Per-User Content Index API for Automated File Attachment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current online content management systems lack a mechanism for applications to obtain information about content items associated with a user, forcing users to manually navigate file systems to locate and attach content items.

Innovation Solution

A per-user index within the online content management system, accessible through an API, allows client applications to look up information about content items associated with a user, enabling automated retrieval and management of user content.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If users manually navigate through file systems to locate content items, then they can find and attach content items, but the process is time-consuming and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent item retrieval efficiencyVSAvoidtime to locate and attach content items

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component (content item suggestion system/API) that mediates between the email client and the file system. This intermediary automatically retrieves and presents relevant content items to the user, eliminating the need for manual file system navigation and significantly reducing the time required to locate and attach content items.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Extent of automation

If applications can access content item information through an API, then automated retrieval and management is enabled, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomated content item retrievalVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the content management functionality into distinct modular components: a content item suggestion system, an API layer, and client application interfaces. This segmentation allows each component to perform a specific function independently, making the overall system easier to manage and maintain despite the increased automation capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20250200004A1Suggesting content items to be accessed by a user

Publication Date: 2025.06.19 DROPBOX INC

AI summary

A client application sends an application programming interface call to an interface of a content management system. The call specifies one or more content item search criteria. Sending the call causes the content management system to perform a lookup in a content item index to identify at least one content item that satisfies the one or more content item search criteria. Based on sending the call, the client application receives from the content management system a suggestion to attach the at least one content item to a text being displayed by at the computing system.