Patents by Inventor Drew Houston

Drew Houston has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20160301750
    Abstract: The disclosed technology addresses the need in the art for synchronizing a content library between a content management system and client devices. Each content item in a user's content library is stored on the content management system and a record of each change to the content library is recorded in a content journal. A client device transmits a synchronization request that a portion of the content journal representing unsynchronized changes be processed to update the content library on the client device. The synchronization request includes a content library identifier and a content journal number identifying the content entry in the content journal last processed by the client device. Synchronization commands are sent based on the content entries not processed by the client device. Updated synchronization data representing the processed content entries is sent to the client device after synchronization is completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventor: Drew Houston
  • Patent number: 9398090
    Abstract: The disclosed technology addresses the need in the art for synchronizing a content library between a content management system and client devices. Each content item in a user's content library is stored on the content management system and a record of each change to the content library is recorded in a content journal. A client device transmits a synchronization request that a portion of the content journal representing unsynchronized changes be processed to update the content library on the client device. The synchronization request includes a content library identifier and a content journal number identifying the content entry in the content journal last processed by the client device. Synchronization commands are sent based on the content entries not processed by the client device. Updated synchronization data representing the processed content entries is sent to the client device after synchronization is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventor: Drew Houston
  • Publication number: 20150237109
    Abstract: Users specify that a file set comprising their files, folders, or other content owned by the users should be made accessible via a link, such as a uniform resource locator (URL). The system which stores and provides access to the files accordingly creates a link that specifies the file set to be made accessible. The users may distribute the link to recipients with whom the file set is to be shared, and the distribution may be performed in any manner that the users choose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Arash Ferdowsi, Drew Houston, Jonathan Ying, Jeffrey Bartelma
  • Patent number: 9049176
    Abstract: Users specify that a file set comprising their files, folders, or other content owned by the users should be made accessible via a link, such as a uniform resource locator (URL). The system which stores and provides access to the files accordingly creates a link that specifies the file set to be made accessible. The users may distribute the link to recipients with whom the file set is to be shared, and the distribution may be performed in any manner that the users choose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Arash Ferdowsi, Drew Houston, Jonathan Ying, Jeffrey Bartelma
  • Publication number: 20140351340
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for managing pooled collections of content items, such as photos, in a content management system. An example system can first receive, from a first user device, images uploaded to a first account at a synchronized online content management system, and cluster at least some of the images as a collection. The system can receive, from the first user, a request to share the collection with a second user having a second account at the content management system, and generate, in response to the request, a pooled collection at the content management system from the collection. The system can transmit an invitation to the second user to join the pooled collection, and, upon acceptance, link the pooled collection to the second user account so that the first user and the second user have access to images in the persistent pooled collection and have permission to contribute content to the pooled collection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Drew Houston, Chris Beckmann
  • Publication number: 20140337482
    Abstract: Synchronization of folders shared among multiple clients over a network is provided. A first user of a first client instantiates a folder to be shared, and the folder and its contents are synchronized with a host system. As the user makes changes to the folder and its contents on the first client, those changes are propagated to the synchronized version on the host server. Other clients who will be sharing the synchronized folder register with the host system and obtain a current version of the synchronized folder and contents. As the contents of the synchronized folder are changed by any of the clients, the changes are propagated to the host system, which in turn delivers the changes to each of the clients registered as sharing that folder. In this way, each client participating in the share has a current version of the folder and its contents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Drew Houston, Arash Ferdowsi
  • Patent number: 8880528
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for importing a new content item, such as a photo, document, video, email, or application, into a content item repository. A content item repository can contain a set of existing content item groups, and each content item group can include at least one content item. The system can calculate a profile for a new content item to be imported. Upon determining, based on the calculated profile, that the new content item exceeds a similarity threshold for an existing content item group, the system can insert the new content item into the content item group. Upon determining, based on the calculated profile, that the new content item does not exceed the similarity threshold for any existing content item group, the system can create a new content item group and insert the new content item therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Drew Houston, Chris Beckmann
  • Patent number: 8825597
