Systems and methods for providing third-party application specific storage in a cloud-based storage system

Systems and methods for providing a dedicated storage directory for third-party applications in a cloud storage system may include allocating a user specific and application specific directory for the third-party application and controlling access to the directory. The directory may be used to store application data associated with the third-party application. The directory is made available to the respective third-party application and may be hidden from view from other applications and users.

TECHNICAL FIELD

In general, this disclosure relates to cloud storage systems, in particular, to systems and methods for providing application specific file system directories for third-party applications.

BACKGROUND

Cloud storage systems provide users with the ability to store electronic documents and other files on a remote network rather than on the user's local computer or computing device. Such systems allow users to access the remotely stored files from any device that is capable of connecting with the remote network, for example using a web browser over an Internet connection. Cloud storage systems can also provide users with a large amount of memory to store files so that users are not limited by the memory capacity of a particular client or device. To access a cloud storage system, a user typically logs into an account on the cloud storage system using a username and password. The cloud storage system provides a user interface for users to view, edit, and manage files stored on the system.

Third-party applications may be used with cloud storage systems to provide applications and services for user's files on the cloud storage system. Third-party applications may include their own proprietary file formats that may limit access to the specific applications or interfaces by the cloud storage system and other third-party applications. In order for the third-party application to integrate with the cloud storage system, certain application information may be exchanged with the cloud storage system. Handling such application specific information in a streamlined fashion is desirable for efficient integration of third-party applications with cloud storage systems.

SUMMARY

Thus a need exists in the art to provide a unified system for a third-party application to integrate with a cloud storage system. Systems and methods described herein provide dedicated data storage for a third-party application that is integrated in a cloud storage system to provide access to third-party application supported files.

In one aspect, systems and methods provide dedicated storage for a third-party application in a cloud storage system, by receiving, using a processor, a file for storage in a cloud storage system, wherein the file is associated with a third-party application and a user of the cloud storage system, identifying the third-party application, automatically allocating a directory for the identified third-party application and the user; and providing access to the directory for the identified third-party application to the third-party application. The directory is configured to store application data for the third-party application. The directory may be associated with a user and also hidden from the user. The directory may be assigned a reference link based on application data for the third-party application and a user identifier. Files for other users and other third-party applications may have respective directories allocated for use by the respective other third-party applications. Access to a file in the directory is authenticated for the requesting third-party application and respective user. In an aspect, if the third-party application is no longer available to the user, the user may be prompted to delete contents of the directory. In another aspect, the user may be presented with information for the directory and be provided an option to modify contents of the directory.

In another aspect, systems and methods provide support for a third-party application in a cloud storage system, by allocating a directory for a third-party application, associating the directory with a user of the cloud storage system, receiving configuration data for the third-party application, storing the configuration data in the directory; and hiding the directory from view by the user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

To provide an overall understanding of the systems and methods described herein, certain illustrative embodiments will now be described, including systems and methods for a cloud storage system capable of allocating an application specific directory for a third-party application. However, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the systems and methods described herein may be adapted and modified as is appropriate for the application being addressed and that the systems and methods described herein may be employed in other suitable applications, and that such other additions and modifications will not depart from the scope thereof. In particular, a server, processor, or system as used herein may be a single computing device or multiple computing devices working collectively and in which the storage of data and the execution of functions are spread out amongst the various computing devices.

Aspects of the systems and methods described herein provide an application manager, for example, in a cloud storage system, that is capable of providing and allocating an application specific file system directory for a third-party application. Cloud storage systems may be used to store electronic document or files. Those cloud stored files are accessible from the cloud storage via a network from any client or computing device. As such, a user of a cloud storage system is not limited by storage capacity of a local device, or the availability of the local device. Different kinds of third-party applications may be used for the files that the user wishes to store on the cloud storage system. Since most applications have their own proprietary formats, integration of the third-party applications in another environment can require different application-specific solutions.

