System, method, and computer program for enabling a user to synchronize, manage, and share folders across a plurality of client devices and a synchronization server

• US 9,633,125 B1
• Filed: 08/10/2012
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
• Inventors: Garcia, Andrew, Mehta, Samir Bhupatrai, Anagnostopoulos, Athena, Rashid, Fuad, Yecies, Laura Susan Fried, Pintus, Alice Viola, Short, Jason Edward, Monge, Elie Mathias, Wong, James David
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Linh K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nicholas, Wendy
• Application Number:
  US13/571,564
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 715738, 715733, 715734, 715748, 715751, 715234, 715762, 715810, 715839, 715853, 715854, 707620, 70799901, 707E17005, 707E17032, 709248, 709203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program are provided for enabling a user to synchronize, manage, and share files and folders across a plurality of client devices and a synchronization server. In a user interface, a first view displays all folders, which a user has synchronized to the synchronization server and a drop-target zone to which the user is able to drag a folder from the local device to synchronize the folder with the synchronization server. A second view displays all files and folders, which the user has shared with other users. A third view displays a list of user contacts, where each contact is a drop-target zone on which a user is able to drag a folder to share the folder with the contact. A fourth view is provided in which a user is able to see activity related to a folder displayed in the first view.

Claims

1. A method performed on a local client device for synchronizing files and folders with a synchronization server, the method comprising:

rendering a first view in a user interface on the local device that displays all folders, across a plurality client devices of the user, that the user has synchronized to the synchronization server, wherein folders are displayed in the first view regardless of whether the folder resides on the local device or on a remote device, and wherein the first view has;

(i) a default mode that is device-independent, wherein in the default mode, folders are not organized by device, and

(ii) a feature that displays the folders by which device each of the folders resides;

rendering a first drop-target zone in the user interface that is configured to, when the user drags a chosen folder from the local device to the first drop-target zone, synchronize the chosen folder between the local device and the synchronization server, wherein, in response to the user dragging the chosen folder to the first drop-target zone;

a copy of the chosen folder is uploaded to the synchronization server, and

the chosen folder is added to the first view,

wherein the first view and the first drop-target zone are rendered in a single window in the user interface;

rendering a first section in a second view in the user interface on the local device that displays all folders, across the plurality of client devices of the user, that the user has shared with other users of the synchronization server;

rendering a second section in the second view in the user interface on the local device that displays all folders, across the plurality of client devices of the user, that other users of the synchronization server have shared with the user;

wherein the first view and the first drop-target zone are rendered in a single window in the user interface;

in response to a specific user command with respect to a folder in the second view, rendering one or more user identifiers with whom the user has shared the folder; and

rendering a third view in the user interface displaying activity related to a selected folder initially displayed in the first view, wherein for a selected folder that is shared with other users of the synchronization server, the user is able to see activity of the other users with respect to the selected folder.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a search tool in the user interface that enables the user to search for files in any folder displayed in the user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a feature in the user interface that enables the user to generate a web link to any folder, or file therein, displayed in the user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to access, via the user interface, a virtual drive on the local device, wherein, via the virtual drive, the user is able to access files in any synchronized folder, including folders located only on a remote device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to edit synchronization settings for a remote folder via the user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering, in response to a specified user command with respect to a selected folder in the first view, further information related to the folder, wherein the further information includes devices among the plurality of devices to which the folder is synchronized.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling, via the user interface, the user to synchronize a remotely-located folder on the remote device of the user to the local device of the user;

downloading, in response to the user synchronizing the remotely-located folder to the local device, a copy of the remotely-located folder to the local device;

indicating in the user interface that the remotely-located folder is synchronized to the local device; and

sharing the remotely-located folder of the user with a remotely-located device of a recipient user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a fourth view that displays a list of user contacts, wherein each listed contact provides a separate drop-target zone that is configured to, when the user drags the chosen folder to the listed contact, shares the chosen folder with the listed contact.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

rendering a second drop-target zone in the user interface on which the user is able to drag a folder to generate a dialog box that provides the user with options for sharing the folder with a recipient user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second drop-target zone is rendered in a window separate from the single window than the first drop-target zone is rendered in.

