Establishment of message context in a collaboration system

• US 8,214,746 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2007
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Hamilton, Mary, Korytkowski, Beata, Kahn, Joshua, Nebolsky, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Sax, Steven
• Application Number:
  US11/686,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20080229213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 715/753, 715/752, 715/758, 715/751, 715/759
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A processing device used to support communications between users of the collaboration system is provided with a graphical user interface. A graphical context activation mechanism associated with a discussion between users of the collaboration system may be displayed. Responsive to a selection input, a graphical illustration of information regarding the users participating in the discussion is displayed. The graphical illustration may comprise indicia of location of at least one of the users that may be displayed, for example, within the context of a geographical map. The graphical illustration may further comprise indicia of identity of at least one of the users. Additionally, a textual context activation mechanism may be provided and utilized in the same manner, thereby allowing text-based context regarding the message to be displayed. In this manner, team-wide context may be more readily established.

Claims

1. In a processing device having a graphical user interface including a display and at least one user input device, a method for establishing a context of a discussion between users of a collaboration system, the method comprising:

displaying, on the display, a plurality of discussions between users of the collaboration system;

selecting, via the at least one user input device, the discussion from the plurality of discussions;

displaying, on the display, a graphical context activation mechanism associated with the discussion;

receiving, via the at least one user input device, a selection input indicating that the graphical context activation mechanism has been selected; and

displaying, based on the selection input, a graphical illustration of information regarding the users participating in the discussion,

wherein the graphical illustration of the information regarding the users comprises an organization chart illustrating at least one of the users in an organization hierarchy;

wherein the graphical illustration of the information regarding the users further comprises at least one pin on a geographical map indicating a location of at least one of the users; and

wherein selection of the at least one pin causes display of an overlay window displaying information concerning at least one of the users'"'"' contact information and contribution to the discussion.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information regarding the users further comprises indicia of identity of at least one of the users.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the indicia of identity of the users comprises visual depictions of at least one of the users.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, on the display, a textual context activation mechanism associated with the discussion;

receiving, via the at least one user input device, another selection input indicating that the textual context activation mechanism has been selected; and

displaying, on the display based on the other selection input, a text-based context regarding the discussion.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the text-based context comprises at least a portion of the discussion.

6. In a processing device having a graphical user interface including a display and at least one user input device, a method for establishing a context of a discussion between users of a collaboration system, the method comprising:

displaying, on the display, a graphical context activation mechanism associated with the discussion;

receiving, via the at least one user input device, a selection input indicating that the graphical context activation mechanism has been selected;

displaying, based on the selection input, a graphical illustration of information regarding the users participating in the discussion; and

displaying, on the display, at least one discussion selection input mechanism, wherein the at least one discussion selection input mechanism comprises indicia regarding at least one discussion, the indicia regarding the at least one discussion further comprising at least one of a plurality of priority levels associated with at least some of the at least one discussion,

wherein the graphical illustration of the information regarding the users comprises an organization chart illustrating at least one of the users in an organization hierarchy;

wherein the graphical illustration of the information regarding the users further comprises at least one pin on a geographical map indicating a location of at least one of the users; and

wherein selection of the at least one pin causes display of an overlay window displaying information concerning at least one of the users'"'"' contact information and contribution to the discussion.

7. An apparatus for use with a collaboration system, comprising:

a display;

at least one user input device;

at least one processor in communication with the display and the at least one user input device; and

a storage device, in communication with the at least one processor, having stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

display, on the display, a plurality of discussions between users of the collaboration system;

receive, via the at least one user input device, the discussion from the plurality of discussions;

display, on the display, a graphical context activation mechanism associated with a discussion between users of the collaboration system;

receive, via the at least one user input device, a selection input indicating that the graphical context activation mechanism has been selected; and

display, based on the selection input, a graphical illustration of information regarding the users participating in the discussion,

wherein the graphical illustration of the information regarding the users comprises an organization chart illustrating at least one of the users in an organization hierarchy;

wherein the graphical illustration of the information regarding the users further comprises at least one pin on a geographical map indicating a location of at least one of the users; and

wherein selection of the at least one pin causes display of an overlay window displaying information concerning at least one of the users'"'"' contact information and contribution to the discussion.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to display the graphical illustration are further operative to display indicia of identity of at least one of the users.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to display the indicia of identity are further operative to display visual depictions of at least one of the users.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the storage device further comprises executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

display, on the display, a textual context activation mechanism associated with the discussion;

receive, via the at least one user input device, a selection input indicating that the textual context activation mechanism has been selected; and

display, on the display based on the selection input, a text-based context regarding the discussion.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the text-based context comprises at least a portion of the conversation.

12. An apparatus for use with a collaboration system, comprising:

a display;

at least one user input device;

at least one processor in communication with the display and the at least one user input device; and

a storage device, in communication with the at least one processor, having stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to;

display, on the display, a graphical context activation mechanism associated with a discussion between users of the collaboration system;

receive, via the at least one user input device, a selection input indicating that the graphical context activation mechanism has been selected;

display, based on the selection input, a graphical illustration of information regarding the users participating in the discussion; and

display, on the display, a discussion selection input mechanism, wherein the discussion selection input mechanism comprises indicia regarding at least one discussion, the indicia regarding the at least one discussion further comprising at least one of a plurality of priority levels associated with at least some of the at least one discussion,

wherein the graphical illustration of the information regarding the users comprises an organization chart illustrating at least one of the users in an organization hierarchy;

wherein the graphical illustration of the information regarding the users further comprises at least one pin on a geographical map indicating a location of at least one of the users; and

wherein selection of the at least one pin causes display of an overlay window displaying information concerning at least one of the users'"'"' contact information and contribution to the discussion.