Collaboration spaces

• US 7,620,902 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cunningham, Aaron W., Horton, Noah, Singhal, Sandeep K., Manion, Todd R., Sidhu, Gursharan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Stephen S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Muhebbullah; Sajeda
• Application Number:
  US11/110,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 715751-753, 715757-759, 715/769, 709/204
• US Class Current: 715/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A computer implemented method and system enable users to create a social network providing access to other users. By providing access to such networks via a visual presentation, the system renders content available for access by other network members. Access is sometimes provided through propagation of metadata or other uniquely identifying indicia associated with the social network to all or at least certain other network members.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising a processing unit configured according to computer executable instructions, a memory, and a group interaction application comprising the computer executable instructions maintained in the memory and executed on the processor to present a graphical user interface to enable interaction among defined members in social networks, comprising:

a first display area having;

a first section including at least one action icon selectable by a first member, the at least one action icon including a launch social space icon, a launch group activity icon, and an invite new member icon, and

a second section including;

at least one social space icon, each at least one social space icon corresponding to a social network to which the first member belongs and providing a link to a social space corresponding to the at least one social space icon, the link to the social space comprising a link to a social space window;

a second display area including a side bar for providing social network status, the side bar having a user-selectable icon corresponding to each at least one social space icon, the user-selectable icon presenting status information of the each at least one social space icon including a numerical indication of a fraction of total group members active in the each at least one social space, wherein if the first member hovers a cursor over the user-selectable icon, a presence indication of active group members in the each at least one social space is provided; and

a third display area for providing a notification of a change associated with one of the at least one social space, the notification including;

an iconic representation of the one of the at least one social space,

a textual description of the change,

an user selectable entry point to an activity or a file associated with the change, and

an expandable options menu,

wherein;

the second display area is visible independent of a visible presence of the first or the third display areas, and

the third display area is visible when the change associated with the one of the at least one social space occurs and one of;

a new member of the one of the at least social space activates, the first member is active in the one of the at least one social space, or the first member is operating a computing device for accessing the one of the at least one social space.

2. The computing device as in claim 1, wherein the launch activity icon may be activated to launch an application associated with at least one group activity.

3. The computing device as in claim 2, wherein the at least one group activity is a synchronous interaction with at least one other member in the social network.

4. The computing device as in claim 2, wherein the at least one group activity is an asynchronous interaction with respect to at least one other member in the social network.

5. The computing device as in claim 1, wherein the social network to which the member belongs was created by the member.

6. The computing device as in claim 1 wherein a set of visible user-selectable icons included in side bar is determined by at least one of:

a user-configurable filter or an active system filter.

7. The computing device as in claim 1 wherein at least one other member in the social network is automatically shown a result of operations performed with respect to selection of the at least one action icon.

8. The computing device as in claim 1 wherein the members in the social network comprise users of computing devices that are connected together via a computer network.

9. The computing device as in claim 1 wherein the social space comprises a device space.

10. The computing device in as in claim 1 wherein the social space comprises a personal space for enabling access to resources from multiple devices or locations.

11. The computing device as in claim 1, wherein the second section of the first display area further includes:

an other contact places list including data associated with the at least one social space icon, and

a filter menu enabling the first member to search for items in the social network based on criteria.

12. The computing device as in claim 1, wherein the social space window includes a recent activity display area for displaying:

a list of most recently launched activities in the social network and participating group members for each most recently launched activity on the list of most recently launched activities, the list of most recently launched activities having a total number of entries less than a total number of launched activities, and

updates to one or more parts of the social space.

13. The computing device as in claim 1, wherein the social space window includes a recently added files display area including a list of most recently added files, an entry point for each most recently added file on the list of most recently added files, and file information for each most recently added file on the list of most recently added files, the file information including a file name, a file type, an identification of a user who added the file, and a date on which the file was added.

14. The computing device as in claim 1, wherein the social space window further includes a notification display area including:

a notification message area for displaying a notification message related to a change corresponding to at least one changed activity associated with the social network, the change initiated by a specific member of the social network, and

an iconic representation of an entry point for the at least one changed activity, wherein the entry point may be activated to launch an application associated with the at least changed one activity.

15. The computing device as in claim 1, wherein the social space window includes a persistent activity display including:

a set of screen portions of the persistent activity display, wherein each screen portion;

is enabled to be at least one of arranged, positioned or sized by a user,

corresponds to a persistent activity, and

includes a visible indicator of the persistent activity, the visible indicator of the persistent activity being a link to a shared application or a file system item corresponding to the persistent activity,

wherein the persistent activity is associated with data that does not change over time.

16. A computing device comprising a processing unit configured according to computer executable instructions, a memory and a group interaction application comprising the computer executable instructions maintained in the memory and executed on the processing unit to present a graphical user interface for enabling navigation among one or more social networks created to facilitate group interaction among a first online member of a group and at least one other online member of the group over a computer network comprising:

a browser window; and

a folder display area located within the browser window displaying at least one visible presence indicator identifying a social network to which the user belongs and providing a link to a social space associated with the social network, the social space comprising at least one of;

a device space defined by only the first online member or a personal space defined by only the first online member for enabling access to resources from multiple devices or locations,

wherein a set of unique, visible presence indicators shown on the folder display area is determined by at least one of;

a user-configurable filter accessible via the browser window or an active system filter, and

wherein the social space is represented on a second display area that acts as a drop target for displaying at least one activity indicator identifying an activity in which the social space participates, the at least one activity indicator dragged by a particular online member of the group into the second display area.

17. The computing device as in claim 16, further including an iconic representation of an entry point for at least one activity associated with the social network located within the browser window, wherein the entry point may be activated to launch an application associated with the at least one activity.

18. The computing device as in claim 17, wherein the at least one activity is a synchronous interaction with at least one other group member.

19. The computing device as in claim 17, wherein the at least one activity is an asynchronous interaction with respect to at least one other group member.

20. The computing device as in claim 16, wherein the link to the social space includes a link to a social space window including at least one selected from:

a recent activity display area for displaying;

a list of most recently launched activities in the social network and participating group members for each most recently launched activity on the list of most recently launched activities, the list of most recently launched activities having a total number of entries less than a total number of launched activities, and

updates to one or more parts of the social space;

a recently added files display area including a list of most recently added files, an entry point for each most recently added file on the list of most recently added files, and file information for the each most recently added file on the list of most recently added files, the file information including a file name, a file type, an identification of a user who added the file, and a date on which the file was added;

a notification display area including;

a notification message area for displaying a notification message related to a change corresponding to at least one changed activity associated with the social network, the change corresponding to at least one changed activity initiated by a member of the group, and

an iconic representation of an entry point for the at least one changed activity, wherein the entry point may be activated to launch an application associated with the at least one changed activity; and

a persistent activity display including;

a set of screen portions on the persistent activity display, wherein each screen portion;

is enabled to be at least one of arranged, positioned or sized by a user,

corresponds to a persistent activity, and

includes a visible indicator of the persistent activity, the visible indicator of the persistent activity being a link to a shared application or a file system item corresponding to the persistent activity,

wherein the persistent activity is associated with data that does not change over time.