Method and apparatus for managing files in an online account

Abstract

An approach is provided for managing files in an online account. A file access platform causes, at least in part, retrieval of a file associated with a first communication stored in an online account. Next, the file access platform determines whether the file is modified after the retrieval and generates a second communication including a modified version of the file based, at least in part, on the determination. Then, the file access platform causes, at least in part, transmission of the second communication including the modified version to the online account.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 retrieving a copy of a file attached to a communication message by at least one device of a user from an online account of an owner of the file, wherein the file is stored in the online account, the file includes metadata identifying the online account, and the owner authorizes the user to edit the file;   in response to one or more user edits to the copy of the file made by the user in an application on the at least one device, modifying the copy of the file stored in the at least one device by the application; and   synchronizing the modified file stored in the at least one device with the file stored in the online account based, at least in part, on the one or more user edits and the metadata.   
     
     
         2 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the synchronizing further comprising:
 saving the modified file as a new version of the file in the online account,   wherein the application is a word processing application or a photo processing application.   
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 initiating a transmission of the modified file to the online account whenever a modification is made to the copy of the file; and   presenting the new version of the file in a user interface of at least one device of the owner,   wherein older versions of the file are available in a hidden window of the user interface, and   wherein the online account resides in a cloud.   
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 initiating a transmission of information of the user edits to the online account without the modified file, whenever a modification is made to the copy of the file,   wherein the synchronizing of the modified file occurs automatically, periodically, upon user requests, upon closing the modified file, upon saving the modified file, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         5 . A method of  claim 4 , wherein the synchronizing upon the user requests further comprises:
 presenting an option for the synchronizing of the modified file on the user interface of the at least one device;   determining a selection of the option for the synchronizing of the modified file; and   synchronizing the modified file based, at least in part, on the selection, and   wherein the modified file remains stored and viewable upon a user request at the at least one device while the corresponding file remains stored and viewable upon a user request in the online account.   
     
     
         6 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one application stored in the at least one device comprises a synchronization feature, and wherein a cloud-to-local application stored in the at least one device is used for the retrieving of the copy of the file and the synchronizing of the modified file. 
     
     
         7 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 tracking the one or more modifications to the file made by the user and by the owner, a predetermined number of previous modifications to the file made by the user and by the owner, or a combination thereof; and   saving the modified file, the previously modified file, the corresponding file, or a combination thereof in a single communication thread according to one or more subjects, one or more keywords or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         8 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing access to the file based, at least in part, on pre-set conditions, wherein the pre-set conditions classifies the file as an exclusive file or a non-exclusive file, and wherein the exclusive file is accessible by the owner, and the non-exclusive file is accessible by a plurality of authorized users.   
     
     
         9 . A method of  claim 8 , wherein the synchronizing upon the user requests further comprises:
 providing access to the non-exclusive file to at least one other user by the user, the owner of the file, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         10 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein the metadata further includes authentication credentials, authentication tokens, or a combination thereof for accessing or communicating via the online account, and
 wherein the metadata further identifies a communication thread associated with the online account, and   wherein the online account is associated with a web-based communication message application, a web-based document management application, or a combination thereof facilitating the communication thread.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs,   the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus embedded in at least one device to perform at least the following,
 retrieve a copy of a file attached to a communication message by at least one device of a user from an online account of an owner of the file, wherein the file is stored in the online account, the file includes metadata identifying the online account, and the owner authorizes the user to edit the file; 
 in response to one or more user edits to the copy of the file made by the user in an application on the at least one device, modify the copy of the file stored in the at least one device by the application; and 
 synchronize the modified file stored in the at least one device with the file stored in the online account based, at least in part, on the one or more user edits and the metadata. 
   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 save the modified file as a new version of the file in the online account,   wherein the application is a word processing application or a photo processing application.   
     
     
         13 . An apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 initiate a transmission of the modified file to the online account whenever a modification is made to the copy of the file; and   present the new version of the file in a user interface of at least one device of the owner, wherein older versions of the file are available in a hidden window of the user interface, and wherein the online account resides in a cloud.   
     
     
         14 . An apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the modified file is synchronized automatically, periodically, upon user requests, upon closing the modified file, upon saving the modified file, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 present an option for the synchronizing of the modified file on the user interface of the at least one device;   determine a selection of the option for the synchronizing of the modified file; and   synchronize the modified file based, at least in part, on the selection, and   wherein the modified file remains stored and viewable upon a user request at the at least one device while the corresponding file remains stored and viewable upon a user request in the online account.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 track the one or more modifications to the file made by the user and by the owner, a predetermined number of previous modifications to the file made by the user and by the owner, or a combination thereof; and   save the modified file, the previously modified file, the corresponding file, or a combination thereof in a single communication thread according to one or more subjects, one or more keywords or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         17 . An apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 provide access to the file based, at least in part, on pre-set conditions, wherein the pre-set conditions classifies the file as an exclusive file or a non-exclusive file, and wherein the exclusive file is accessible by the owner, and the non-exclusive file is accessible by a plurality of authorized users.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus embedded in at least one device of a user to at least perform the following steps:
 retrieving a copy of a file attached to a communication message by at least one device of a user from an online account of an owner of the file, wherein the file is stored in the online account, the file includes metadata identifying the online account, and the owner authorizes the user to edit the file;   in response to one or more user edits to the copy of the file made by the user in an application on the at least one device, modifying the copy of the file stored in the at least one device by the application; and   synchronizing the modified file stored in the at least one device with the file stored in the online account based, at least in part, on the one or more user edits and the metadata.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
 saving the modified file as a new version of the file in the online account,   wherein the application is a word processing application or a photo processing application.   
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform:
 initiating a transmission of the modified file to the online account whenever a modification is made to the copy of the file; and   presenting the new version of the file in a user interface of at least one device of the owner, wherein older versions of the file are available in a hidden window of the user interface, and wherein the online account resides in a cloud.