Patents Assigned to DROPBOX, INC.
  • Patent number: 10091287
    Abstract: A device collects presence information and other interaction information from an application viewing a content item synchronized with a content management system. The interaction information indicates interactions of a device with respect to a content item, and includes presence information obtained from a native application such as whether the content item is being viewed by the user on a user interface element or the user interface element is modifying the content item. A presence management module receives presence events indicating possible change of presence with respect to a user interface window associated with a process and a synchronized content item. Such presence events include a change in focus of a user interface element indicating that a user is viewing the content item, and changes to a content item indicating a user is editing the content item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventor: Maxime Larabie-Belanger
  • Patent number: 10091296
    Abstract: A content management system for collecting files from one or more submitters in a collection folder. A collector, who generates the collection folder, can invite one or more submitters to submit one or more files to the collection folder. The one or more submitters have limited rights to the collection folder. The limited rights can include uploading rights and prohibiting a submitter from viewing files that other submitters associated with the collection folder submitted. Thus, the collection folder is able to store files from the one or more submitters, but prevent them from viewing other's submissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Mindy Zhang, Alon Levi, Brandon Souba, Angela Li, Erik Goldman, Mihnea Cezar Giurgea, Aadil Sarfani, Alex Embiricos, Joshua Puckett
  • Patent number: 10089346
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed toward systems and methods that provide users with efficient and effective user experiences when browsing, selecting, or inspecting content items. More specifically, systems and methods described herein provide users the ability to easily and effectively select multiple content items via a single touch gesture (e.g., swipe gesture). Additionally, systems and methods disclosed herein can allow users to select various content items in a selection interface, preview a content item, and return to the selection interface with the previous selections remaining intact. Still further, systems and methods described herein allow users to transition between a content graphical user interface and a selection interface based on touch gestures with content items. Embodiments of the present invention further provide improved navigability by collapsing views of content items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Stephan Jätzold, Daniel Wagner
  • Patent number: 10078433
    Abstract: A method for sharing one file with many. To share a file, a template sharer selects a file in a shared folder to share as a template file and enters a template share command. In response to the entered command, a template file identifier is encoded and an email message is sent to recipients associated with the shared folder. The email message contains a link encoding the template file identifier. The email messages are sent to the recipients who can then access the link in the email message to retrieve their template instance file. Any modifications to a template instance file are saved. Each template instance file is saved in the collection folder. Thus, the template sharer has access to all of the template instance files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventor: Ran Tene
  • Patent number: 10079817
    Abstract: Techniques for invite enforcement and domain capture. In one embodiment, for example, a method performed in an online service computing environment comprises the operations of: storing, in a database, an association between a team of one or more user accounts and a domain name service domain; receiving a request to invite an e-mail address belonging to the domain name service domain to join the team; creating, in a database, a placeholder user account that is a member of the team; associating, in a database, the e-mail address with the placeholder user account; and after an invitation for the e-mail address to join the team is accepted, converting, in a database, the individual user account to a team account that is (a) a member of the team and (b) associated with the e-mail address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: George O'Brien, Emil Ibrishimov, Ken Park, David Stafford, Heinrich Koutcherouk
  • Patent number: 10067788
    Abstract: A computing system can provide user interfaces and back-end operations to facilitate review and invalidation of executed jobs. The system can provide an interface that allows the operator to review quality-control information about a completed job. Once the operator identifies a job as invalid, the operator can be presented with further options, such as whether to invalidate only the reviewed job or the job and all its descendants. The operator can also review antecedent jobs to an invalid job (e.g., in order to trace the root of the problem) and can selectively invalidate antecedent jobs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Shaunak Kishore, Karl Dray
  • Patent number: 10068383
    Abstract: One variation of a method for dynamically displaying multiple virtual and augmented reality scenes on a single display includes determining a set of global transform parameters from a combination of user-defined inputs, user-measured inputs, and device orientation and position derived from sensor inputs; calculating a projection from a configurable function of the global transform parameters, context provided by the user and context specific to a virtual and augmented reality scene; rendering a virtual and augmented reality scene with the calculated projection on a subframe of the display; and repeating the previous two steps to render additional virtual and augmented reality scenes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Terrence Edward McArdle, Benjamin Zeis Newhouse, Amir Akbarzadeh
