sharing a data object in a data store via a communication

• US 10,013,158 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2017
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motion Offense, LLC (Oso IP, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Sitting Man LLC
• Inventors: Morris, Robert Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Sall, El Hadji
• Application Number:
  US15/724,235
• Time in Patent Office: 273 Days
• Field of Search: 709206, 709217, 709203, 709200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses, and systems are described for sharing a folder and any contents (e.g. file(s)) thereof, via at least one communication. In an aspect, the folder and any contents (e.g. file(s)) thereof may be shared through a specific combination of capabilities or operations involving an email message and a file explorer interface without an attachment included with the at least one email message.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first node including at least one non-transitory memory in communication with at least one processor, the first node configured to;

display, at the first node, a first user interface element, a second user interface element, and a third user interface element;

receive, at the first node, information associated with at least one folder via the first user interface element;

send, from the first node via at least one network, the information associated with the at least one folder;

receive, at the first node, an object associated with at least one email address via the second user interface element;

send, from the first node via the at least one network, the object associated with the at least one email address;

receive, at the first node, an indication of a selection of the third user interface element; and

send, from the first node via the at least one network, the indication of the selection of the third user interface element;

said first node further configured to communicate with a second node that is configured to;

after the information associated with the at least one folder, the object associated with the at least one email address, and the indication of the selection of the third user interface element is sent via the at least one network;

receive, at the second node via the at least one network, at least one email message identifying the at least one folder and including a reference to the at least one folder, without including a file attachment with the at least one email message;

after the information associated with the at least one folder, the object associated with the at least one email address, and the indication of the selection of the third user interface element is sent via the at least one network;

create, utilizing code configured to be stored on a storage at the second node and further configured to cooperate with a file explorer interface, a representation of the at least one folder in a location among one or more folders on the file explorer interface, where the storage of the second node does not store any file in the at least one folder when the representation of the at least one folder is created; and

display, at the second node, the representation of the at least one folder in the location among the one or more folders on the file explorer interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured such that the object associated with the at least one email address includes the at least one email address or an alias, and the file explorer interface is displayed using a file explorer client application and not via a web page;

wherein the system is further configured such that the at least one email message is sent without including the file attachment with the at least one email message, and the storage at the second node does not store any file when the representation of the at least one folder is created, both for avoiding the at least one file from having to be communicated to and stored at the second node until the at least one file is requested by a user at the second node.

3. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one non-transitory memory storing instructions; and

one or more processors in communication with the at least one non-transitory memory, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to;

cause, at a first node, display of at least one first interface with a first user interface element, utilizing first hypertext markup language-equipped code that is sent via at least one network;

receive, from the first node via the at least one network, an indication of at least one folder via the first user interface element, utilizing the at least one first interface;

cause, at the first node, display of at least one second interface with a second user interface element, utilizing second hypertext markup language-equipped code that is sent via the at least one network;

receive, from the first node via the at least one network, indicia associated with at least one email address via the second user interface element, utilizing the at least one second interface;

receive, from the first node via the at least one network, an indication to share the at least one folder;

based on the receipt of the indication of the at least one folder, the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the indication to share the at least one folder via the at least one network;

generate at least one email message identifying the at least one folder and including a reference to the at least one folder, without including at least one file in the at least one folder as an attachment of the at least one email message;

send, to a second node via the at least one network, the at least one email message, without including the at least one file in the at least one folder as an attachment of the at least one email message;

based on the receipt of the indication of the at least one folder, the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the indication to share the at least one folder via the at least one network;

cause, utilizing particular code configured to be stored on a storage at the second node and further configured to cooperate with a file explorer interface, creation of a representation of the at least one folder in a location among one or more folders on the file explorer interface, where the storage at the second node does not store the at least one file when the creation of the representation of the at least one folder is caused;

cause, at the second node, display of the representation of the at least one folder in the location among the one or more folders on the file explorer interface;

detect, at the second node, an indication to open the at least one file in the at least one folder; and

in response to detection of the indication to open the at least one file in the at least one folder, cause retrieval of the at least one file via the at least one network for permitting display of the at least one file at the second node.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the indicia associated with the at least one email address includes an alias associated with the at least one email address.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the indicia associated with the at least one email address includes the at least one email address.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the at least one first interface and the at least one second interface are separate windows that are displayed utilizing a single web page.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to:

receive, from the second node via the at least one network, an indication of a selection of the reference to the at least one folder; and

cause, at the second node, display of the at least one folder, utilizing third hypertext markup language-equipped code.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the location among the one or more folders at the second node is based on user input received via the at least one first interface at the first node.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the location among the one or more folders at the second node is determined by user input at the first node.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the location among the one or more folders at the second node is automatically determined.

11. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the at least one folder is identified as a result of search criteria received from a user.

12. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the at least one email message and the file explorer interface are displayed via separate interfaces for permitting access to the at least one folder via multiple different interfaces only after receiving an indication of a selection of the reference to the at least one folder.

13. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the indication of the at least one folder is capable of being received in response to a first single user input, the indicia associated with the at least one email address is capable of being received in response to a second single user input that immediately follows the first single user input, and the indication to share the at least one folder is capable of being received in response to a third single user input that immediately follows the second single user input.

14. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured such that, when the creation of the representation of the at least one folder is caused, an additional representation on the file explorer interface is caused to be created that represents the at least one file, where the file explorer interface is displayed by a file explorer client application without a web page.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the apparatus is configured such that the at least one folder and the at least one file are stored and synchronized utilizing at least one server, and wherein the apparatus is further configured such that the at least one email message is sent without including the at least one file as an attachment of the at least one email message, and the storage at the second node does not store the at least one file when the creation of the representation of the at least one folder is caused, both for avoiding the at least one file from having to be communicated to and stored at the second node until the at least one file is requested by a user at the second node using the additional representation.

16. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is configured such that at least one of:

said at least one network includes at least the Internet;

said one or more processors include at least one first processor at least one server in communication between the first node and the second node and at least one second processor at the second node, and the instructions include first instructions for being executed by the at least one first processor and second instructions that include the particular code which takes the form of an extension for being executed by the at least one second processor in connection with other code associated with the file explorer interface;

said one or more processors include at least one first processor at least one server and at least one second processor at the second node, and the instructions include first instructions for being executed by the at least one first processor and second instructions including the particular code for being executed by the at least one second processor, where execution of the first instructions results in the causation of the display of the at least one first interface, the receipt of the indication of the at least one folder, the causation of the display of the at least one second interface, the receipt of the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the sending of the at least one email, where execution of the second instructions result in the causation of the creation of the representation of the at least one folder, the detection the indication to open the at least one file in the at least one folder, and the causation of the retrieval of the at least one file via the at least one network;

said at least one first interface is an email interface;

said at least one second interface is an email interface;

said at least one first interface is a single interface;

said at least one second interface is a single interface;

said at least one first interface is different from the said at least one second interface;

said at least one first interface include a plurality of first interfaces;

said at least one second interface includes a plurality of second interfaces;

said display of the at least one first interface is caused by serving the at least one first interface via the at least one network;

said display of the at least one second interface is caused by serving the at least one first interface via the at least one network;

said first hypertext markup language-equipped code is included in a first web page and the second hypertext markup language-equipped code is included in a second web page;

said indication of the at least one folder is generated based on a user selection of the at least one folder;

said indication of the at least one folder is generated based on a user at least one of searching or locating the at least one folder;

said indication of the at least one folder is generated based on a user input in connection with a folder-related user interface element associated with the at least one folder;

said indication of the at least one folder is generated based on a user entry of text associated with the at least one folder;

said indication of the at least one folder includes a name of the at least one folder;

said indicia associated with the at least one email address is generated based on a user selection of the at least one email address;

said indicia associated with the at least one email address is generated based on a user locating the at least one email address;

said indicia associated with the at least one email address is generated based on a user input in connection with an email-related user interface element;

said indicia associated with the at least one email address is generated based on a user entry of text associated with the at least email message;

said indicia associated with the at least one email address is received before the indication of the at least one folder;

said indicia associated with the at least one email address is received after the indication of the at least one folder;

said indicia includes a text string that is associated with the at least one email address;

said indication to share is generated by a user selection of a mount button;

said indication to share indicates a desire of a user to begin a sharing process;

said indication to share indicates a desire of a user to continue a sharing process;

said indication to share is generated in connection with a drag and drop operation;

said indication to share is received, utilizing the at least one second interface;

said at least one email message is generated based on the receipt of the indication of the at least one folder, the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the indication to share the at least one folder, by being generated in response to the receipt of all of the indication of the at least one folder, the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the indication to share the at least one folder via the at least one network;

said at least one email message is generated based on the receipt of the indication of the at least one folder, the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the indication to share the at least one folder vi, by being generated only after the receipt of all of the indication of the at least one folder, the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the indication to share the at least one folder via the at least one network;

said representation is created based on the receipt of the indication of the at least one folder, the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the indication to share the at least one folder via the at least one network, by being created in response to the receipt of all of the indication of the at least one folder, the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the indication to share the at least one folder via the at least one network;

said representation is created based on the receipt of the indication of the at least one folder, the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the indication to share the at least one folder via the at least one network, by being created only after the receipt of all of the indication of the at least one folder, the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the indication to share the at least one folder via the at least one network;

said representation includes a folder icon;

said representation includes a folder visual element;

said representation is created based on at least one aspect of the at least one email message;

said indication to open the at least one file includes a selection of the at least one file;

said indication to open the at least one file includes a selection of the at least one file and a detection of a selection of an open user interface element;

said storage at the second node does not store the at least file until after the retrieval of the at least one file;

said storage at the second node includes at least one of volatile memory or non-volatile memory;

said file explorer interface is associated with an email interface that displays the at least one email message;

said file explorer interface is part of an email interface that displays the at least one email message;

said file explorer interface is accessed via an email interface that displays the at least one email message;

said email message includes a mount descriptor;

the at least one file is retrieved via the at least one network from a server in communication between the first node and the second node;

the at least one file is retrieved via the at least one network from a server in communication between the first node and a third node;

said reference includes a uniform resource identifier;

said reference includes a link;

or

the apparatus further comprises the file explorer interface.

