Computer Implemented Methods And Apparatus For Providing Access To An Online Social Network

• US 20130173798A1
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Doshi, Kedar, Lai, Sanjaya, Micucci, Michael Scott, Kuruganti, Aditya Sesha, Summe, Theodore James, Gestrin, Leonard, Su, George Wen
• Granted Patent: US 10,158,638 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1044 Group management mechanisms management of multicast group membership H04L12/185; reconfiguring of node membership in a computing system to eliminate errors G06F11/1425
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, apparatus, methods, and computer-readable storage media for providing alerts in an online social network. In some implementations, the online social network is specific to an organization having one or more internal users and one or more external users. An indication of an action associated with providing data to the online social network is received from a computing device. A group associated with the indication of the action is identified. It is determined that the identified group includes the one or more external users. Responsive to determining that the identified group includes the one or more external users, an instruction to display an alert notification is provided at the computing device.

Claims

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

receiving, from a computing device, an indication of an action associated with providing data to the online social network, the online social network being specific to an organization having one or more internal users and one or more external users;

identifying a group associated with the indication of the action;

determining that the identified group includes the one or more external users; and

providing, responsive to determining that the identified group includes the one or more external users, an instruction to display an alert notification at the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the group includes:

identifying an information feed for presentation of the provided data, the information feed associated with the group.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the group includes:

identifying a group ID associated with the group.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is selection of a publisher component in a user interface displayed at the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is selection of a data entry field in a user interface displayed at the computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is activation of a designated selection in a user interface displayed at the computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is a pointer hovering over a designated selection, component, or region in a user interface displayed at the computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is receipt of input data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the input data includes designated data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is attachment of a file.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the action is attachment of a file having a designated type, a designated name, or designated content.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the alert notification.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the instruction includes:

providing the instruction to display the alert notification in a designated region of a user interface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the designated region includes a selection or a component associated with the action.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the computing device, an indication that the action has stopped or has been suspended for a designated time period;

providing, responsive to receiving the indication that the action has stopped or has been suspended, an instruction to stop displaying the alert notification at the computing device.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a format or a content of the alert notification.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the format or the content of the alert notification is determined according to a type of the provided data.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the format or the content of the alert notification is determined according to content of the provided data.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the format or the content of the alert notification is determined according to the action.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the action includes one or more of:

selection of a publisher component, selection of a data entry field, activation of a designated selection, a pointer hovering over a designated selection, component, or region, receipt of designated input data, and attachment of a designated file.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the alert notification is a change of state of a visual element displayed at the computing device.

22. A computer implemented method for providing alerts in an online social network, the method comprising:

receiving, from a computing device, an indication of an action associated with providing data to a recipient user of the online social network, the online social network being specific to an organization having one or more internal users and an external user;

identifying the recipient user as the external user of the organization; and

providing an instruction to display a generated alert notification at the computing device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the action is activation of a private message selection in a user interface displayed at the computing device.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the action is activation of a public message selection in a user interface displayed at the computing device.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the action is receipt of input data including a designated symbol and an identification of the recipient user.

26. One or more computing devices for providing alerts 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 indication of an action associated with providing data to the online social network, the online social network being specific to an organization having one or more internal users and one or more external users;

identify a group associated with the indication of the action;

determine that the identified group includes the one or more external users; and

provide, responsive to determining that the identified group includes the one or more external users, an instruction to display an alert notification at a display device.

27. The one or more computing devices of claim 26, the one or more processors further operable to execute one or more instructions to:

determine a format or a content of the alert notification.

28. The one or more computing devices of claim 26, wherein the alert notification is a change of state of a visual element displayed at the computing device.

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

receiving an indication of an action associated with providing data to the online social network, the online social network being specific to an organization having one or more internal users and one or more external users;

identifying a group associated with the indication of the action;

determining that the identified group includes the one or more external users; and

providing, responsive to determining that the identified group includes the one or more external users, an instruction to display an alert notification at a display device.

30. The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, the method further comprising:

determining a format or a content of the alert notification.