Systems and methods for implementing multi-application tabs and tab sets

• US 7,774,366 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2005
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Bezar, Eric David, Fisher, Steve, Gross, Adam, Hu, George, Swinson, Ian, Oikawa, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Vital; Pierre M
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIAO, JASON G
• Application Number:
  US11/075,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20060206834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,981 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/784
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

A sharing model enables users to easily and conveniently create and share standard and custom database objects, and applications, among users or groups of users. The sharing model includes systems and methods that allow users to conveniently create and customize tabs and tab sets that define relationships between custom objects and fields, standard objects and fields, and applications. A tab visually represents a user interface into an element of an application or into a database object. Selection of a tab provides a user access to the object or element of the application represented by the tab. A tab set is a group of related tabs that work as a unit to provide application functionality. New tabs and tab sets may be defined and tab set views may be customized so that an end user can easily and conveniently switch between the various objects and application elements represented by the displayed tabs and tab set views.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of creating a tab set definition, comprising:

providing to a user system a list of a plurality of tabs available for selection by a user, each tab having a stored tab definition, and each tab defining a link to an object or an element of an application resident on a server system, wherein the user is selected from a group including end users, and wherein the object is selected from a group including one or more database tables, such that a user selecting a tab that is included in a corresponding user interface accesses the object or the element of the application;

receiving a selection of a set of one or more of said plurality of tabs (tab set) from the user system;

receiving a label representing a name of the tab set from the user system;

receiving a tab set profile indication for the tab set from the user system, the indication identifying which of a plurality of user groups are allowed access to the tab set; and

storing a tab set definition including the name, the selection of tabs, and the profile indication to the server system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein user groups are based on hierarchical permission levels of users within a group.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to a request from a first user system for a first user in a user group that is allowed access to the tab set definition, displaying a representation of the tab set definition at the first user system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the representation includes a name of the tab set in a list of one or more tab set names.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first user is allowed access to more than one tab set, and wherein a name of the tab set is displayed in a dropdown list of tab set names for tab sets to which the first user has access.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the tab set definition includes a default display order of tabs in the tab set, the method further comprising:

in response to a request from the first user, reordering the display order of the tabs in the tab set to a user defined display order;

storing the user defined display order to a database object in the server system.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the tab set definition includes a default set of tabs, the method further comprising:

in response to a request from the first user, reconfiguring the tabs in the tab set by;

1) removing one or more default tabs from the tab set;

or

2) adding one or more additional tabs to the tab set;

or

3) removing one or more default tabs from, and adding one or more additional tabs to, the tab set; and

storing the user reconfigured tab set definition to a database object in the server system.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the reconfigured tab set definition includes a default display order of tabs in the reconfigured tab set, the method further comprising:

in response to a request from the first user, reordering the display order of the tabs in the reconfigured tab set to a user defined display order; and

storing the user defined display order to a database object in the server system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the stored tab set definition includes a logo graphic, and wherein the logo graphic is displayed when the tab set definition is selected.

10. A computer system configured to implement a database object and application object sharing model, the system comprising:

a database system that stores a plurality of database objects and application objects; and

a server system communicably coupled to the database system, wherein the server system is configured to;

provide over a network, to a user system, a list of a plurality of tabs available for selection by a user, each tab having a tab definition stored in the database system, and each tab defining a link to a database object or an application object resident on the server system, wherein the user is selected from a group including end users, and wherein the database object is selected from a group including one or more database tables, such that a user selecting a tab that is included in a corresponding user interface accesses the database object or the element of the application;

receive a selection of a set of one or more of said plurality of tabs (tab set) from the user system;

receive a label representing a name of the tab set from the user system;

receive a tab set profile indication for the tab set from the user system, the indication identifying which of a plurality of user groups are allowed access to the tab set; and

store a tab set definition including the name, the selection of tabs, and the profile indication to the database system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the server system is further configured to, in response to a request from a first user system for a first user in a user group that is allowed access to the tab set definition, provide display signals to display a representation of the tab set definition at the first user system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first user is allowed access to more than one tab set, and wherein a name of the tab set is displayed in a dropdown list of tab set names for tab sets to which the first user has access.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the tab set definition includes a default display order of tabs in the tab set, wherein the server system is further configured to:

store a user defined display order to a database object in the database system in response to a request from the first user to reorder the display order of the tabs in the tab set.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the tab set definition includes a default set of tabs, wherein the server system is further configured to:

store a user reconfigured tab set definition to a database object in the database system in response to a request from the first user to reconfigure the tabs in the tab set by;

1) removing one or more default tabs from the tab set;

or

2) adding one or more additional tabs to the tab set;

or

3) removing one or more default tabs from, and adding one or more additional tabs to, the tab set.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the reconfigured tab set definition includes a default display order of tabs in the reconfigured tab set, wherein the server system is further configured to:

store a user defined display order to a database object in the database system in response to a request from the first user to reorder the display order of the tabs in the reconfigured tab set to the user defined display order.

16. A computer readable medium including code for controlling a processor in a server to implement a database object and application object sharing model, wherein the server is communicably coupled to a database system that stores a plurality of database objects and application objects, the code including instructions to:

provide over a network, to a user system, a list of a plurality of tabs available for selection by a user, each tab having a tab definition stored in the database system, and each tab defining a link to a database object or an application object, wherein said user is selected from a group including end users, and wherein the database object is selected from a group including one or more database tables, such that a user selecting a tab that is included in a corresponding user interface accesses the database object or the element of the application;

receive a selection of a set of one or more of said plurality of tabs (tab set) from the user system;

receive a label representing a name of the tab set from the user system;

receive a tab set profile indication for the tab set from the user system, the

receive an indication identifying which of a plurality of user groups are allowed access to the tab set; and

store a tab set definition including the name, the selection of tabs, and the profile indication to the database system.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the code further includes instructions to provide display signals to display a representation of the tab set definition at a first user system in response to a request received from the first user system for a first user in a user group that is allowed access to the tab set definition.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the first user is allowed access to more than one tab set, and wherein a name of the tab set is displayed in a dropdown list of tab set names for tab sets to which the first user has access.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the tab set definition includes a default display order of tabs in the tab set, and wherein the code further includes instructions to store a user defined display order to a database object in the database system in response to a request from the first user to reorder the display order of the tabs in the tab set.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the tab set definition includes a default set of tabs, and wherein the code further includes instructions to store a user reconfigured tab set definition to a database object in the database system in response to a request from the first user to reconfigure the tabs in the tab set by:

1) removing one or more default tabs from the tab set;

or

2) adding one or more additional tabs to the tab set;

or

3) removing one or more default tabs from, and adding one or more additional tabs to, the tab set.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the and wherein the code further includes instructions to store a user defined display order to a database object in the database system in response to a request from the first user to reorder the reconfigured tab set definition includes a default display order of tabs in the reconfigured tab set, display order of the tabs in the reconfigured tab set to the user defined display order.