IP Library Granted Patent US 11,644,952
Granted Patent B2
US 11,644,952 · App. 17/136,465 · Granted May 9, 2023

Processing electronic signature data in a collaborative environment

Inventors: John Spaetzel (San Francisco, CA); Maria Fernanda Mora Carrasco (Sunnyvale, CA); Kirtika Dommeti (Fremont, CA); Skyler Parr (Columbus, OH); Benny Kao (Pleasanton, CA)
Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
G06F3/0482G06F40/174G06Q50/26H04L67/306
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,644,952
App. No.
17/136,465
Granted
May 9, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A collaborative content management system (CMS) is disclosed herein for processing electronic signature data in a collaborative environment and performing actions based on the received data. The CMS may receive a selection of a content item to be electronically signed by one or more users. Upon receipt of the selection, the CMS may generate a fillable form and send the fillable form to be electronically filled out signed. When each user fills out and signs the form, the CMS may receive that form data and aggregate the form data with previously received form data. The CMS may determine whether the aggregated form data meets one or more conditions stored within the CMS and perform appropriate actions based on one or more conditions that are met.

Claims (68)

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a content management system (CMS) from a client device associated with a user account, a signature request indicating a target user identifier and an original file managed by the CMS;

based on receiving the signature request, generating, from the original file, a web adaptable fillable form that is a separate file from the original file, the web adaptable fillable form comprising a field which maps to an overlaid field corresponding to an area within the original file, wherein the web adaptable fillable form adapts to a compatible format based on an identified client device type;

sending, by the CMS to a client device associated with the target user identifier, the web adaptable fillable form or a link to the web adaptable fillable form;

receiving, by the CMS from the client device associated with the target user identifier, form data input via the field within the web adaptable fillable form;

inserting the form data within the original file based on the mapping between the field within the web adaptable fillable form and the overlaid field corresponding to the area within the original file; and

providing, to the client device associated with the user account, the original file with the inserted form data.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a client device type of the client device associated with the target user identifier;

determining a compatible format for the web adaptable fillable form based on the client device type; and

providing, for display within a graphical user interface of the client device associated with the target user identifier, the web adaptable fillable form in the compatible format.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the web adaptable fillable form comprises:

an XML file structure in the CMS; and

the XML file structure in the CMS is associated with the original file.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising associating metadata with the web adaptable fillable form, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of internal metadata, external metadata, or device metadata.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

generating the link associated with a unique identifier corresponding to the web adaptable fillable form; and

providing the link associated with the unique identifier of the web adaptable fillable form to the client device associated with the target user identifier.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising updating metadata associated with the web adaptable fillable form based on receiving the form data via the field within the web adaptable fillable form.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the updated metadata comprises:

a completion percentage of the web adaptable fillable form; and

statistical data associated with the target user identifier.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving from the client device associated with the user account, an indication of a selection of the original file;

based on receiving the indication of the selection of the original file, providing an option to add an additional overlaid field to the original file; and

adding an additional field to the web adaptable fillable form based on receiving an indication a user selected the option to add the additional overlaid field to the original file.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein, based on receiving the form data, granting access to a second file stored on the CMS for the target user identifier by modifying permissions of the second file.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising enabling access to a second file stored on the CMS for the target user identifier by:

retrieving a corresponding identifier associated with the target user identifier; and

generating a new user account on the CMS for the target user identifier.

11. A system comprising:

one or more processors configured to execute instructions; and

a memory storing instructions for execution on the one or more processors, including instructions causing the one or more processors to:

receive, from a client device associated with a user account, a signature request indicating a target user identifier and an original file managed by a content management system (CMS);

generate, based on receiving the signature request, a web adaptable fillable form that is a separate file from the original file, the web adaptable fillable form comprising a field which maps to an overlaid field corresponding to an area within the original file, wherein the web adaptable fillable form adapts to a compatible format based on an identified device type;

send, by the CMS to a client device associated with the target user identifier, the web adaptable fillable form or a link to the web adaptable fillable form;

receive, by the CMS from the client device associated with the target user identifier, form data input via the field within the web adaptable fillable form;

insert the form data within the original file based on the mapping between the field within the web adaptable fillable form and the overlaid field corresponding to the area within the original file; and

provide, to the client device associated with the user account, the original file with the inserted form data.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising instructions that cause the one or more processors to:

determine a client device type of the client device associated with the target user identifier;

determine a compatible format for the web adaptable fillable form based on the client device type; and

provide, for display within a graphical user interface of the client device associated with the target user identifier, the web adaptable fillable form in the compatible format.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the web adaptable fillable form comprises:

an XML file structure in the CMS; and the XML file structure in the CMS is associated with the original file.

14. The system of claim 11 , further comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to associate metadata with the web adaptable fillable form, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of internal metadata, external metadata, or device metadata.

15. The system of claim 11 , further including instructions that cause the one or more processors to:

generate the link associated with a unique identifier of the web adaptable fillable form; and

provide the link associated with the unique identifier of the web adaptable fillable form to the client device associated with the target user identifier.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive, by a content management system (CMS) from a client device associated with a user account, a signature request indicating a target user identifier and an original document managed by the CMS;

based on receiving the signature request, generate, from the original document, a web adaptable fillable form that is a separate file from the original document, the web adaptable fillable form comprising a field which maps to an overlaid field corresponding to an area within the original document, wherein the web adaptable fillable form adapts to a compatible format based on an identified client device type;

send, by the CMS to a client device associated with the target user identifier, the web adaptable fillable form or a link to the web adaptable fillable form;

receive, by the CMS from the client device associated with the target user identifier, form data input via the field within the web adaptable fillable form;

insert the form data within the original document based on the mapping between the field within the web adaptable fillable form and overlaid field corresponding to the area within the original document; and

provide, to the client device associated with the user account, the original document with the inserted form data.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , further comprising executable computer instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

generate, for display on the client device associated with the user account, one or more indicators for one or more signature requests;

receiving a user selection of a signature request of the one or more signature requests; and

generating, for display on the client device associated with the user account, one or more options associated with the selected signature request.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , further comprising executable computer instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine a client device type of the client device associated with the target user identifier;

determine a compatible format for the web adaptable fillable form based on the client device type; and

provide, for display within a graphical user interface of the client device associated with the target user identifier, the web adaptable fillable form in the compatible format.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the web adaptable fillable form comprises:

an XML file structure in the CMS; and

the XML file structure in the CMS is associated with the original document.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the original document selected by the user account corresponds to an image of a physical document captured by the client device associated with the user account.

Assignments (4)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 13, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DROPBOX, INC.
Reel/Frame 069635/0332 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2024
From: DROPBOX, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069604/0611 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 10, 2021
From: DROPBOX, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055670/0219 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 18, 2021
From: SPAETZEL, JOHN; MORA CARRASCO, MARIA FERNANDA; DOMMETI, KIRTIKA; PARR, SKYLER; KAO, BENNY
To: DROPBOX, INC.
Reel/Frame 055311/0008 →