Systems and methods for notifying users of changes to files in cloud-based file-storage systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016308940-A1
Application number	US-201514688848-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 16, 2015
Priority date	Apr 16, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed herein for notifying a user of a change to a file stored in a cloud-based file-storage system. A first indication of a first change to the file by a first user is received from a remote server, where the file is associated with a second user and is stored by the remote server. Subscription preferences of the second user are received. A notification indicating the first change to the file is displayed on a mobile device associated with the second user if a category of the notification is allowed by the subscription preferences. The notification includes a graphical preview of the file, an identifier of the file, and an identity of the first user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for notifying a user of a change to a file stored in a cloud-based file-storage system, the method comprising:
receiving, from a remote server, a first indication of a first change to the file by a first user, wherein the file is associated with a second user and is stored by the remote server; receiving subscription preferences of the second user; and displaying, on a mobile device associated with the second user, a notification indicating the first change to the file if a category of the notification is allowed by the subscription preferences; wherein the notification includes:
a graphical preview of the file,
an identifier of the file, and
an identity of the first user.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical preview includes a portion of the file that is affected by the first change.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification includes action buttons that allow the second user to perform actions in response to the notification.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising calling a local application on the mobile device to handle the file responsive to a selection of one of the action buttons.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein handling the file includes at least one of opening the file, viewing the file, sharing the file, and editing the file.

6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the action buttons include a button for contacting the first user.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
calling a local email application on the mobile device responsive to a selection of the button for contacting the first user; and automatically generating, with the local email application, an email addressed to an email address of the first user.

8 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising retrieving contact information of the first user from an address book stored in the mobile device.

9 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
retrieving a phone number of the first user based on the identity of the first user included in the notification; and in response to a selection of the button for contacting the first user, generating a text message addressed to the phone number of the first user.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a second indication of a second change to the file from the remote server; and grouping the first and second changes in response to determining that the first and second changes are related; wherein the notification indicates the grouped first and second changes.

11 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the action buttons include an action button for updating the subscription preferences.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the subscription preferences include at least one of an activity type, an identity of a monitored file, an identity of a monitored folder, and an identity of a user of interest.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification further includes an image of the first user, a type of the file, a description of the file, a size of the file, an open URL associated with the file, a time of the first change, a type of the first change, or an identifier of the owner of the file.

14 . A system for notifying a user of a change to a file stored in a cloud-based file-storage system, the system comprising circuitry configured to:
receive from a remote server a first indication of a first change to the file by a first user, wherein the file is associated with a second user and is stored by a remote server; receive subscription preferences of the second user; and display, by a mobile device associated with the second user, a notification indicating the first change to the file if a category of the notification is allowed by the subscription preferences; wherein the notification includes:
a graphical preview of the file,
an identifier of the file, and
an identity of the first user.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the graphical preview includes a portion of the file that is affected by the first change.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the notification includes action buttons that allow the second user to perform actions in response to the notification.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to call a local application on the mobile device to handle the file responsive to a selection of one of the action buttons.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein handling the file includes at least one of opening the file, viewing the file, sharing the file, and editing the file.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the action buttons include a button for contacting the first user.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
call a local email application on the mobile device responsive to a selection of the button for contacting the first user; and automatically generate, with the local email application, an email addressed to an email address of the first user.

21 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to retrieve contact information of the first user from an address book stored in the mobile device.

22 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
retrieve a phone number of the first user based on the identity of the first user included in the notification; and in response to a selection of the button for contacting the first user, generate a text message addressed to the phone number of the first user.

23 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to:
receive a second indication of a second change to the file from the remote server; and group the first and second changes in response to determining that the first and second changes are related; wherein the notification indicates the grouped first and second changes.

24 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the action buttons include an option to update the subscription preferences.

25 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the subscription preferences include at least one of an activity type, an identity of a monitored file, an identity of a monitored folder, and an identity of a user of interest.

26 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the notification further includes an image of the first user, a type of the file, a description of the file, a size of the file, an open URL associated with the file, a time of the first change, a type of the first change, or an identifier of the owner of the file.

Assignees

• Google Inc

Inventors

• Procopio Michael Jeffrey
• Herndon John

Classifications

• G06F16/1734 Primary

  Details of monitoring file system events, e.g. by the use of hooks, filter drivers, logs · CPC title

• H04L67/06 Primary

  specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP] · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H04L67/10

  in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) · CPC title