11. A method for providing a user interface for a synchronization system, the synchronization system comprising a plurality of client devices and a synchronization server, the method comprising:

rendering a first user interface view that displays all objects, across the plurality of client devices of the user, that the user has synchronized to the synchronization server, wherein objects are displayed in the first view regardless of whether the object resides on a local device or on a remote device, and wherein the first view has;

(i) a default mode that is device-independent, wherein in the default mode, objects are not organized by device, and

(ii) a feature that displays the objects by which device each of the objects resides;

rendering a first drop-target zone in the user interface that is configured to, when the user drags a chosen object to the first drop-target zone, synchronize the chosen object to the synchronization system, wherein, in response to the user dragging the chosen object to the first drop-target zone;

a copy of the chosen object is uploaded to the synchronization system, and

the chosen object is added to the first view;

rendering a first section in a second user interface view that displays all folders, across the plurality of client devices of the user, that the user has shared with other users of the synchronization server;

rendering a second section in the second user interface view that displays all folders, across the plurality of client devices of the user, that other users of the synchronization server have shared with the user;

wherein the first view and the first drop-target zone are rendered in a single window in the user interface;

in response to a specified user command with respect to a folder in the second view, rendering one or more user identifiers with whom the user has shared the folder; and

rendering another view in the user interface displaying activity related to a selected folder initially displayed in the first view, wherein for a selected folder that is shared with other users of the synchronization server, the user is able to see activity of the other users with respect to the selected folder.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the objects comprise items, stored across the plurality of client devices, that share one or more specified attributes.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the specified attributes are specified automatically by the synchronization system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the specified attributes are specified by the user.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein types of specified attributes available for specification by the user include:

(i) a permission class associated with a shared object; and

(ii) a file type associated with a file.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the types of specified attributes available for specification by the user further include:

a location associated with an object.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

enabling, by an edit window separate from the view window, the user to edit synchronization settings for a remote object via the user interface on the local device.

18. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising code, that, when executed by a computer system, enables the computer system to perform the following method for a synchronization system, the synchronization system comprising a plurality of client devices and a synchronization server, wherein the computer-readable medium comprises:

code for rendering a first view in a user interface on a local device that displays all folders, across the plurality of client devices of the user, that the user has synchronized to the synchronization server, wherein folders are displayed in the first view regardless of whether the folder resides on the local device or on a remote device, and wherein the first view has;

(i) a default mode that is device-independent, wherein in the default mode, folders are not organized by device, and

(ii) a feature that displays the folders by which device each of the folders resides;

code for rendering a first drop-target zone in the user interface that is configured to, when the user drags a chosen folder from the local device to the first drop-target zone, synchronize the chosen folder between the local device and the synchronization server, wherein, in response to the user dragging the chosen folder to the first drop-target zone;

a copy of the chosen folder is uploaded to the synchronization server, and

the chosen folder is added to the first view;

code for rendering a first section in a second view in the user interface on the local device that displays all folders, across the plurality of client devices of the user, that the user has shared with other users of the synchronization server;

code for rendering a second section in the second view in the user interface on the local device that displays all folders, across the plurality of client devices of the user, that other users of the synchronization server have shared with the user;

wherein the first view and the first drop-target zone are rendered in a single window in the user interface;

code for, in response to a specified user command with respect to a folder in the second view, rendering one or more user identifiers with whom the user has shared the folder;

code for rendering another view in the user interface displaying activity related to a selected folder initially displayed in the first view, wherein for a selected folder that is shared with other users of the synchronization server, the user is able to see activity of the other users with respect to the selected folder.

19. A computing system for providing a user interface for a synchronization system, the synchronization system comprising a plurality of client devices and a synchronization server, the computing system comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the computing system to perform the operations of;

rendering a first view in a user interface on the computing system that displays all folders, across the plurality of client devices of the user, that the user has synchronized to the synchronization server, wherein folders are displayed in the first view regardless of whether the folder resides on the computing system or on a remote device, and wherein the first view has

(i) a default mode that is device-independent, wherein in the default mode, folders are not organized by device, and

(ii) a feature that displays the folders by device which device each of the folders resides;

rendering a first drop-target zone in the user interface that is configured to, when the user drags a chosen folder from the computing system to the first drop-target zone, synchronize the chosen folder between the computing system and the synchronization server, wherein, in response to the user dragging the chosen folder to the first drop-target zone;

a copy of the chosen folder is uploaded to the synchronization server, and

the chosen folder is added to the first view;

rendering a first section in a second view in the user interface on the computing system computing system that displays all folders, across the plurality of client devices of the user, that the user has shared with other users of the synchronization server; and

rendering a second section in a second view in the user interface view on the computing system computing system that displays all folders, across the plurality of client devices of the user, that other users of the synchronization server have shared with the user;

wherein the first view and the first drop-target zone are rendered in a single window in the user interface;

in response to a specific user command with respect to a folder in the second view, rendering one or more user identifiers with whom the user has shared the folder; and

rendering another view in the user interface displaying activity related to a selected folder initially displayed in the first view, wherein for a selected folder that is shared with other users of the synchronization server, the user is able to see activity of the other users with respect to the selected folder.