Collaboration system and method

• US 7,606,865 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Grouptivity Co.
• Inventors: Kumar, Ankesh, Logan, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Jacobs, LaShonda T
• Application Number:
  US11/939,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20080147810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/205, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/131 Protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality

Abstract

A collaboration system and method are provided. In the collaboration system, a collaborative web service is provided that mimics the simplicity of email and the collaboration system can be integrated into other databases.

Claims

1. A collaboration system, comprising:

an Appmail server;

a plurality of user computing devices, each user computing device having a processing unit with a browser application being executed by the processing unit, the plurality of user computing devices communicatively connected to the Appmail server over a network;

code for rendering, in a toolbar of a window of one of said user computing device browser applications, and independent of any content rendered in said window of said browser application, a button with associated functionality which, when activated, generates a discussion thread collaboration email message which includes an element of content; and

the Appmail server including an Appmail engine having a discussion thread collaboration tool and email system that, in response to activation of said button, coordinates the sharing of said discussion thread collaboration email message including the element content with at least one of said user computing devices, thereby facilitating a discussion regarding the element of content.

2. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein said button is rendered in an email system toolbar of said browser application window, and said button is a discuss content button which, when activated, initiates functionality facilitating said user computing devices to participate in a discussion regarding said element of content using the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system.

3. The collaboration system of claim 2, wherein the browser application of a particular user computing device, in response to a request for a new discussion thread collaboration email message from the particular user computing device, displays a compose new discussion thread collaboration email message wherein an email address for said a least one user computing device is provided to the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system.

4. The collaboration system of claim 3, wherein the browser application of a particular user computing device, in response to a request for a new discussion thread collaboration email message from the particular user computing device, allows a personal note for the new discussion thread collaboration email message to be provided to said at least one user computing device.

5. The collaboration system of claim 3, wherein the browser application of a particular user computing device, in response to a request for a new discussion thread collaboration email message from the particular user computing device, allows the user of the particular user computing device to add one or more questions into the new discussion thread collaboration email message for the element of content.

6. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the Appmail server further comprises an address book for each user of the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system.

7. The collaboration system of claim 6, wherein the address book further comprises one or more groups of users in the address book.

8. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the browser application of a particular user computing device generates a display that allows the user to register with the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system and generate a new discussion thread collaboration email message for the element of content.

9. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the browser application of a particular user computing device for a particular one of said at least one user computer device generates a display to add a new element of content to the discussion thread collaboration email message.

10. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system allows a user of the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system to post an element of content in the discussion thread collaboration email message to a third party server.

11. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system provides a private discussion thread collaboration using a discussion thread collaboration email message.

12. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system generates a public record for the element of content in the discussion thread collaboration email message.

13. The collaboration system of claim 12, further comprising one or more search engines integrated with the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system wherein the public record is shared with the one or more search engines.

14. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the element of content is selected from the group consisting of:

a webpage, an article and an image.

15. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein each user computing device is selected from the group consisting of:

a wireless email device, a cellular phone, a mobile phone, a personal computer and a laptop computer.

16. The collaboration system of claim 1, wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of:

a wired network and a wireless network.

17. An Appmail server for communicating with and among one or more user computing devices, each user computing device having a processing unit with a browser application being executed by the processing unit, said Appmail server configured and having stored thereon instructions for coordinating communication between and among said Appmail server and said one or more user computing devices, said Appmail server comprising:

a discussion thread receiving module for receiving an indication that one of said user computing devices has originated a discussion thread in response to a user'"'"'s activation of a button associated with an element of content from within a toolbar of the browser application;

a discussion thread collaboration tool and email system including an email message generating module for generating, in response to receiving an indication that one of said user computing devices has originated a discussion thread, a discussion thread collaboration email message which includes the element of content;

a distribution module for facilitating the distribution, from said one of said user computing devices that has originated a discussion thread, of the discussion thread collaboration email message to one or more of the other user computing devices; and

a message creation module providing a plurality of address, format and content options for the discussion thread collaboration email message and for displaying the discussion thread collaboration email message with the element of content in the browser application of the user computing devices of the said one of the user computing devices, for distribution by said distribution module, so that said one of the user computing devices that has originated a discussion thread and the one or more of the other user computing devices can discuss the element of content.

18. The Appmail server of claim 17 wherein said message creation module further comprises a module for generating and displaying, in response to a request for a new discussion thread collaboration email message from the particular user computing device, a compose new discussion thread collaboration email message wherein an email address for the one or more user computing devices are provided to the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system.

19. The Appmail server of claim 18 further comprising a module allowing, in response to a request for a new discussion thread collaboration email message from the particular user computing device, a personal note for the new discussion thread collaboration email message to be provided to the one or more user computing devices.

20. The Appmail server of claim 18 wherein said server is configured to allow, in response to a request for a new discussion thread collaboration email message from the particular user computing device, the user of the particular user computing device to add one or more questions into the new discussion thread collaboration email message for the element of content.

21. The Appmail server of claim 17 wherein said server is configured to allow a user to register with the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system and generate a new discussion thread collaboration email message for the element of content.

22. The Appmail server of claim 17 wherein said server is configured to allow a user of the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system to post an element of content in the discussion thread collaboration email message to a third party server.

23. The Appmail server of claim 17 wherein said server is configured to allow a private discussion thread collaboration using a discussion thread collaboration email message.

24. The Appmail server of claim 17 wherein said server is configured to generate a public record for the element of content in the discussion thread collaboration email message.

25. The Appmail server of claim 24 wherein said server is configured such that at least one search engine is integrated with the discussion thread collaboration tool and email system wherein the public record is shared with the one or more search engines.

26. The Appmail server of claim 17, wherein the element of content is selected from the group consisting of:

a webpage, an article and an image.