17. A system, comprising:

at least one non-transitory memory storing instructions; and

one or more processors in communication with the at least one non-transitory memory, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to;

send a first communication over at least one network that results in display, at a first node, a first user interface element, a second user interface element, and a third user interface element;

receive, from the first node via the at least one network, information associated with at least one data object via the first user interface element;

receive, from the first node via the at least one network, at least one object associated with at least one email address via the second user interface element;

receive, from the first node via the at least one network, a message associated with a selection of the third user interface element;

based on the receipt of the information associated with the at least one data object, the at least one object associated with the at least one email address, and the message associated with the selection of the third user interface element via the at least one network;

send, to a second node via the at least one network, at least one email message identifying the at least one data object and including a reference to the at least one data object, without including a file attachment with the at least one email message;

based on the receipt of the information associated with the at least one data object, the at least one object associated with the at least one email address, and the message associated with the selection of the third user interface element via the at least one network;

cause, utilizing code configured to be stored on a storage at the second node and further configured to cooperate with a file explorer interface of a client-based file explorer application, creation of a representation of the at least one data object in a location among one or more folders on the file explorer interface, where the storage at the second node does not store any file in the at least one data object when the creation of the representation of the at least one data object is caused; and

cause, at the second node, display of the representation of the at least one data object in the location among the one or more folders on the file explorer interface.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the system is configured such that the email message is sent without including the file attachment with the at least one email message, and the storage at the second node does not store any file when the creation of the representation of the at least one data object is caused, both for avoiding the at least one file from having to be communicated to and stored at the second node until the at least one file is requested by a user at the second node.

19. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

displaying, at a first node, at least one first interface with a first user interface element, utilizing first hypertext markup language-equipped code that is received via at least one network, the first node including at least one non-transitory memory in communication with at least one processor;

receiving, utilizing the at least one first interface at the first node, an indication of at least one folder via the first user interface element;

sending, from the first node via the at least one network, the indication of the at least one folder;

displaying, at the first node, at least one second interface with a second user interface element, utilizing second hypertext markup language-equipped code that is received via the at least one network;

receiving, utilizing the at least one second interface at the first node, indicia associated with at least one email address via the second user interface element;

sending, from the first node via the at least one network, the indicia associated with the at least one email address;

receiving, at the first node, an indication to share the at least one folder;

sending, from the first node via the at least one network, the indication to share the at least one folder;

after the indication of the at least one folder, the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the indication to share the at least one folder are sent from the first node via the at least one network;

receiving, at a second node via the at least one network, at least one email message identifying the at least one folder and including a reference to the at least one folder, without including at least one file in the at least one folder as an attachment of the at least one email message;

after the indication of the at least one folder, the indicia associated with the at least one email address, and the indication to share the at least one folder are sent from the first node via the at least one network;

creating, utilizing code configured to be stored on a storage at the second node and further configured to cooperate with a file explorer interface, a representation of the at least one folder in a location among one or more folders on the file explorer interface, where the storage of the second node does not store the at least one file when the representation of the at least one folder is created;

displaying, at the second node, the representation of the at least one folder in the location among the one or more folders on the file explorer interface;

receiving, at the second node, an indication to open the at least one file in the at least one folder;

in response to the receipt of the indication to open the at least one file in the at least one folder, retrieving the at least one file via the at least one network; and

in response to the retrieval of the at least one file via the at least one network, displaying the at least one file at the second node.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the indicia associated with the at least one email address includes an alias associated with the at least one email address.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the indicia associated with the at least one email address includes the at least one email address.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one first interface and the at least one second interface are displayed via a single web page.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the location among the one or more folders at the second node is based on user input received via the at least one first interface at the first node.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the location among the one or more folders at the second node is determined by user input at the first node.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the file explorer interface is displayed by a client-based file explorer application.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one folder is identified as a result of search criteria received from a user.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one email message and the file explorer interface are displayed via separate interfaces for permitting access to the at least one folder via multiple different interfaces only after sending an indication of a selection of the reference to the at least one folder.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the indication of the at least one folder is capable of being received in response to a first single user input, the indicia associated with the at least one email address is capable of being received in response to a second single user input that immediately follows the first single user input, and the indication to share the at least one folder is capable of being received in response to a third single user input that immediately follows the second single user input.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein when the representation of the at least one folder is created, an additional representation on the file explorer interface is created that represents the at least one file, such that the email message is sent without including the at least one file as an attachment of the at least one email message, and the storage at the second node does not store the at least one file when the representation of the at least one folder is created, both for avoiding the at least one file from having to be communicated to and stored at the second node until the at least one file is requested by a user at the second node using the additional representation.

30. The method of claim 19, and further comprising:

receiving, utilizing the at least one email message at the second node, an indication of a selection of the reference to the at least one folder;

sending, from the second node via the at least one network, the indication of the selection of the reference to the at least one folder;

displaying, at the second node, the at least one folder, utilizing third hypertext markup language-equipped code that is received via the at least one network.