Dropbox, Inc.

Anand Subramani

Francois Alexander Allain

Emil Ibrishimov

Mark Delamere

Thomas Giovanni Carriero

Tina Wen

Viraj Mody

Philip Rha

Jonathan Vincent

Stefano Cayre

Dima Ryazanov

Anvisha Pai

Anton Anastasov

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 sign-on option, which allows members of the team to use either native authentication or third-party single-sign-on authentication. Upon successful authentication of a member using third party single sign-on authentication, the member is automatically assigned to use only the third party single sign-on authentication.

Toggle between accounts

Described embodiments enable the automatic uploading and sharing of objects via a content management system (CMS). A user of a client device may request to share an object via a user interface. Prior to the request, the object may be stored in a storage location of the client device that is not synchronized with the CMS. In one embodiment, client software detects a 'click-and-drag' operation of an object and provide a sharing element into which an object may be dropped for sharing. The CMS receives the sharing request and may automatically initiate a sharing process comprising receiving the object from the client device, storing the object in the CMS, generating a link to the object, and sending the link to indicated or pre-determined recipient(s). In various embodiments, the objects are synchronized with the CMS and/or organized according to various object parameters within a directory of the CMS.

Automatic file storage and sharing

A content item sharing and synchronization system providing team shared folders is described. Users of the system have access to the team shared folder simply by being a member of a team. A team account manager of the team can grant access to the team shared folder simply by inviting selected users to the team. Similarly, the team account manager can revoke access to the team shared folder simply by removing a user from the team. Unlike typical network file server folders, separate access control list management for the team shared folder apart from user team membership management is not needed to grant and revoke access to the team shared folder, thereby reducing administrative steps necessary to effectively manage access to the team shared folder.

Content item sharing and synchronization system with team shared folders

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for inserting content into an application from an online synchronized content management system are disclosed. The system can receive text input into an application at a client device associated with the content management system. The text input can be, for example, keystrokes performed at the client device by a user, and the application can be, for example, an email client. The system can identify, within the text input, a predefined text string, such as an escape sequence, that is followed by a partial or full string that represents an identifier. The identifier may be associated with a content item that is stored in the online synchronized content management system. The system can then insert inside the application a link that points to the content item. The system can also insert code that is designed to render the content item as a dynamically updated preview.

Inserting content into an application from an online synchronized content management system

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.

A content management system implementing methodologies providing retroactive shared content item links is disclosed. The content management system and methodologies allow a team administrator of a team to configure a team-wide shared link policy that determines whether non-team members can access content items associated with team accounts using shared links generated for the content items by team members. The team shared link policy has two settings. In a first setting, the content management system allows non-team members to use shared links generated by team members to access content items associated with team accounts. In a second setting, the content management system blocks access to the content items by non-team members. Shared links are retroactive in the sense they do not need to be regenerated after the team shared link policy has been changed from the second setting back to the first setting.

Retroactive shared content item links

Techniques are described herein for managing unsynchronized content items when the personal computing devices storing the unsynchronized content items are unlinked from a content item synchronization service. The techniques involve treating synchronized content items differently from unsynchronized content items. For example, after a personal computing is unlinked from the service, synchronized content items may be removed or deleted from the personal computing device and unsynchronized content items encrypted and/or moved to another data storage location.

Techniques for managing unsynchronized content items at unlinked devices

Systems and methods for controlling access to shared content in an online content management system, include receiving a request to access a content item from a requester, wherein the content item is stored in a synchronized online content management system. The example method then includes determining that the requester is in an approved list of requestors and granting access to the content item. In one variation, the request to access the content item includes activation of a shared link. In another variation, the request to access the content item includes access to a shared folder in the synchronized online content management system. In a third variation, determining that the requester is in an approved list of requesters includes determining that the requester is logged into a primary and secondary account, and that the requester is in an approved list for the secondary account.

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Anand Subramani