  • Patent number: 10067652
    Abstract: A user device has a processing module and a UI module. The processing module may have a permanent connection to the UI module, and an intermittent connection to a content management system over a data network. User requested actions are executed within the UI module. For each such action, a parallel request is sent to the content management system when network connectivity allows. Results of the user requested actions are presented within the UI module as if they had been implemented on the content management system. The user may thus interact with content as if all user requested actions have occurred substantially simultaneously with the request. When network connectivity allows, confirmation is received in the processing module from the content management system that the actions have been implemented, and the state of the user requested actions in the UI module is matched with that on the content management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Kleinpeter, Andrew Scheff, Anthony Grue, Stephen Poletto, Andrew Haven
  • Patent number: 10061795
    Abstract: A method and system for managing access to data. A plurality of data items is stored across a plurality of partitions according to a graph-based data model. The data model associates each data item with an identifier of a source entity pertaining to the data item, an identifier of a destination entity pertaining to the data item, and an identifier of a type of directed relationship pertaining to the data item from the source entity to the destination entity. When a lookup request is received identifying a source entity, a particular partition is identified based on the source entity identifier. A response to the lookup request is then returned that includes data item(s) from the identified partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Zviad Metreveli, Akhil Wable
  • Patent number: 10057241
    Abstract: Techniques are described for enabling administrators of teams that use a particular service to specify which sign-on options, of multiple possible sign-on options, are assigned to the members of the teams to which the administrators belong. For example, an administrator may assign a first sign-on option, which only allows users to use native authentication, to one set of members of the team. At the same time, the administrator may assign a second sign-on option, which only allows users to use third-party single-sign-on authentication, to another set of members of the same team.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Anand Subramani, Francois Alexander Allain
  • Patent number: 10057318
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program are provided for enabling a user to edit and access local and remote objects via a virtual drive, including objects synchronized to a plurality of synchronization clients. A virtual drive is displayed on the user's local client device with all objects, which a user has synchronized to a synchronization server. A user is able to access and edit any object displayed in the virtual drive. In response to detecting a change in an object in the virtual drive, the object is updated on the synchronization server. All remote clients of the user or of any other users whom have access to the changed folder are identified and notified of the change. In response to the change being a change to content within the folder, the content of the folder is automatically updated on any identified remote clients that have a corresponding folder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Fuad Rashid, Michael Phillip Morford, Eric Wayne Wagner, James David Wong, Sing Yip
  • Patent number: 10049145
    Abstract: A content management system synchronizes content items across client computing systems connected by a network. If a storage allocation for shared content items on a client device is exceeded by the request to add or edit a content item such that it is enlarged, a client application or the host of content management system selects content items to remove from residence on the client device but keep remotely on content management system. Upon removal of the selected content items, the client application creates shadow items, representing the content item but only containing the metadata of the content item. This creates sufficient space while maintaining user access to all synchronized shared content items. Entries in a file journal may be used to track and manage whether a stored item is a content item or a shadow item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Isaac Goldberg, Benjamin Zeis Newhouse
  • Patent number: 10042900
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for shared folder backed integrated workspaces. In some implementations, a content management system can provide a graphical user interface (GUI) that integrates communications and content management into a single user interface. The user interface can include mechanisms that allow a user to provide input to generate a new workspace. The user interface can provide a mechanism to allow a user to view conversations related to the workspace and/or content items associated with the workspace. The user interface can present representations of content items associated with the workspace and allow the user to provide input to generate, view, edit, and share content items associated with the workspace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Sean Beausoleil, Matteus Pan, Jean-Denis Greze, Anthony DeVincenzi
  • Patent number: 10037339