One way to improve efficient handling of third-party application files on a cloud storage system is to provide a third-party application file system directory on the cloud storage system that is accessible and used only by the third-party application. The third-party application directory may be allocated for each user of a third-party application on the cloud storage system. The third-party application directory may be used to store data relevant to the third-party application or originated by the third-party application, for example, application configuration data, default file types, user preferences, file state information, temporary files, file logs, or other data for the third-party application. In some implementations, such data is preferably protected from access by other applications, and also from the user. For example, if the user sees a data directory for the third-party application and modifies it, the contents of the directory may be unusable by the third-party application. Accordingly, the third-party application directory may be made hidden or un-modifiable to the user.

The third-party application directory may be provided on a cloud storage system that is accessible by any number of client computers and other electronic devices that are capable of connecting with remote networks, for example the Internet. In some implementations, the third-party application may be locally installed on a client computer or other device. In other implementations, the cloud storage system may be connected to the third-party application server or otherwise make the third-party application available to a cloud storage system user. Some examples of third-party applications or services include word processing applications, photo and video storing and sharing services, spreadsheet applications, graphic design services, presentation applications, database applications, gaming and entertainment services, music services, e-mail services, cloud storage services, and a variety of other categories.

FIG. 1depicts an example of a network and database structure that may be used to implement the systems and methods herein.FIG. 1is a block diagram of a computerized system100for providing application specific directories. The system100includes a third-party application manager system101, a user device114, and a third-party application developer system103. The third-party application manager system101includes a server104including a processor105and a database106that stores data, including a user's web data, and data related to a list of user applications116, and application directory118. As used herein, the term “processor” or “computing device” refers to one or more computers, microprocessors, logic devices, servers, or other devices configured with hardware, firmware, and software to carry out one or more of the computerized techniques described herein. Processors and processing devices may also include one or more memory devices for storing inputs, outputs, and data that are currently being processed. An illustrative computing device700, which may be used to implement any of the processors and servers described herein, is described in detail with reference toFIG. 7. As used herein, “developer device” and “user device” include, without limitation, any suitable combination of one or more input devices (e.g., keypads, touch screens, trackballs, voice recognition systems, etc.) and/or one or more output devices (e.g., visual displays, speakers, tactile displays, printing devices, etc.). As used herein, “server” includes, without limitation, any suitable combination of one or more devices configured with hardware, firmware, and software to carry out one or more of the computerized techniques described herein. Only one third-party application manager system101, one user device114, and one third-party application developer system103are shown inFIG. 1to avoid complicating the drawing. However, in general, the system100can support multiple third-party application manager systems, third-party developer systems, servers, databases, developer devices, and user devices.

The third-party application manager system101allows for third-party application developers to associate third-party application data directories118with a user. In particular, the third-party application developer may have certain default data to store in a third-party application data directory that may be used to integrate use of a third-party application file in another environment, for example, a cloud storage environment.

In one implementation, the third-party application manager system101is a part of a cloud storage system, which is a file hosting system that allows users to store, retrieve, and modify data via one or more user devices such as the user device114. This data may be referred to as a user's web data. As an example, the cloud storage system101may be stored on a single server system or in a distributed system. In particular, the cloud storage system101may use cloud storage to store user data.

The database106stores several types of data. In particular, the database106stores data associated with user applications116and application directories118. The user applications116may be stored as a list of applications associated with a user. For example, the set of user applications116may correspond to a list of all applications that the user has ever used to interact with a file, or with which the user has selected to be associated. As an example, when the third-party application manager system101is a part of a cloud storage system, the user's web data includes a set of files with various application formats. In this case, the list of user applications116may correspond to a set of applications that the user has used to access any file in the user's web data, or a set of applications that are configured to support any file within the user's web data. In general, the list of user applications116may be associated with the user, or a set of files associated with the user.

In addition, the database106also stores an application directory118that is associated with a particular user as well as the user application116. The application directory118may be part of a data object family associated with the respective user application116and/or user. In some implementations, any user files related to the third-party application may also be included in the data object family. An alias associated with the third-party application may be assigned to the data object family and used for identification and authentication purposes as well as in a reference link for mapping the file system directory.

The third-party application developer system103communicates with the third-party application manager system101over the network102to initiate use of the third-party application. As depicted inFIG. 1, the developer system103includes a developer database107, a developer server108, a developer processor110, and a developer device112. The developer database107may store third-party application files or data. In an example, the developer system103is associated with a particular third-party application, and the developer system103is configured to transmit a request to the third-party application manager system101to allocate an application specific directory. If the third-party application manager system101grants the request, the database106is updated with the particular third-party application a respective third-party application directory.

