FILE SHARING VIA LINK GENERATION

• US 20120331108A1
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Bartelma, Jeffrey, Ferdowsi, Arash, Houston, Drew, Ying, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 9,049,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0622 in relation to access
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0661 Format or protocol conversion arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• 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 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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

Users specify that a file set comprising their files, folders, or other content owned by the users should be made accessible via a link, such as a uniform resource locator (URL). The system which stores and provides access to the files accordingly creates a link that specifies the file set to be made accessible. The users may distribute the link to recipients with whom the file set is to be shared, and the distribution may be performed in any manner that the users choose.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method executed by a file access server, comprising:

receiving, from a first client located remotely from the server, a request to store a client file on the server;

storing the file on the server;

receiving a request from the first client to share a file set that includes the file;

responsive to receiving the request, generating a link specifying the file set;

receiving, from a second client located remotely from the first client, an access request via the link; and

responsive to receiving the access request, providing a representation of the file set to the second client.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the file set is a folder that includes the file and a plurality of other files received from a user that provided the file, and wherein providing the representation of the file set comprises providing a set of representations of the files in the folder, the representations being arranged according to file type.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the request to share the file set is specified within a file browser application of the first client.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing to the first client a web-based listing of files stored on the server, wherein the request to share the file set is specified using the web-based listing of files.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the providing the representation of the file set comprises providing a user interface comprising a representation of the file and a user interface element representing linking the file, and wherein the request to share the file set is specified by selecting the user interface element.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the first client, a request for a list of the links that have been generated by a user that generated the link specifying the file set; and

providing the first client with the list of links.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receiving from the first client a request to remove the link, removing the link;

receiving a second access request from the second client via the link; and

responsive to the removing of the link, denying access to the file set.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the first client to share the file set;

responsive to receiving the request, generating a second link specifying the file set;

distributing the link to a first group of users and the second link to a second group of users different from the first group of users;

responsive to receiving from the first client a request to remove the link, removing the link; and

after removing the link;

denying access to the file set to members of the first group; and

permitting access to the file set to members of the second group.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing to the first client a user interface comprising a user interface element representing transmitting the link to a social networking service; and

responsive to selection of the user interface element, transmitting the link for sharing with a user of the second client via the social networking service using an API of the social networking service.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein:

generating the link specifying the file set comprises creating, in a sharing database, an association between the link and an identifier of the file set; and

providing the representation of the file set to the second client comprises using the sharing database to identify the file set associated with the link.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the link is associated with an identifier of an application, and wherein providing the representation of the file set to the second client comprises:

determining the application based on the identifier; and

creating a representation of the file set using the application.

12. A computer-readable storage medium having executable computer program instructions embodied therein that when executed by a server perform actions comprising:

receiving, from a first client located remotely from the server, a request to store a client file on the server;

storing the file on the server;

receiving a request from the first client to share a file set that includes the file;

responsive to receiving the request, generating a link specifying the file set;

receiving, from a second client located remotely from the first client, an access request via the link; and

responsive to receiving the access request, providing a representation of the file set to the second client.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the actions further comprising:

receiving, from the first client, a request for a list of the links that have been generated by a user that generated the link specifying the file set; and

providing the first client with the list of links.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the actions further comprising:

responsive to receiving from the first client a request to remove the link, removing the link;

receiving a second access request from the second client via the link; and

responsive to the removing of the link, denying access to the file set.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the actions further comprising:

providing to the first client a user interface comprising a user interface element representing transmitting the link to a social networking service; and

responsive to selection of the user interface element, transmitting the link for sharing with a user of the second client via the social networking service using an API of the social networking service.

16. A computer server comprising:

a computer processor; and

a computer-readable medium storing a computer program executable by the computer processor and performing actions comprising;

receiving, from a first client located remotely from the server, a request to store a client file on the server;

storing the file on the server;

receiving a request from the first client to share a file set that includes the file;

responsive to receiving the request, generating a link specifying the file set;

receiving, from a second client located remotely from the first client, an access request via the link; and

responsive to receiving the access request, providing a representation of the file set to the second client.

17. The computer server of claim 16, the actions further comprising:

receiving, from the first client, a request for a list of the links that have been generated by a user that generated the link specifying the file set; and

providing the first client with the list of links.

18. The computer server of claim 16, the actions further comprising:

responsive to receiving from the first client a request to remove the link, removing the link;

receiving a second access request from the second client via the link; and

responsive to the removing of the link, denying access to the file set.

19. The computer server of claim 16, wherein:

generating the link specifying the file set comprises creating, in a sharing database, an association between the link and an identifier of the file set; and

providing the representation of the file set to the second client comprises using the sharing database to identify the file set associated with the link.

20. A computer-implemented method executed by a file access server, comprising:

receiving, from a first user on a first client located remotely from the server, a request to store a first file of the first client on the server;

receiving, from the first user on a second client located remotely from the server, a request to store a second file of the second client on the server;

storing the first file and the second file on the server;

receiving a request from the first user to share a file set that includes the first file and the second file;

responsive to receiving the request, generating a link specifying the file set;

receiving, from a second user on a third client located remotely from the server, an access request via the link; and

responsive to receiving the access request, providing a representation of the file set to the third client.