FACILITATING ACCESS TO CONTENT FROM GROUP INTERACTIONS

• US 20150095451A1
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Published: 04/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Homsany, Ramsey
• Granted Patent: US 9,609,043 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1813 for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms instant messaging H04L51/04; protocols for multimedia communication H04L65/1101; arrangements for multi-party communication H04L65/403; telephonic conference arrangements H04M3/56; television conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2861 Point-to-multipoint connection from the data network to the subscribers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2885 Arrangements interfacing with optical systems optical network equipment H04B10/00; optical multiplexers H04J14/05 and H04J14/07
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communication real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] H04L51/04; selective video distribution H04N21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1089 by adding media; by removing media
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/75 Media network packet handling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates access to content. During operation, the system detects uploading of the content within a group interaction among a set of users. Next, the system aggregates the content into a centralized location. Finally, the system enables access to the content at the centralized location by one or more of the users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating access to content, comprising:

detecting uploading of the content within a group interaction among a set of users;

aggregating the content into a centralized location; and

enabling access to the content at the centralized location by one or more of the users.

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

sharing the content at the centralized location with other users associated with the one or more of the users.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein access to the content at the centralized location by the one or more of the users and the other users is based on at least one of:

a relationship of the other users with the one or more of the users;

a set of permissions associated with the set of users and the other users;

or

a set of preferences associated with the set of users and the other users.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein aggregating the content into the centralized location involves at least one of:

placing the content in the centralized location after the content is uploaded;

or

aggregating the content into the centralized location after the group interaction has completed.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein enabling access to the content at the centralized location by the one or more of the users involves at least one of:

providing a link to the centralized location to the one or more of the users;

or

synchronizing the content at the centralized location with one or more electronic devices of the one or more of the users.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the centralized location is at least one of a local directory, a remote directory, a shared directory, or an online content management system.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the group interaction is associated with at least one of a chat session, a message thread, a video chat session, a tag, or a category.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the content comprises at least one of an image, a document, audio, video, or a file.

9. A system for facilitating access to content, comprising:

an aggregation apparatus configured to;

detect uploading of the content within a group interaction among a set of users; and

aggregate the content into a centralized location; and

a management apparatus configured to enable access to the content at the centralized location by one or more of the users.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the management apparatus is further configured to:

share the content at the centralized location with other users associated with the one or more of the users.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein access to the content at the centralized location by the one or more of the users and the other users is based on at least one of:

a relationship of the other users with the one or more of the users;

a set of permissions associated with the set of users and the other users;

or

a set of preferences associated with the set of users and the other users.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein aggregating the content into the centralized location involves at least one of:

placing the content in the centralized location after the content is uploaded;

or

aggregating the content into the centralized location after the group interaction has completed.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein enabling access to the content at the centralized location by the one or more of the users involves at least one of:

providing a link to the centralized location to the one or more of the users;

or

synchronizing the content at the centralized location with one or more electronic devices of the one or more of the users.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the centralized location is at least one of a local directory, a remote directory, a shared directory, or an online content management system.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the group interaction is associated with at least one of a chat session, a message thread, a video chat session, a tag, or a category.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for facilitating access to content, the method comprising:

detecting uploading of the content within a group interaction among a set of users;

aggregating the content into a centralized location; and

enabling access to the content at the centralized location by one or more of the users.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, the method further comprising:

sharing the content at the centralized location with other users associated with the one or more of the users.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein access to the content at the centralized location by the one or more of the users and the other users is based on at least one of:

a relationship of the other users with the one or more of the users;

a set of permissions associated with the set of users and the other users;

or

a set of preferences associated with the set of users and the other users.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein aggregating the content into the centralized location involves at least one of:

placing the content in the centralized location after the content is uploaded;

or

aggregating the content into the centralized location after the group interaction has completed.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein enabling access to the content at the centralized location by the one or more of the users involves at least one of:

providing a link to the centralized location to the one or more of the users;

or

synchronizing the content at the centralized location with one or more electronic devices of the one or more of the users.