    Abstract: Synchronization of folders shared among multiple clients over a network is provided. A first user of a first client instantiates a folder to be shared, and the folder and its contents are synchronized with a host system. As the user makes changes to the folder and its contents on the first client, those changes are propagated to the synchronized version on the host server. Other clients who will be sharing the synchronized folder register with the host system and obtain a current version of the synchronized folder and contents. As the contents of the synchronized folder are changed by any of the clients, the changes are propagated to the host system, which in turn delivers the changes to each of the clients registered as sharing that folder. In this way, each client participating in the share has a current version of the folder and its contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Drew Houston, Arash Ferdowsi
  • Patent number: 8819138
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for managing pooled collections of content items, such as photos, in a content management system. An example system can first receive, from a first user device, images uploaded to a first account at a synchronized online content management system, and cluster at least some of the images as a collection. The system can receive, from the first user, a request to share the collection with a second user having a second account at the content management system, and generate, in response to the request, a pooled collection at the content management system from the collection. The system can transmit an invitation to the second user to join the pooled collection, and, upon acceptance, link the pooled collection to the second user account so that the first user and the second user have access to images in the persistent pooled collection and have permission to contribute content to the pooled collection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Drew Houston, Chris Beckmann
  • Publication number: 20140195638
    Abstract: The disclosed technology addresses the need in the art for synchronizing a content library between a content management system and client devices. Each content item in a user's content library is stored on the content management system and a record of each change to the content library is recorded in a content journal. A client device transmits a synchronization request that a portion of the content journal representing unsynchronized changes be processed to update the content library on the client device. The synchronization request includes a content library identifier and a content journal number identifying the content entry in the content journal last processed by the client device. Synchronization commands are sent based on the content entries not processed by the client device. Updated synchronization data representing the processed content entries is sent to the client device after synchronization is completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventor: Drew Houston
  • Publication number: 20140181157
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for importing a new content item, such as a photo, document, video, email, or application, into a content item repository. A content item repository can contain a set of existing content item groups, and each content item group can include at least one content item. The system can calculate a profile for a new content item to be imported. Upon determining, based on the calculated profile, that the new content item exceeds a similarity threshold for an existing content item group, the system can insert the new content item into the content item group. Upon determining, based on the calculated profile, that the new content item does not exceed the similarity threshold for any existing content item group, the system can create a new content item group and insert the new content item therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Drew Houston, Chris Beckmann
  • Publication number: 20140122471
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for adding users to groups of content items organized into events based on a common attribute. An example system configured to practice the method can receive, from a client device, content items uploaded to a synced online content management system, wherein the content items are associated with an account of a first user. The system can cluster at least some of the content items as an event, wherein the event is associated with a common attribute, and identify a second user satisfying a minimum similarity threshold for the event based on the common attribute. The system can provide a suggestion to share the event with the second user. Upon receiving a confirmation of the suggestion, the system can make content items clustered in the event available to the second user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventors: Drew Houston, Chris Beckmann
  • Publication number: 20140122592
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for managing pooled collections of content items, such as photos, in a content management system. An example system can first receive, from a first user device, images uploaded to a first account at a synchronized online content management system, and cluster at least some of the images as a collection. The system can receive, from the first user, a request to share the collection with a second user having a second account at the content management system, and generate, in response to the request, a pooled collection at the content management system from the collection. The system can transmit an invitation to the second user to join the pooled collection, and, upon acceptance, link the pooled collection to the second user account so that the first user and the second user have access to images in the persistent pooled collection and have permission to contribute content to the pooled collection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Drew Houston, Chris Beckmann
  • Publication number: 20120331108
    Abstract: Users specify that a file set comprising their files, folders, or other content owned by the users should be made accessible via a link, such as a uniform resource locator (URL). The system which stores and provides access to the files accordingly creates a link that specifies the file set to be made accessible. The users may distribute the link to recipients with whom the file set is to be shared, and the distribution may be performed in any manner that the users choose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: DROPBOX, INC.
    Inventors: Arash Ferdowsi, Drew Houston, Jonathan Ying, Jeffrey Bartelma