The third-party application directory may be allocated per-user and per-application. In some implementations the third-party application directory118may not be visible in a user interface for accessing user files, for example, in the cloud storage system. In other implementations, the third-party application directory118may be visible to the user, but the contents of the directory may not be modifiable. To the third-party application developer system103, however, the application directory118is visible and available as any other directory. The application directory118may be made available using existing API methods using, for example, a standard identifier. The third-party application manager system101may receive the identifier from the developer system103to encode respective user and application identifiers. The third-party application directory118is generally created during the first use of the third-party application by the user. The third-party application directory118and its contents may be assigned certain authorization fields that are used to ensure that any requesting or accessing application is authorized to access the directory. Typically, only one third-party application is able to access its own application specific directory. The authorization fields may also be copied from a parent directory for the application to every directory and file that is created using the third-party application.

One example of a file manager interface is shown inFIG. 2A. As shown, a user may have certain files stored on a cloud storage system, for example my files202. The user may have one or more third-party applications installed or available to the user, for example a PhotoApp206and a WritingApp208. Each of the applications may have an application directory, for example, PhotoAppDirectory207. The user's third-party application directories may include any third-party application data, for example temporary files, log data, configuration data, or other application-originated or application-specific data. For example, a writing application directory may include user preferences for document margins, views or fonts. A photography application directory may include user preferences for filter types. In a games application directory, game state information may be stored. The view shown inFIG. 2Amay be one that is visible by the third-party application. In the example ofFIG. 2A, the view is for the PhotoApp application, which shows the PhotoAppDirectory207. A corresponding WritingAppDirectory would exist, however, it would not be viewable by another third-party application. User files may also be shown in any hierarchy, minimized or maximized, and include metadata for the file. In general, any file associated with a particular application will have an authorization field that is propagated from the parent or top-level directory.

An example of a user's view of their files is shown inFIG. 2B. As shown, a user may have files, such as my files703and include a list of each of their respective files. The view shown inFIG. 2Bis simply illustrative of a simple file manager user interface. As shown inFIG. 2B, there is no third-party application directory shown to the user. Instead, only the user files are visible to the user. In some implementations, hiding the data directory is useful to avoid the user being confused by unknown or unrecognizable files, which could lead to the user modifying the data directories rendering the contents unusable by the third-party application. In some implementations, a third-party application data directory is visible to the user (not shown inFIG. 2B), but the directory is not modifiable by the user. In such implementation, the visible third-party-application data directory may include information indicating the storage volume utilized by the directory. In another implementation, the contents of the directory may be deleted or modified, for example, when the third-party application is no longer available or used by the user. In such implementations, the directory may continue to exist, without any content, for use if the third-party application becomes available to the user again.

Turning toFIG. 3, which depicts a user interface for application management, a user may wish to view a list of applications associated with the user. Such a list of my apps703may include any applications available to the user. In addition, storage volumes utilized by each application may also be visible to the user. Total application storage volume information may include all application data associated with the user, including data in certain third-party application directories which may not be included in the application totals. As shown, in some implementations, the user may be able to see total storage utilization, but not specific application directory storage volumes.

FIGS. 4-6are flowcharts of methods that may be used by a processor such as processor105for performing the techniques described herein. In particular,FIG. 4is a flowchart of a high level method400for allocating an application specific directory, in accordance with an illustrative implementation. As shown,FIG. 4includes the steps of receiving a file on a cloud storage system (step402), identifying a third-party application for the file (step404), allocating a third-party application directory (step406) and authorizing third-party application access to the third-party application directory (step408).

