Device pinning capability for enterprise cloud service and storage accounts

• US 9,054,919 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2012
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Inventors: Kiang, Andy, Rexer, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Su, Sarah
• Application Number:
  US13/493,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20130268999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/3, 726/4, 726/9, 726/26, 726/27, 726/28, 726/31, 705/51, 709/219, 715/751, 715/753
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/12 Protecting executable software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/335 for accessing specific resources, e.g. using Kerberos tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• 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: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

Device pinning capabilities for cloud-based services and/or storage accounts are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, for authorizing synchronization of a synchronization client on a device with content associated with an account in the cloud-based service, responsive to determining that the device is on a list of devices that are authorized, and synchronizing the synchronization client on the device with the content associated with the account such that the content is also locally available for access on the device. The list of devices can be specific to and associated with devices for a user in the account and can be limited to an allowable number of devices for the account or a user associated with the account.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a login request from a device to synchronize the device with a cloud-based service,

processing the login request to identify a user account of multiple user accounts associated with an enterprise,

wherein the cloud-based service enables a collaboration platform that hosts multiple user accounts associated with the enterprise;

automatically determining if a number of devices that the user account is allowed to use for content synchronization has been reached responsive to identifying the user account;

responsive to determining that the number of devices that the user is allowed to use for content synchronization has not been reached, automatically registering the device, and

allowing synchronization of the device with the cloud-based service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, whether the device has been authorized is determined by comparing a device identifier (ID) of the device with a list of existing device IDs associated with the user for an account in the cloud-based service.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein, the device ID includes a CPU ID.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein, the number of devices is set by an administrator user of the account.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, updating or changing the number of devices allowable to the user to the account, responsive to reconfiguration by the administrator user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, the number of devices allowed for any user is managed on a client by client basis or enterprise by enterprise basis.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, granting an authentication token to the device;

enabling synchronization of the device with cloud-based service of content associated with the account, if the device has been previously authorized.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, prohibiting the device from synchronizing with the cloud-based service of the content associated with the account, if the device has not been previously authorized.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, the login request is sent by a desktop synchronization client associated with the cloud-based service installed on the device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, the login request is sent by a mobile application associated with the cloud-based service installed on the device;

wherein, the device is a smart phone or a tablet.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein, the number of devices that the user is allowed to use is specific to one account in the cloud-based service and not applicable to other accounts.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

authorizing synchronization of a synchronization client on a device with content associated with an account in the cloud-based service, responsive to determining that the device is on a list of devices that are authorized;

synchronizing the synchronization client on the device with the content associated with the account such that the content is also locally available for access on the device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein, the list of devices is specific to and associated with devices for a user in the account.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein, the list of devices is limited to an allowable number of devices for the account or a user associated with the account.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein, the cloud-based service includes a collaboration environment.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, the collaboration environment is accessible via a desktop client to synchronize content.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein, the collaboration environment is accessible via a mobile application to synchronize content with a mobile device.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein, the cloud-based service includes a storage service.

19. A system, comprising:

one or more processing units;

a memory unit having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the one or more processing units, causes the system to;

track numbers of devices allowable for synchronization across accounts in an online collaboration platform;

automatically grant access to synchronization of a device with an account in response to determining that the device is authorized for the account,

wherein granting the access includes automatically determining if a number of devices that the user account is allowed to use for content synchronization has been reached and, responsive to determining that the number of devices that the user is allowed to use for content synchronization has not been reached, automatically granting the device with access to synchronization;

wherein, the collaboration platform hosts multiple accounts associated with an enterprise.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the access to the account is granted for the device if a number of devices allowable for the account has not been reached or exceeded.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the access to the account is granted for the device if a number of devices allowable for a user of the account has not been reached or exceeded.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein, the device is prohibited from synchronizing with the online collaboration platform if a number of devices allowable for the account has been reached or exceeded and the device has not been previously authorized.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a synchronization request from a client on a device;

determining that the device is on a list of devices that are authorized;

authorizing synchronization of the client with content associated with an account in the cloud-based service;

synchronizing the client on the device with the content associated with the account such that the content is available for access on the device.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising, tracking a number of devices allowable for synchronization with the account.

25. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes a system to:

receive a login request from a device to synchronize the device with a cloud-based service,

process the login request to identify a user account of multiple user accounts associated with an enterprise,

wherein the cloud-based service enables a collaboration platform that hosts multiple user accounts associated with the enterprise;

automatically determine if a number of devices that the user account is allowed to use for content synchronization has been reached responsive to identifying the user account;

responsive to determining that the number of devices that the user is allowed to use for content synchronization has not been reached,

automatically register the device, and

allow synchronization of the device with the cloud-based service.

26. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further causes the system to:

retrieve a device identifier for the device by a synchronization application installed on the device;

send the device identifier and user credentials to the collaboration environment associated with a synchronization request;

synchronize the device with content in the collaboration environment if an authentication token is received based on the device identifier and the user credentials.

27. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein, a synchronization client receives the user credentials, and wherein the user credentials are specific to a given user.

28. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein, the device identifier includes a CPU ID of the device.

29. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein, the synchronization application is a mobile application;

wherein, the device is a mobile device.