Computer Implemented Methods And Apparatus For Providing Selective Notifications In An Online Social Network

• US 20130091229A1
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Dunn, Zachary J., Olsen, Joseph M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,542,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Disclosed are various implementations of different methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable storage media for providing selective notifications in an online social network. In some implementations, an information update is capable of being stored in a database and capable of being included in an information feed displayed on a display device. One or more notification options is provided in association with the information update. A selection of the one or more notification options can be received. The selected one or more notification options can define one or more conditions for sending a network communication indicating data received in association with the information update. The one or more notification options is stored on a storage medium.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing selective notifications in an online social network, the method comprising:

receiving an information update capable of being stored in a database and capable of being included in an information feed displayed on a display device;

providing one or more notification options in association with the information update;

receiving a selection of the one or more notification options, the selected one or more notification options defining one or more conditions for sending a network communication indicating data received in association with the information update; and

storing the one or more notification options on a storage medium.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein providing the one or more notification options in association with the information update includes:

displaying the one or more notification options in a presentation with the information update in a user interface on the display device.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more notification options has an on state and an off state.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more notification options has a temporary on state for a designated time.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the information update includes one or more of:

a post, a comment, a status update, an indication of a personal preference, a file upload, and a link.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the one or more notification options is indicated by identification of designated information in the information update.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the one or more notification options is indicated by identification of designated information in the data.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein the designated information includes one or more of:

a character, a word, a phrase, an expression, a command, a user ID, an email address, a URL address, a hyperlink, a header, and a flag.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more notification options indicate one or more parameters.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein the one or more parameters include one or more of:

a user associated with the information update, a group associated with the information update, an author of the information update, a title of the author of the information update, a role of the author of the information update, a relationship of the author of the information update to a viewer of the information update, a source of the information update, a type of the information update, a tag associated with the information update, a timestamp of the information update, an attachment to the information update, a user associated with the data, a group associated with the data, an author of the data, a title of the author of the data, a role of the author of the data, a relationship of the author of the data to a viewer of the data, a source of the data, a type of the data, a tag associated with the data, a timestamp of the data, an attachment to the data, a part of the information update being included in the data, a number of characters in the data, a number of feedback responses to the information update, a number of indications of personal preference submitted in response to the information update, a number of users submitting feedback responses to the information update, a status of the information update as private or public, and a type of the network communication.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selection of the one or more notification options is indicated by input from a user.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the network communication includes one or more of:

an email, a text message, a phone call, a message on an information feed, and a tweet.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the defined one or more conditions indicate to not send the network communication.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the defined one or more conditions indicate a type of data in association with the information update to include in the network communication.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the type of data includes one or more of:

a post, a comment, a status update, an indication of a personal preference, a file upload, a link, a private message, a direct response to the information update, and an indirect response to the information update.

16. A computer implemented method for providing selective notifications in an online social network the method comprising:

receiving an information update capable of being stored in a database table and of being displayed on a display device;

retrieving a designated one or more notification options from a storage medium, the designated one or more notification options defining one or more conditions for sending a network communication indicating the information update over a network; and

determining whether to send the network communication in accordance with the defined one or more conditions.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 16, wherein the one or more notification options indicate one or more of:

a user associated with the information update, a group associated with the information update, an author of the information update, a title of the author of the information update, a role of the author of the information update, a relationship of the author of the information update to a viewer of the information update, a source of the information update, a type of the information update, a tag associated with the information update, a timestamp of the information update, an attachment to the information update, a user associated with the data, a group associated with the data, an author of the data, a title of the author of the data, a role of the author of the data, a relationship of the author of the data to a viewer of the data, a source of the data, a type of the data, a tag associated with the data, a timestamp of the data, an attachment to the data, a part of the information update being included in the data, a number of characters in the data, a number of feedback responses to the information update, a number of indications of personal preference submitted in response to the information update, a number of users submitting feedback responses to the information update, a status of the information update as private or public, and a type of the network communication.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 16, wherein the designated one or more notifications is associated with a user profile.

19. One or more computing devices for providing selective notifications in an online social network, the one or more computing devices comprising:

one or more processors operable to execute one or more instructions to;

receive an information update capable of being stored in a database table and of being displayed on a display device;

retrieve a designated one or more notification options from a storage medium, the designated one or more notification options defining one or more conditions for sending a network communication indicating the information update over a network; and

determine whether to send the network communication in accordance with the defined one or more conditions.

20. The one or more computing devices of claim 19, wherein the one or more notification options indicate one or more of:

a user associated with the information update, a group associated with the information update, an author of the information update, a title of the author of the information update, a role of the author of the information update, a relationship of the author of the information update to a viewer of the information update, a source of the information update, a type of the information update, a tag associated with the information update, a timestamp of the information update, an attachment to the information update, a user associated with the data, a group associated with the data, an author of the data, a title of the author of the data, a role of the author of the data, a relationship of the author of the data to a viewer of the data, a source of the data, a type of the data, a tag associated with the data, a timestamp of the data, an attachment to the data, a part of the information update being included in the data, a number of characters in the data, a number of feedback responses to the information update, a number of indications of personal preference submitted in response to the information update, a number of users submitting feedback responses to the information update, a status of the information update as private or public, and a type of the network communication.

21. A non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a computing device to perform a method for providing selective notifications in an online social network, the method comprising:

receiving an information update capable of being stored in a database and capable of being included in an information feed displayed on a display device;

providing one or more notification options in association with the information update;

receiving a selection of the one or more notification options, the selected one or more notification options defining one or more conditions for sending a network communication indicating data received in association with the information update; and

storing the one or more notification options on a storage medium.

22. The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the one or more notification options indicate one or more of:

a user associated with the information update, a group associated with the information update, an author of the information update, a title of the author of the information update, a role of the author of the information update, a relationship of the author of the information update to a viewer of the information update, a source of the information update, a type of the information update, a tag associated with the information update, a timestamp of the information update, an attachment to the information update, a user associated with the data, a group associated with the data, an author of the data, a title of the author of the data, a role of the author of the data, a relationship of the author of the data to a viewer of the data, a source of the data, a type of the data, a tag associated with the data, a timestamp of the data, an attachment to the data, a part of the information update being included in the data, a number of characters in the data, a number of feedback responses to the information update, a number of indications of personal preference submitted in response to the information update, a number of users submitting feedback responses to the information update, a status of the information update as private or public, and a type of the network communication.