USER INTERFACE FOR VIEWING ITEMS IN A SYNCHRONIZATION SYSTEM

• US 20180278490A1
• Filed: 05/29/2018
• Published: 09/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Mihovilovic, Domingo A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,715,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/178 Techniques for file synchronisation in file systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

In a synchronization system, the present invention provides an improved user interface through which a user can view and manage settings associated with the user'"'"'s account in the synchronization system. In the preferred embodiment, a column is displayed for each electronic device associated with the user'"'"'s account in the synchronization system. In each column is a visual representation of items (e.g., folders) that are (1) backed up, remotely accessible and/or synchronized in the synchronization system and (2) located on the electronic device associated with such column. For each item that is synchronized across multiple devices, all the visual representations of such item in the columns are aligned across a single row in the interface. In the preferred embodiment, there is an arrow, or other visual indicator, between the visual representations of such items to indicate that the items are synchronized.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing, for presentation on a client device, a graphical user interface comprising a listing of items associated with a user account of a synchronization system;

providing, within the graphical user interface, a selectable graphical element associated with an item from the listing of items;

based on detecting a user selection of the selectable graphical element associated with the item, synchronizing the item between the synchronization system and the client device by storing a synchronized copy of the item on the client device;

in response to synchronizing the item, providing a first visual indication within the graphical user interface that indicates the item is synchronized between the synchronization system and the client device; and

providing a second visual indication within the graphical user interface that indicates an additional item from the listing of items is not synchronized between the synchronization system and the client device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the item from the listing of items is a folder comprising a plurality of subfolders, the method further comprising providing, within the graphical user interface, a selectable option to exclude a subfolder of the plurality of subfolders from synchronizing between the synchronization system and the client device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising unsyncing the subfolder of the plurality of subfolders based on detecting a user selection of the selectable option to exclude the subfolder from synchronizing between the synchronization system and the client device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least one other subfolder of the plurality of subfolders remains synchronized between the synchronization system and the client device while the subfolder is excluded from synchronization.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising removing the subfolder from storage of the client device in response to detecting the user selection of the selectable option to exclude the subfolder from synchronizing between the synchronization system and the client device.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising providing, within the graphical user interface, a third visual indication that the subfolder is excluded from synchronizing between the synchronization system and the client device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a client application installed on the client device provides the graphical user interface and manages synchronization between the client device and the synchronization system based on user input corresponding to one or more items of the listing of items received via the graphical user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, within the graphical user interface, a selectable unsync option associated with the item.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

based on detecting a user selection of the selectable unsync option associated with the item;

unsyncing the item from the client device;

removing the item from storage of the client device; and

updating the first visual indication associated with item to indicate that the item is not synchronized between the client device and the synchronization system.

10. 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;

provide, for presentation on a client device, a graphical user interface comprising a listing of items associated with a user account of a synchronization system;

provide, within the graphical user interface, a selectable graphical element associated with an item from the listing of items;

based on detecting a user selection of the selectable graphical element associated with the item, synchronize the item between the synchronization system and the client device by storing a synchronized copy of the item on the client device;

in response to synchronizing the item, provide a first visual indication within the graphical user interface that indicates the item is synchronized between the synchronization system and the client device; and

provide a second visual indication within the graphical user interface that indicates an additional item from the listing of items is not synchronized between the synchronization system and the client device.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to provide, within the graphical user interface, a selectable unsync option associated with the item.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to unsync the item from the client device based on detecting a user selection of the selectable unsync option associated with the item.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein unsyncing the item from the client device comprises:

removing the item from storage of the client device; and

updating the first visual indication associated with item to indicate that the item is not synchronized between the client device and the synchronization system.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein a client application installed on the client device provides the graphical user interface and manages synchronization between the client device and the synchronization system based on user input corresponding to one or more items of the listing of items received via the graphical user interface.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the item from the listing of items is a folder comprising a plurality of subfolders, the system further comprising instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the system to:

provide, within the graphical user interface, a selectable option to exclude a subfolder of the plurality of subfolders from synchronizing between the synchronization system and the client device; and

unsyncing the subfolder of the plurality of subfolders based on detecting a user selection of the selectable option to exclude the subfolder from synchronizing between the synchronization system and the client device.

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

provide, for presentation on a client device, a graphical user interface comprising a listing of items associated with a user account of a synchronization system;

provide, within the graphical user interface, a selectable graphical element associated with an item from the listing of items;

based on detecting a user selection of the selectable graphical element associated with the item, synchronize the item between the synchronization system and the client device by storing a synchronized copy of the item on the client device;

in response to synchronizing the item, provide a first visual indication within the graphical user interface that indicates the item is synchronized between the synchronization system and the client device; and

provide a second visual indication within the graphical user interface that indicates an additional item from the listing of items is not synchronized between the synchronization system and the client device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer device to provide, within the graphical user interface, a selectable unsync option associated with the item.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computer device to unsync the item from the client device based on detecting a user selection of the selectable unsync option associated with the item.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein unsyncing the item from the client device comprises:

removing the item from storage of the client device; and

updating the first visual indication associated with item to indicate that the item is not synchronized between the client device and the synchronization system.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the item from the listing of items is a folder comprising a plurality of subfolders, and further comprising instructions that when executed by the at least one processor cause the computer device to:

provide, within the graphical user interface, a selectable option to exclude a subfolder of the plurality of subfolders from synchronizing between the synchronization system and the client device; and

unsyncing the subfolder of the plurality of subfolders based on detecting a user selection of the selectable option to exclude the subfolder from synchronizing between the synchronization system and the client device.