Method400may begin at step402, when a file is received on a cloud storage system. In some implementations, the file may be received when a user seeks to store the file on a cloud storage system, or otherwise interact with the file using the cloud storage system. A processor for the cloud storage system, or a third-party application manager system may identify a third-party application associated with the file at step404. The identification process may include consulting a list of third-party applications known to the cloud storage system, determining application information that is associated with the file, or may require communication with a third-party application developer. An allocation of a third-party application directory may be made by the processor for the identified third-party application at step406. The third-party application directory may be a data directory that is used to store particular data for the third-party application, for example, configuration data, and which is stored in association with the respective user in the cloud storage system. At step408the processor authorizes the third-party application to access the third-party application directory. The authorization process may include communicating authenticating information between the processor and the third-party application. Authentication information may be included in the third-party application directory. The third-party application directory as well as its contents may be assigned an authorization field so that only the specific third-party application may access the directory. The authorization fields are copied from a parent file to each file when they are added.

FIG. 5depicts a method for authenticating a third-party application requestor, in accordance with an implementation. Method500includes receiving a request to access a third-party application specific directory (step502), determining application data (step504), determining that the requestor is authorized to access the directory (step506) and providing access to the authorized third-party application to the third-party application specific directory (step508).

Authentication of a third-party application, in particular, a requesting third-party application may be performed using a processor in the cloud storage system or the third-party application manager system. A third-party application may request access to its third-party application directory on the cloud storage system by communicating such request to the cloud storage system, generally in connection with a user accessing a file. At step502, a request is received to access a third-party directory. The processor may obtain certain information from the third-party application as well as the third-party directory to determine application data, at step504. Typically, the third-party directory will have an authorization field that is associated with the application data. That authorization field is also included in all of the respective application files so that the application is explicitly authorized to access its files on the cloud storage system. The application data of the application may be matched to the third-party application directory at step506to determine whether the requestor application is authorized to access the directory. Application data, alias information, application identifiers and other authentication information may be stored in a database accessible to the processor, for example, database106. If the application data and identifiers match, the processor will provide access to the third-party application specific directory at step508.

A user is generally freely available to manage his or her files stored on the cloud storage system. However, as mentioned herein, application-specific data directories should not be modified by the user. Although application-specific directories can contain any kind of data relevant to an application, such data is typically not useful on a standalone basis. As such, user modifications may be made out of context, or without knowledge of the data in the directory. A user may find it useful to know that some data directory exists that has a storage volume that goes towards the user's storage quota, and so an indication of the size of a data file may be made known to the user. In some implementations, the contents of the data directory are not modifiable by the user. A method for limiting access to an application specific directory is shown inFIG. 6.

FIG. 6depicts a method600for providing a file manager based on a requestor, according to an implementation. As shown, method600includes receiving a request to view files (step602), identify requestor associated files (step604), limit interaction of files and directories based on the requestor type (step606), and present a list of requestor's associated files and application directories (step608).

The steps of method600may be performed by a processor in the cloud storage system. At step602, a requestor may select to view the requestor's files by making a selection in a user device, a developer device, or other device to view an interface for a file manager or an application manager. The processor may receive the request to view the user's files and search its database for any available files associated with the requestor. The files may be identified at step604by the processor using known techniques for identifying files associated with a particular user. The processor will also obtain information about the user type, for example, whether the user is an individual, or an application developer. Based on the user type, the processor will limit the interaction of the files and the application directories at step606. For example, an individual user may be limited from viewing the contents of a third-party application directory, or seeing such directory at all. In some implementations, the individual user may see that there is a directory that has a certain stored amount. In such implementation, the user may clear the contents of the directory, or make limited modifications to the directory contents. For an application developer user, however, such limitations would not be applied to its respective third-party application specific directory. Other third-party application directories would not be available for view or interaction by a different third-party application user. At step608, the processor will present a list of the requestor's file and directories, including the limitations based on the requestor type, to the requestor using for example, a file manager user interface display.

The components of the system100ofFIG. 1may be arranged, distributed, and combined in any of a number of ways.FIG. 7is a block diagram of a computing device, such as any of the components of the system ofFIG. 1, for performing any of the processes described herein, according to an illustrative embodiment. Each of the components of these systems may be implemented on one or more computing devices700. In certain aspects, a plurality of the components of these systems may be included within one computing device700. In certain implementations, a component and a storage device may be implemented across several computing devices700.

