Collaboration enhanced with kernel event triggers

• US 10,572,317 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2017
• Issued: 02/25/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: von Muhlen, Marcio, Valloppillil, Vinod, Bunger, Nils
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Isaac M
• Application Number:
  US15/475,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20180181587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 707600-899
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• 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 16/1774 Locking methods, e.g. locking methods for file systems allowing shared and concurrent access to files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1794 Details of file format conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/183 Provision of network file services by network file servers, e.g. by using NFS, CIFS network file access protocols H04L67/1097
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1873 Versioning file systems, temporal file systems, e.g. file system supporting different historic versions of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1011 to devices
• 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 2209/542 Intercept
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/545 where tasks reside in different layers, e.g. user- and kernel-space
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/30 : Definitions, standards or architectural aspects of layered protocol stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/321 : Interlayer communication protocols or service data unit [SDU] definitions; Interfaces between layers

Abstract

The present technology pertains to responding to a kernel level file event for a content item and presenting a file event window associated with the content item. A client device can detect the kernel level file event for the content item. This can be accomplished using a kernel extension on a client device that is networked with a content management system. The client device can then retrieve data associated with the content item, including an instruction for the content item. The client device can then perform the instruction. This instruction can be to retrieve collaboration data from the content management system and present the collaboration data in a file event window.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting a kernel level file event for a copy of a content item locally stored on a client device, by a kernel extension of a networked content management system client-side application, wherein the kernel level file event originates from an interface to a local file system, the client-side application and kernel extension operating on the client device;

in response to the detecting the kernel level file event, retrieving, by the kernel extension, data including an instruction, wherein the instruction includes a file access restriction for the copy of the content item locally stored on a client device, wherein the file access restriction is a notification that a remote user is editing a copy of the content item other than the copy locally stored on the client, and the file access restriction prevents editing of at least a portion of the copy of the content item that is locally stored on the client; and

enforcing the file access restriction.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the instruction includes an instruction to retrieve collaboration data pertaining to the content item, and to display the collaboration data.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the kernel level file event is a save operation, the instruction being to present a comment submission interface, the method further comprising:

receiving, via the comment submission interface, a comment relative to the content item; and

storing the comment with the collaboration data.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the instruction is to present a graphical user interface element that includes a selectable option effective to access an alternative version of the content item.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the instruction is stored in metadata for the content item.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein metadata for the content item includes a link to the instruction.

7. A system comprising:

a client device including a local file system, a content management system client application, and a kernel extension of the content management system client application, wherein the client device is configured to;

detect a kernel level file event for a copy of a content item locally stored on the client device, by the kernel extension of the content management system client application, wherein the kernel level file event originates from an interface to the local file system, the client application and kernel extension operating on the client device;

in response to the detecting the kernel level file event, retrieve, by the kernel extension, data including an instruction, wherein the instruction includes a file access restriction for the copy of the content item locally stored on a client device, wherein the file access restriction is a notification that a remote user is editing a copy of the content item other than the copy locally stored on the client, and the file access restriction prevents editing of at least a portion of the copy of the content item that is locally stored on the client; and

enforce the file access restriction.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the instruction includes an instruction to retrieve collaboration data pertaining to the content item, and to display the collaboration data.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the kernel level file event is a save operation, the instruction being to present a comment submission interface, wherein the client device is configured to:

receive, via the comment submission interface, a comment relative to the content item; and

store the comment with the collaboration data.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the instruction is to present a graphical user interface element that includes a selectable option effective to access an alternative version of the content item.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the instruction is stored in metadata for the content item.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein metadata for the content item includes a link to the instruction.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, the instructions are effective for causing a client device to:

detect a kernel level file event for a copy of a content item locally stored on a client device, by a kernel extension of a networked content management system client-side application, wherein the kernel level file event originates from an interface to a local file system, the client-side application and kernel extension operating on the client device;

in response to the detecting the kernel level file event, retrieve, by the kernel extension, data including an instruction, wherein the instruction includes a file access restriction for the copy of the content item locally stored on a client device, wherein the file access restriction is a notification that a remote user is editing a copy of the content item other than the copy locally stored on the client, and the file access restriction prevents editing of at least a portion of the copy of the content item that is locally stored on the client; and

enforcing the file access restriction.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instruction includes an instruction to retrieve collaboration data pertaining to the content item, and to display the collaboration data.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the kernel level file event is a save operation, the instruction being to present a comment submission interface, the instructions are effective for causing the client device to:

receive, via the comment submission interface, a comment relative to the content item; and

store the comment with the collaboration data.