System and method for generating embeddable widgets which enable access to a cloud-based collaboration platform

• US 9,665,349 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2013
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Inventors: Savage, Brandon, Casparro, Tony, Tan, Jeff, Amoli, Sahil
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Li B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Soltanzadeh, Amir
• Application Number:
  US14/047,223
• Publication Number:
  US 20140258972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/197 Version control for software G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for generating embeddable widgets capable of accessing contents in a cloud-based platform. In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving a request identifying a target content in the cloud-based platform. The method further comprises automatically generating a plurality of software codes which correspond to a software widget that enables access to the target content. According to some embodiments, the software widget is to be embedded in a software product so as to enable a user of the software product to access the target content without navigating away from the software product. Among other advantages, embodiments disclosed herein provide easy integration of centralized contents to users and third-party web-service vendors, and reduce the effort necessary for system administrators in controlling data security and tracking different activities performed to the centralized content, thereby enabling more intuitive user experience without sacrificing data security.

Claims

1. A method for enabling access to a cloud-based platform, the method comprising:

receiving a request identifying a target content that is shareable between a user and one or more collaborators of the user in the cloud-based platform, wherein the request includes customizable functionalities associated with one or more available types of access around the target content;

automatically generating, by the cloud-based platform and based on said request, embeddable software code that is embeddable in one or more software products for generating a software widget to provide access to the target content from the one or more software products that are different from the cloud-based platform generating the software code, wherein generating the embeddable software code includes;

receiving a user selection of a folder in the cloud-based platform to be embedded in the software widget, the folder being accessible through the software widget and in the cloud-based platform,

receiving configuration parameters, the configuration parameters configuring the software widget to instruct the cloud-based platform to perform security related tasks on a file uploaded to the folder via the software widget, the security related tasks including scanning and/or quarantining the file, and

generating the embeddable software code based on the user selection and the configuration parameters;

transmitting the embeddable software code to a user device associated with the user;

receiving an indication at the cloud-based platform that the embeddable software code is embedded in a software product of the one or more software products; and

generating the software widget in the software product in response to the embeddable software code being embedded in the software product, wherein said software widget provides the one or more available types of access to the target content in accordance with the customizable functionalities included in the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the software widget is configured to enable a user of the software product to access the target content without navigating away from the software product.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the software widget is generated as a unique instance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the embeddable software code are uniquely generated so that different software widgets generated in a plurality of instances can access the identified target content and each have a distinct configuration.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a user to preview the software widget, wherein activation of the preview causes a web browser of the user to execute the software embeddable code.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting a user to copy the embeddable software code into a memory on a device of the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the embeddable software code are configured to be directly included in the software product without a compilation process.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the software product is a webpage or a web application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received from a user, the method further comprising:

presenting, via a user interface, the embeddable software code to the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the target content comprises a file, and wherein the access to the target content includes viewing the file.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the access to the target content further includes one or more of:

editing the file, commenting on the file, highlighting portions of the file, or sharing the file, or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the target content comprises a folder, and wherein the access to the target content includes displaying a list of work items in the folder.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the access to the target content further includes one or more of:

downloading a number of work items from the folder, changing a sorting option for the work items in the folder, or changing a different view style, or a combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the target content comprises a folder, and wherein the access to the target content includes uploading a file to the folder.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

inspecting the uploaded file; and

performing actions on the uploaded file in response to a result from the inspecting.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

preventing another software widget from accessing the uploaded file.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving configuration parameters to customize the software widget.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the customization includes layout definitions for the software widget.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the customization includes adjustment of functionalities of the software widget in accessing the target content.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking access activities performed via each software widget to the target content.

21. A computer server which hosts a cloud-based environment shared between a user and one or more collaborators of the user, the server comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit having instructions stored thereon which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to;

receive a request identifying a target content that is shareable between the user and the collaborators of the user in the cloud-based platform, wherein the request includes customizable functionalities associated with one or more available types of access around the target content;

automatically generate, by the cloud-based platform and based on said request, embeddable software code that is embeddable in one or more software products for generating a software widget to provide access to the target content from the one or more software products that are different from the cloud-based platform generating the embeddable software code, wherein generating the embeddable software code includes;

receiving a user selection of a folder in the cloud-based environment to be embedded in the software widget, the folder being accessible through the software widget and in the cloud-based platform,

receiving configuration parameters, the configuration parameters configuring the software widget to instruct the cloud-based environment to perform security related tasks on a file uploaded to the folder via the software widget, the security related tasks including scanning and/or quarantining the file, and

generating the embeddable software code based on the user selection and the configuration parameters;

transmitting the embeddable software code to a user device associated with the user;

receiving an indication at the cloud-based platform that the embeddable software code is embedded in a software product of the one or more software products; and

generating the software widget in the software product in response to the embeddable software code being embedded in the software product, wherein said software widget provides the one or more available types of access to the target content in accordance with the customizable functionalities included in the request.

