Requesting modification rights to a linked file set

• US 10,242,220 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• 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:
  US15/848,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20180114032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 461 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 data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• 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 method comprising:

determining, by a content management system, that a first user account having read-only access to a content item stored on the content management system and shared with the first user account by a second user account has activated an option on a graphical element to request modification rights to the content item, the content item being previously created by a different user than a user associated with the first user account, the graphical element being separate from the content item;

in response to determining that the first user account has activated the option on the graphical element, granting, by the content management system, modification rights to the first user account for the content item, the modification rights enabling the first user account to modify the content item on the content management system and synchronize the content item with a local copy of the content item on one or more client devices associated with the first user account; and

synchronizing, by the content management system, the content item with at least one client device from the one or more client devices associated with the first user account.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein granting modification rights is performed in response to determining that at least one permission criterion has been satisfied.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one permission criterion comprises at least one of:

the second user account and the first user account are members of a common group on a social media site that is separate from the content management system;

the first user account is a member of a list of contacts associated with the second user account;

or

the second user account has previously granted the first user account permission to upload content to the content item.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that at least one permission criterion specified by the second user account has not been satisfied; and

at least partially in response to determining that the at least one permission criterion has not been satisfied, requesting authorization from the second user account to grant the first user account modification rights to the content item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein synchronizing the content item with at least one client device authorized on the first user account comprises:

determining access rights assigned to the content item on the content management system for the first user account;

based on the determining of the access rights assigned to the content item, verifying that the first user account does not have read-only access to the content item and modification rights have been granted to the first user account;

determining that the at least one client device is authorized at the content management system for the first user account; and

in response to determining that the at least one client device is authorized for the first user account and verifying that the first user account does not have read-only access to the content item and modification rights have been granted to the first user account;

enabling the local copy of the content item to be stored at the at least one client device; and

sending the content item to the at least one client device for storage as the local copy.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content item 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.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein granting modification rights further comprises:

associating the content item with the first user account on the content management system, and

converting the read-only access to the content item to modification rights to the content item.

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;

determine that a first user account having read-only access to a content item stored on the content management system and shared with the first user account by a second user account has activated an option on a graphical element to request modification rights to the content item, the content item being previously created by a different user than a user associated with the first user account, the graphical element being separate from the content item;

in response to determining that the first user account has activated the option on the graphical element, convert the read-only access of the first user account to the content item to modification rights for the first user account to the content item, the modification rights enabling the first user account to modify the content item on the content management system and synchronize the content item with a local copy of the content item on one or more client devices associated with the first user account; and

synchronize the content item with at least one client device from the one or more client devices associated with the first user account.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein granting modification rights is performed in response to determining that at least one permission criterion has been satisfied.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the at least one permission criterion comprises:

the second user account and the first user account are members of a common group on a social media site that is separate from the content management system.

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 at least one permission criterion specified by the second user account has not been satisfied; and

at least partially in response to determining that the at least one permission criterion has not been satisfied, request authorization from the second user account to grant the first user account modification rights to the content item.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the content item 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 converting the read-only access to modification rights comprises:

associating the content item with the first user account on the content management system, and

granting the first user account modification rights to the content item.

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;

determine that a first user account having read-only access to a content item stored on the content management system and shared with the first user account by a second user account has activated an option on a graphical element to request modification rights to the content item, the content item being previously created by a different user than a user associated with the first user account, the graphical element being separate from the content item;

in response to determining that the first user account has activated the option on the graphical element, grant modification rights to the first user account for the content item; and

synchronize the content item with at least one client device from the one or more client devices associated with the first user account.

16. The content management system of claim 15, wherein granting modification rights is performed in response to determining that at least one permission criterion has been satisfied.

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

the first user account is a member of a list of contacts configured on the second user account.

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 at least one permission criterion specified by the second user account has not been satisfied; and

at least partially in response to determining that the at least one permission criterion has not been satisfied, request authorization from the second user account to grant the first user account modification rights to the content item.

19. The content management system of claim 15, wherein the content item 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 granting modification rights further comprises:

associating the content item with the first user account on the content management system, and

converting the read-only access to the content item to modification rights to the content item.