METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PUBLIC COLLABORATIVE INTERFACE FOR PRIVATE NETWORK GROUPS

• US 20130018958A1
• Filed: 07/12/2012
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: McConnell, Jager, Peter, Ciara
• Granted Patent: US 9,489,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for a public collaborative interface for private computer networks. A system receives a domain name that enables users associated with the domain name to subscribe to a private network group, wherein the domain name differs from a domain name for the private network group. The system outputs a network feed from a user of the private network group to a display device associated with a user associated with the domain name in response to a determination that the user associated with the domain name is subscribed to the private network group. The system outputs a network feed from the user associated with the domain name to display devices associated with users of the private network group in response to a determination that the user associated with the domain name is subscribed to the private network group. The received domain name can be an email address.

Claims

1. An apparatus for a public collaborative interface for a private network group, the apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

receiving a domain name that enables users associated with the domain name to subscribe to a private network group, wherein the domain name differs from a domain name for the private network group;

outputting a network feed from a user of the private network group to a display device associated with a user associated with the domain name in response to a determination that the user associated with the domain name is subscribed to the private network group; and

outputting a network feed from the user associated with the domain name to display devices associated with users of the private network group in response to a determination that the user associated with the domain name is subscribed to the private network group.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a subscription to the private network group is based on a role associated with an organization.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the role associated with the organization is based at least in part on a determination made by an algorithm associated with a business directory.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the business directory comprises a user generated database for the business directory.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the business directory comprises data.com.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the domain name is received from an administrator of the private network group.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising the step of outputting a list of users associated with subscriptions to the administrator of the private network group.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the user associated with the domain name is disabled from viewing the list of users associated with subscriptions by the administrator of the private network group.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein outputting the network feed from the user of the private network group to the display device associated with the user associated with the domain name is based on the user of the private network group designating the network feed as a public network feed.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the domain name enables subscriptions by the general public.

11. A machine-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for a public collaborative interface for private network groups, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving an email address that enables a user associated with the email address to subscribe to a private network group, wherein a domain name associated with the email address differs from a domain name for the private network group;

outputting a network feed from a user of the private network group to a display device associated with the user associated with the email address in response to a determination that the user associated with the email address is subscribed to the private network group; and

outputting a network feed from the user associated with the email address to display devices associated with users of the private network group in response to a determination that the user associated with the email address is subscribed to the private network group.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the email address is received from an administrator of the private computer network.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising the step of outputting a list of users associated with subscriptions to the administrator of the private computer network.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the user associated with the email address is disabled from viewing the list of users associated with subscriptions by the administrator of the private network group.

15. A method for a public collaborative interface for private network groups, the method comprising:

receiving an email address that enables a user associated with the email address to subscribe to a private network group, wherein a domain name associated with the email address differs from a domain name for the private network group;

outputting, to the email address, an email inviting the user associated with the email address to subscribe to the private network group; and

subscribing the email address to the private network group in response to receiving an acceptance of the email inviting the user associated with the email address to subscribe to the private network group.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

outputting a network feed from a user of the private network group to a display device associated with the user associated with the email address; and

outputting a network feed from the user associated with the email address to display devices associated with users of the private network group.

17. A method for transmitting code for a public collaborative interface for private network groups on a transmission medium, the method comprising:

transmitting code to output, to a display device associated with a user, a list of private network groups to which the user is subscribed via at least one of a domain name and an email address, wherein the domain name and a domain name associated with the email address differ from each domain name for the private network groups; and

transmitting code to output, to the display device associated with the user, a network feed from a user of at least one of the private network groups.

18. The method for transmitting code of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting code to prompt the user to identify one of the private network groups in response to receiving a request from the user to output a network feed; and

transmitting code to output the network feed from the user to display devices associated with users of the private network group.

19. The method for transmitting code of claim 17, further comprising:

transmitting code to receive a search request from the user, wherein the search request includes criteria for selecting network feeds, wherein the criteria identifies one of each private network group and one of the private network groups; and

transmitting code to display network feeds that match the criteria to the display device associated with the user.

20. The method for transmitting code of claim 17, wherein outputting the network feed to the display device associated with the user comprises outputting each network feed to a website associated with the user.