Collection folder for collecting file submissions via a customizable file request

• US 10,826,992 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2019
• Issued: 11/03/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Zhang, Mindy, Piyush, Pranav
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang, Liang Che A
• Application Number:
  US16/425,661
• Publication Number:
  US 20190281117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 709202, 709204, 709217, 709223, 709226
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

A content management system for collecting files from one or more submitters in a collection folder. A collector, who generates the collection folder, can invite one or more submitters to submit one or more files to the collection folder via a customizable file request. The one or more submitters have limited rights to the collection folder. The limited rights can include uploading rights and prohibiting a submitter from viewing files that other submitters associated with the collection folder submitted. Thus, the collection folder is able to store files from the one or more submitters, but prevent them from viewing other'"'"'s submissions.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a content management system, a request to generate a link to a collection folder, the request specifying one or more permitted file types that are allowed for submissions to the collection folder;

in response to the request, generating, by the content management system and based on one or more user interactions with a menu comprising one or more selectable options for customizing the link, the link to the collection folder, the link for use in collecting files in the collection folder from one or more submitters;

distributing, by the content management system, the link to the collection folder to a first submitter client device associated with a first submitter;

receiving, by the content management system, a first file selected by the first submitter based on the first submitter accessing the link to the collection folder on the first submitter client device;

determining, by the content management system, that a file type of the first file matches the one or more permitted file types; and

storing, by the content management system, the first file in the collection folder in response to determining that the file type of the first file matches the one or more permitted file types,

wherein each of the one or more submitters has limited rights to the collection folder which comprise uploading rights for uploading one or more files to the collection folder and prohibits each of the one or more submitters from viewing files uploaded by other submitters of the one or more submitters associated with the collection folder.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the content management system, a second file selected by a second submitter based on the second submitter accessing the link to the collection folder on a second submitter client device associated with the second submitter;

determining, by the content management system, that a file type of the second file does not match the one or more permitted file types; and

rejecting submission of the second file by not storing the second file in the collection folder.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the content management system, a second file selected by a second submitter based on the second submitter accessing the link to the collection folder;

determining, by the content management system, that a file type of the second file does not match the one or more permitted file types; and

providing, by the content management system, a message informing the submitter that the file type of the second file is not permitted based on determining that the file type of the second file does not match the one or more permitted file types.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the content management system, a file request user interface that comprises the menu, wherein the menu comprises a dropdown menu for specifying different file types that are permitted; and

wherein receiving the request specifying the one or more permitted file types that are allowed for submissions to the collection folder is based at least in part on receiving an indication of a selection of the one or more permitted file types from the dropdown menu.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the selection of the one or more permitted file types from the dropdown menu comprises a selection of at least two permitted file types.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining, by the content management system, a default file type parameter corresponding to the collection folder; and

wherein receiving the request specifying the one or more permitted file types that are allowed for submissions to the collection folder comprises modifying the default file type parameter.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the default file type parameter specifies any file type for submission to the collection folder.

8. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

receive a request to generate a link to a collection folder, the request specifying one or more permitted file types that are allowed for submissions to the collection folder;

in response to the request, and based on one or more user interactions with a menu comprising one or more selectable options for customizing the link, generate the link to the collection folder, the link for use in collecting files in the collection folder from one or more submitters;

distribute the link to the collection folder to a first submitter client device associated with a first submitter;

receive a first file selected by the first submitter based on the first submitter accessing the link to the collection folder on the first submitter client device;

determine that a file type of the first file matches the one or more permitted file types; and

store the first file in the collection folder in response to determining that the file type of the first file matches the one or more permitted file types,

wherein each of the one or more submitters has limited rights to the collection folder which comprise uploading rights for uploading one or more files to the collection folder and prohibits each of the one or more submitters from viewing files uploaded by other submitters of the one or more submitters associated with the collection folder.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive a second file selected by a second submitter based on the second submitter accessing the link to the collection folder on a second submitter client device associated with the second submitter;

determine that a file type of the second file does not match the one or more permitted file types; and

reject submission of the second file by not storing the second file in the collection folder.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

receive a second file selected by a second submitter based on the second submitter accessing the link to the collection folder;

determine that a file type of the second file does not match the one or more permitted file types; and

provide a message informing the submitter that the file type of the second file is not permitted based on determining that the file type of the second file does not match the one or more permitted file types.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

provide a file request user interface that comprises the menu, wherein the menu comprises a dropdown menu for specifying different file types that are permitted; and

wherein receiving the request specifying the one or more permitted file types that are allowed for submissions to the collection folder is based at least in part on receiving an indication of a selection of the one or more permitted file types from the dropdown menu.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the selection of the one or more permitted file types from the dropdown menu comprises a selection of at least two permitted file types.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to:

define a default file type parameter corresponding to the collection folder; and

wherein receiving the request specifying the one or more permitted file types that are allowed for submissions to the collection folder comprises modifying the default file type parameter.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computer device to:

receive a request to generate a link to a collection folder, the request specifying one or more permitted file types that are allowed for submissions to the collection folder;

in response to the request, and based on one or more user interactions with a menu comprising one or more selectable options for customizing the link, generate the link to the collection folder, the link for use in collecting files in the collection folder from one or more submitters;

distribute the link to the collection folder to a first submitter client device associated with a first submitter;

receive a first file selected by the first submitter based on the first submitter accessing the link to the collection folder on the first submitter client device;

determine that a file type of the first file matches the one or more permitted file types; and

store the first file in the collection folder in response to determining that the file type of the first file matches the one or more permitted file types,

wherein each of the one or more submitters has limited rights to the collection folder which comprise uploading rights for uploading one or more files to the collection folder and prohibits each of the one or more submitters from viewing files uploaded by other submitters of the one or more submitters associated with the collection folder.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer device to:

receive a second file selected by a second submitter based on the second submitter accessing the link to the collection folder on a second submitter client device associated with the second submitter;

determine that a file type of the second file does not match the one or more permitted file types; and

reject submission of the second file by not storing the second file in the collection folder.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer device to:

receive a second file selected by a second submitter based on the second submitter accessing the link to the collection folder;

determine that a file type of the second file does not match the one or more permitted file types; and

provide a message informing the submitter that the file type of the second file is not permitted based on determining that the file type of the second file does not match the one or more permitted file types.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer device to:

provide a file request user interface that comprises the menu, wherein the menu comprises a dropdown menu for specifying different file types that are permitted; and

wherein receiving the request specifying the one or more permitted file types that are allowed for submissions to the collection folder is based at least in part on receiving an indication of a selection of the one or more permitted file types from the dropdown menu.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the selection of the one or more permitted file types from the dropdown menu comprises a selection of at least two permitted file types.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer device to:

define a default file type parameter corresponding to the collection folder; and

wherein receiving the request specifying the one or more permitted file types that are allowed for submissions to the collection folder comprises modifying the default file type parameter.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the default file type parameter specifies any file type for submission to the collection folder.