Framework for Custom Actions on an Information Feed

• US 20120102402A1
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Kwong, Herman
• Granted Patent: US 9,304,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0383 Remote input, i.e. interface arrangements in which the signals generated by a pointing device are transmitted to a PC at a remote location, e.g. to a PC in a LAN
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a custom action for an information post are described. In one embodiment, data for generating a user interface component for display at a client machine may be transmitted from a server to the client machine. The user interface component displaying one or more information posts may be capable of being generated in accordance with first computing programming language instructions provided by a first entity. Each information post may include information relating to a record stored on a storage medium accessible to the server. Selected ones of the information posts may have associated therewith a custom action activation mechanism for activating a custom action relating to the associated information post. The custom action activation mechanism may be capable of being generated in accordance with second computer programming language instructions provided by a second entity.

Claims

1. A method of providing a custom action for an information post, the method comprising:

transmitting, from a server to a client machine, data for generating a user interface component for display at the client machine, the user interface component capable of being generated in accordance with first computing programming language instructions provided by a first entity, the user interface component displaying one or more information posts, each information post including information relating to a record stored on a storage medium accessible to the server, selected ones of the information posts having associated therewith a custom action activation mechanism for activating a custom action relating to the associated information post, the custom action activation mechanism capable of being generated in accordance with second computer programming language instructions provided by a second entity;

receiving a message transmitted from the client machine to the server, the message indicating the detection of a custom action activation event at the client machine, the custom action activation event generated responsive to activation of the custom action activation mechanism associated with a first one of the information posts; and

performing the custom action at the server in response to receiving the message, the custom action modifying data related to the first information post at the server, the custom action being performed in accordance with the second computer programming language instructions provided by the second entity.

2. The method recited in claim 1,

wherein the first entity is an information service provider providing information services to a plurality of recipients via the server, the plurality of recipients including an organization or user associated with the client machine.

3. The method recited in claim 2,

wherein the second entity is one of the plurality of recipients.

4. The method recited in claim 2,

wherein the second entity is an organization or user associated with the client machine.

5. The method recited in claim 1,

wherein the custom action activation mechanism includes a display component and an action helper component, the display component including data for displaying the custom action activation mechanism and the action helper component including data for generating the custom action activation event.

6. The method recited in claim 1,

wherein the message includes an indication of the first information post and an indication of the custom action, and

wherein performing the custom action comprises identifying the second computer programming language instructions based on the indication of the custom action

7. The method recited in claim 1,

wherein the custom action has associated therewith a plurality of alternatives, and

wherein the message includes an indication of one of the alternatives.

8. The method recited in claim 1, the method further comprising:

in response to receiving the message from the client machine, generating a new custom action activation mechanism for the first information post, the new custom action activation mechanism having a visual presentation that reflects the performed custom action; and

transmitting, from the server to the client machine, custom action activation mechanism update data for displaying the new custom action activation mechanism in the user interface component at the client machine.

9. The method recited in claim 8,

wherein the custom action activation mechanism update data is transmitted to the client machine and the new custom action activation mechanism is displayed at the client machine without reloading the user interface component.

10. The method recited in claim 1,

wherein the server is configured to provide an on-demand service environment through which a plurality of organizations can access on-demand computing services.

11. The method recited in claim 10,

wherein the record is a database record stored in a multi-tenant database accessible to a plurality of tenants in communication with the on-demand service environment.

12. A system for providing a custom action for an information post, the system comprising:

a client machine having a display device; and

one or more servers in communication with the client machine via a network, the one or more servers having access to memory and one or more processors, the one or more servers being configured to;

13. The system recited in claim 12,

wherein the first entity is an information service provider providing information services to a plurality of recipients via the server, the plurality of recipients including an organization or user associated with the client machine.

14. The system recited in claim 13,

wherein the second entity is one of the plurality of recipients.

15. The system recited in claim 13,

wherein the second entity is an organization or user associated with the client machine.

16. The system recited in claim 12,

wherein the custom action activation mechanism includes a display component and an action helper component, the display component including data for displaying the custom action activation mechanism and the action helper component including data for generating the custom action activation event.

17. The system recited in claim 12,

wherein the message includes an indication of the first information post and an indication of the custom action, and

wherein performing the custom action comprises identifying the second computer programming language instructions based on the indication of the custom action

18. The system recited in claim 12,

wherein the custom action has associated therewith a plurality of alternatives, and

wherein the message includes an indication of one of the alternatives.

19. The system recited in claim 12, the one or more servers being further configured to:

in response to receiving the message from the client machine, generating a new custom action activation mechanism for the first information post, the new custom action activation mechanism having a visual presentation that reflects the performed custom action; and

transmitting, from the server to the client machine, custom action activation mechanism update data for displaying the new custom action activation mechanism in the user interface component at the client machine.

20. One or more computer readable media having instructions stored thereon for performing a method for providing a custom action for an information post, the method comprising:

transmitting, from a server to a client machine, data for generating a user interface component for display at the client machine, the user interface component capable of being generated in accordance with first computing programming language instructions provided by a first entity, the user interface component displaying one or more information posts, each information post including information relating to a record stored on a storage medium accessible to the server, selected ones of the information posts having associated therewith a custom action activation mechanism for activating a custom action relating to the associated information post, the custom action activation mechanism capable of being generated in accordance with second computer programming language instructions provided by a second entity;

receiving a message transmitted from the client machine to the server, the message indicating the detection of a custom action activation event at the client machine, the custom action activation event generated responsive to activation of the custom action activation mechanism associated with a first one of the information posts; and

performing the custom action at the server in response to receiving the message, the custom action modifying data related to the first information post at the server, the custom action being performed in accordance with the second computer programming language instructions provided by the second entity.

21. The one or more computer readable media recited in claim 20,

wherein the first entity is an information service provider providing information services to a plurality of recipients via the server, the plurality of recipients including an organization or user associated with the client machine.

22. The one or more computer readable media recited in claim 21,

wherein the second entity is one of the plurality of recipients.

23. The one or more computer readable media recited in claim 21,

wherein the second entity is an organization or user associated with the client machine.

24. The one or more computer readable media recited in claim 20,

wherein the custom action activation mechanism includes a display component and an action helper component, the display component including data for displaying the custom action activation mechanism and the action helper component including data for generating the custom action activation event.

25. The one or more computer readable media recited in claim 20,

wherein the message includes an indication of the first information post and an indication of the custom action, and

wherein performing the custom action comprises identifying the second computer programming language instructions based on the indication of the custom action.