    Abstract: The present technology pertains to a organization directory hosted by a synchronized content management system. The corporate directory can provide access to user accounts for all members of the organization to all content items in the organization directory on the respective file systems of the members' client devices. Members can reach any content item at the same path as other members relative to the organization directory root on their respective client device. In some embodiments novel access permissions are granted to maintain path consistency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas Kleinpeter, Tony Xu, Akos Albert, Nils Bunger, Sam Jau, Conor Woods, Aaron Staley
  • Patent number: 10033668
    Abstract: A message management service can enable a client to search and retrieve of messages from one or more messaging services. The message management service can stage delivery of results to the client to reduce response time for identification of messages satisfying a query. Initially, the message management service can send information descriptive of results, which the client can display. The message management service can send subsequent responses including supplemental information associated with a result and/or actual messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Roeder, Sean Beausoleil, Veronica Zheng
  • Patent number: 10025913
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for cross-application authentication on a content management system. A client application running at a client device that is not authenticated with a content management system can receive, from a web site associated with the content management system, a request to authenticate with the content management system under a user account used to authenticate a current session between a browser application at the client device and the website with the content management system. The client application can then obtain a uniform resource locator (URL) with a nonce associated with the client application, and send a command to the browser application including the URL and nonce. The command can trigger the browser application to use the URL and nonce to authenticate the client application with the content management system under the user account with which the current session between the browser application and the website is currently authenticated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Sang Tian, Joshua Kaplan, Devdatta Akhawe
  • Patent number: 10021184
    Abstract: A content management system synchronizes content items across client computing systems connected by a network. Client devices connected to peer devices on a LAN utilize peer-to-peer synchronization to synchronize content items. Client devices on the LAN broadcast namespaces synchronized on the client devices with other devices on the LAN. Client devices on the LAN connect to a subset of client devices that share a namespace with the connecting client device based on the broadcasts. Upon receiving a notification from the content management system that a new content item has been synchronized with the namespace a client device sends requests for a block comprising a content item to a subset of the connected devices. Additional block requests are sent in the order of randomized blocklist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Swanson
  • Patent number: 10021181
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for identifying a LAN sync candidate are disclosed. A synchronized content management system may receive a request from a first client device to synchronize a content item. The synchronized content management system may identify a second client device that has a current copy of the content item. The second client device may belong in the same local area network as the first client device. The second client device can be identified based on a characteristic of the LAN as well as the public and local addresses of the first and second client devices. The synchronized content management system can send a LAN sync instruction to the first client device. The instruction may identify the second client device as a LAN sync candidate. The first client device may then initiate LAN sync by requesting synchronization of the content item from the second client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Jesse Endahl, Sujay Jayakar
  • Patent number: 10013396
    Abstract: A document preview system provides previews of a native document to client devices. To generate the preview of a document, the document preview system generates a preview document that presents the native document in a browser-compatible format including elements that correspond to fields in the native document. The document preview system also identifies a mapping between fields of the native document and the elements of the preview. The document preview system also identifies a formula listing for the elements of the preview code. When a user edits a document, the edits may be committed to the document preview system and in parallel generate a preview to update the user's display. When an updated preview is available, the updated preview is rendered in a hidden frame and the user's input context is captured and reproduced when the updated preview replaces the prior preview.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Horn, Adhiraj Somani
  • Patent number: 10013568
    Abstract: To identify whether a content item is prohibited, a content management system can generate a content item fingerprint for the content item and then compare the generated content item fingerprint to a blacklist of content item fingerprints for prohibited content items. If the generated content item fingerprint matches any of the content item fingerprints included in the blacklist, the content management system can determine that the content item is prohibited. The content management system can deny requests to share prohibited content items and/or requests to assign prohibited content items to a user account on the content management system. The content management system can generate the content item fingerprint using the content item as input in a fingerprinting algorithm that was used to generate the content item fingerprints on the blacklist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventor: Anton Mityagin