22. The server of claim 21, wherein the software widget is to be embedded in a software product so as to enable a user of the software product to access the target content without navigating away from the software product.

23. The server of claim 21, wherein the software widget is generated as a unique instance.

24. The server of claim 21, wherein the embeddable software code are uniquely generated so that different software widgets generated in a plurality of instances can access the identified target content and each have a distinct configuration.

25. The server of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

prompt a user to preview the software widget, wherein activation of the preview causes a web browser of the user to execute the software embeddable code.

26. The server of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

prompt a user to copy the software embeddable code into a memory on a device of the user.

27. The server of claim 21, wherein the embeddable software code are configured to be directly included in a software product without a compilation process.

28. The server of claim 21, wherein the software product is a webpage or a web application.

29. The server of claim 21, wherein the request is received from a user, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

present, via a user interface, embeddable software code to the user.

30. The server of claim 21, wherein the target content comprises a file, and wherein the access to the target content includes one or more of:

viewing the file, editing the file, commenting on the file, highlighting portions of the file, or sharing the file, or a combination thereof.

31. The server of claim 21, wherein the target content comprises a folder, and wherein the access to the target content includes one or more of:

displaying a list of work items in the folder, downloading a number of work items from the folder, changing a sorting option for the work items in the folder, or changing a different view style, or a combination thereof.

32. The server of claim 21, wherein the target content comprises a folder, and wherein the access to the target content includes uploading a file to the folder.

33. The server of claim 32, wherein the processor is further configured to:

inspect the uploaded file; and

perform actions on the uploaded file in response to a result from the inspecting.

34. The server of claim 32, wherein the processor is further configured to:

prevent another software widget from accessing the uploaded file.

35. The server of claim 32, herein the processor is further configured to:

receive configuration parameters to customize the software widget.

36. The server of claim 35, wherein the customization includes layout definitions for the software widget.

37. The server of claim 35, wherein the customization includes adjustment of functionalities of the software widget in accessing the target content.

38. The server of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

track access activities performed via each software widget to the target content.

39. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having stored thereon Instructions which, when executed by a processor on a server, cause the processor to:

receive a request identifying a target content that is in a cloud-based platform and is shareable between a user and one or more collaborators of the user, wherein the request includes customizable functionalities associated with one or more available types of access around the target content;

automatically generate, by the cloud-based platform and based on said request, embeddable software code that is embeddable in one or more software products for generating a software widget to provide access to the target content from the one or more software products that are different from the cloud-based platform generating the embeddable software code, wherein generating the embeddable software code includes;

receiving a user selection of a folder in the cloud-based platform to be embedded in the software widget, the folder being accessible through the software widget and in the cloud-based platform,

receiving configuration parameters, the configuration parameters configuring the software widget to instruct the cloud-based platform to perform security related tasks on a file uploaded to the folder via the software widget, the security related tasks including scanning and/or quarantining the file, and

generating the embeddable software code based on the user selection and the configuration parameters;

transmitting the embeddable software code to a user device associated with the user;

receiving an indication at the cloud-based platform that the embeddable software code is embedded in a software product of the one or more software products; and

generating the software widget in the software product in response to the embeddable software code being embedded in the software product, wherein said software widget provides the one or more available types of access to the target content in accordance with the customizable functionalities included in the request,

wherein the software widget is configured to enable a user of the software product to access the target content without navigating away from the software product, and

wherein each software widget is generated as a unique instance.

40. A system which hosts a cloud-based environment shared between a user and one or more collaborators of the user, comprising:

means for receiving a request identifying a target content that is shareable between the user and the collaborators of the user in the cloud-based platform, wherein the request includes customizable functionalities associated with one or more available types of access around the target content; and

means for automatically generating, by the cloud-based platform and based on said request, embeddable software code that is embeddable in one or more software products for generating a software widget to provide access to the target content from the one or more software products that are different from the cloud-based platform generating the embeddable software code, wherein generating the embeddable software code includes;

receiving a user selection of a folder in the cloud-based platform to be embedded in the software widget, the folder being accessible through the software widget and in the cloud-based platform,

receiving configuration parameters, the configuration parameters configuring the software widget to instruct the cloud-based platform to perform security related tasks on a file uploaded to the folder via the software widget, the security related tasks including scanning and/or quarantining the file, and

generating the embeddable software code based on the user selection and the configuration parameters;

transmitting the embeddable software code to a user device associated with the user;

receiving an indication at the cloud-based platform that the embeddable software code is embedded in a software product of the one or more software products; and

generating the software widget in the software product in response to the embeddable software code being embedded in the software product, wherein said software widget provides the one or more available types of access to the target content in accordance with the customizable functionalities included in the request.