The computing device700comprises at least one communications interface unit, an input/output controller710, system memory, and one or more data storage devices. The system memory includes at least one random access memory (RAM702) and at least one read-only memory (ROM704). All of these elements are in communication with a central processing unit (CPU706) to facilitate the operation of the computing device700. The computing device700may be configured in many different ways. For example, the computing device700may be a conventional standalone computer or alternatively, the functions of computing device700may be distributed across multiple computer systems and architectures. InFIG. 7, the computing device700is linked, via network or local network, to other servers or systems.

The computing device700may be configured in a distributed architecture, wherein databases and processors are housed in separate units or locations. Some units perform primary processing functions and contain at a minimum a general controller or a processor and a system memory. In distributed architecture implementations, each of these units may be attached via the communications interface unit708to a communications hub or port (not shown) that serves as a primary communication link with other servers, client or user computers and other related devices. The communications hub or port may have minimal processing capability itself, serving primarily as a communications router. A variety of communications protocols may be part of the system, including, but not limited to: Ethernet, SAP, SAS™, ATP, BLUETOOTH™, GSM and TCP/IP.

The CPU706comprises a processor, such as one or more conventional microprocessors and one or more supplementary co-processors such as math co-processors for offloading workload from the CPU706. The CPU706is in communication with the communications interface unit708and the input/output controller710, through which the CPU706communicates with other devices such as other servers, user terminals, or devices. The communications interface unit708and the input/output controller710may include multiple communication channels for simultaneous communication with, for example, other processors, servers or client terminals in the network718.

The CPU706is also in communication with the data storage device. The data storage device may comprise an appropriate combination of magnetic, optical or semiconductor memory, and may include, for example, RAM702, ROM704, flash drive, an optical disc such as a compact disc or a hard disk or drive. The CPU706and the data storage device each may be, for example, located entirely within a single computer or other computing device; or connected to each other by a communication medium, such as a USB port, serial port cable, a coaxial cable, an Ethernet cable, a telephone line, a radio frequency transceiver or other similar wireless or wired medium or combination of the foregoing. For example, the CPU706may be connected to the data storage device via the communications interface unit708. The CPU706may be configured to perform one or more particular processing functions.

The data storage device may store, for example, (i) an operating system712for the computing device700; (ii) one or more applications714(e.g., computer program code or a computer program product) adapted to direct the CPU706in accordance with the systems and methods described here, and particularly in accordance with the processes described in detail with regard to the CPU706; or (iii) database(s)716adapted to store information that may be utilized to store information required by the program.

The operating system712and applications714may be stored, for example, in a compressed, an uncompiled and an encrypted format, and may include computer program code. The instructions of the program may be read into a main memory of the processor from a computer-readable medium other than the data storage device, such as from the ROM704or from the RAM702. While execution of sequences of instructions in the program causes the CPU706to perform the process steps described herein, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of, or in combination with, software instructions for implementation of the processes of the present disclosure. Thus, the systems and methods described are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software.

Suitable computer program code may be provided for performing one or more functions in relation to associating an application with one or more file formats using a third-party application manager system as described herein. The program also may include program elements such as an operating system712, a database management system and “device drivers” that allow the processor to interface with computer peripheral devices (e.g., a video display, a keyboard, a computer mouse, etc.) via the input/output controller710.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to the CPU706(or any other processor of a device described herein) for execution. For example, the instructions may initially be borne on a magnetic disk of a remote computer (not shown). The remote computer can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over an Ethernet connection, cable line, or even telephone line using a modem. A communications device local to a computing device700(e.g., a server) can receive the data on the respective communications line and place the data on a system bus for the processor. The system bus carries the data to main memory, from which the processor retrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by main memory may optionally be stored in memory either before or after execution by the processor. In addition, instructions may be received via a communication port as electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals, which are exemplary forms of wireless communications or data streams that carry various types of information.

It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that aspects of the systems and methods described herein may be implemented in many different forms of software, firmware, and hardware in the implementations illustrated in the figures. The actual software code or specialized control hardware used to implement aspects consistent with the principles of the systems and method described herein is not limiting. Thus, the operation and behavior of the aspects of the systems and methods were described without reference to the specific software code—it being understood that one of ordinary skill in the art would be able to design software and control hardware to implement the aspects based on the description herein.