Box Limited

Griffin Dorman

Florian Jourda

Kunal Parmar

Dave Sawyer

Benjamin Campbell Smith

Eric Vandenberg

Matthew Self

Philip Sheffield

Ben Smith

Sang Jun Lee

Satish Asok

Mark Bauer

Techniques are disclosed for enabling synchronization of items (e.g., folders or files) in a cloud-based environment. In one embodiment, a method comprises, upon receiving a request from a collaborator to synchronize an item stored in the workspace, verifying if the collaborator has permission for downloading the item. The method further comprises, if the collaborator has permission for downloading the item, sending the item to the collaborator. The method further comprises synchronizing the item by automatically pushing an updated version of the item unilaterally from the cloud-based environment to the collaborator regardless of whether the collaborator has performed any modification to the sent item. Among other advantages, embodiments disclosed herein provide capabilities to synchronize items in cloud-based platforms, especially where items are often opened/edited among the collaborators.

Method and apparatus for synchronization of items in a cloud-based environment

Systems and methods to automatically upgrade, or update a synchronization client to a cloud-based platform are provided. The automatic upgrading can be provided to a personal or an enterprise-level synchronization client. The synchronization client is implemented in a manner that is silent, secure and fault tolerant. In one embodiment, the disclosed technology includes an executable process to download the update, verify the contents, and apply the update. The contents can be verified by checking the certificate on any binary. The systems and methods further include identification and handling of items to be ignored by the synchronization client for synchronization with a cloud-based platform. In some embodiments, files and folders which typically should not be synchronized are identified and removed from the synchronization process in an effective manner.

Identification and handling of items to be ignored for synchronization with a cloud-based platform by a synchronization client

Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods to facilitate top down delete or un-synchronization on delete of a synchronization client to a cloud-based platform. The disclosed technology innovates the mechanism the synchronization client processes local deletes so that instead of synchronizing the delete of each individual item across to the cloud-based platform, it can accumulate the individual item deletes into a top-level folder delete and that top-level folder delete can be what is communicated across to the cloud-based platform. Embodiments of the present disclosure also include systems and methods for depicting item synchronization between a local and cloud based platform/service (e.g. the Box service). In some embodiments the system can identify items that cannot be synchronized between the local and cloud based platform/service (e.g., cloud based collaboration or storage platform/service). The system can further indicate reasons for the inability to synchronize and can offer corrective action.

Top down delete or unsynchronization on delete of and depiction of item synchronization with a synchronization client to a cloud-based platform

Embodiments of the present disclosure include systems and methods of conflict resolution, retry condition management and/or handling of problem files in the synchronization architecture of the cloud-based platform. One embodiment of the disclosed technology detects conflicts between incompatible changes made on opposite file systems based on file system sync results when executing a sync event on the file system. In one embodiment, the disclosed technology applies self-healing strategies when unexpected failures occur. For example, if a synchronization action fails repeatedly, an external action (e.g., from user, file system, etc.) can return the system back to a consistent state again.

Conflict resolution, retry condition management, and handling of problem files for the synchronization client to a cloud-based platform

Techniques are disclosed for enabling synchronization of items (e.g., folders or files) with read-only permissions in a cloud-based environment. In one embodiment, a method comprises, upon receiving a request from a collaborator to synchronize an item stored in the workspace, determining whether the item is marked as read-only and verifying if the collaborator has permission for downloading the item. The method further comprises, if the item is marked as read-only and if the collaborator has permission for downloading the item, sending the item to the collaborator. The method further comprises synchronizing the item by automatically pushing an updated version of the item unilaterally from the cloud-based environment to the collaborator regardless of whether the collaborator has performed any modification to the sent item. Among other advantages, embodiments disclosed herein provide capabilities to synchronize read-only files/folder in cloud-based platforms, especially where items are often opened/edited among the collaborators.

Method and apparatus for synchronization of items with read-only permissions in a cloud-based environment

Systems and methods method enabling file actions to be performed on a folder structure in a cloud-based service are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, for representing the folder structure in a user interface to the cloud-based service as a file and enabling file actions to be performed on file representing the folder structure in the user interface to the cloud-based service. In one embodiment, the folder structure and associated content is stored on a server which provides the cloud-based service in a compressed file format which is able to preserve the metadata associated with the folder structure which indicates its representation as the file in the user interface.

Cloud service enabled to handle a set of files depicted to a user as a single file in a native operating system

Embodiments in the present disclosure include systems and methods related to a synchronization client of a cloud-based collaboration platform that runs on a user device for synchronizing folders and files between a location on the cloud-based collaboration platform and a location on the user device. The synchronization client informs a user of the status of synchronization processes and allows a user to choose various options depending on the informed status.

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Griffin Dorman