Sharing of information associated with application events

• US 8,307,079 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2011
• Issued: 11/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dov Koren
• Original Assignee: Dov Koren
• Inventors: Koren, Dov
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hua
• Application Number:
  US13/251,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20120023168A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/176 Support for shared access to files; File sharing support
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2119 Authenticating web pages, e.g. with suspicious links
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Techniques are provided that allow users to collaborate in relationship to data views, application displays, applications or events. A user can type in a text view related to a specific view in an application display, and the information is shared with other users that take part in sharing that view. A user that expresses an interest in an event is notified about the event and has the capability to interact, in relation to the event, with other users (e.g. by text). The particular form of interaction (and sharing) can be selectively specified. This interaction is comparable to a dynamic bulletin board where the subject is event driven, and where a user can specify who are allowed to participate. In the case of an event interest(s), users specify their interest (e.g. in other user application events or system events) and the system automatically alerts them to the occurrence of the event.

Claims

1. A system, comprising memory operatively coupled to one or more processors that are configured to execute instructions that cause the system to perform a method comprising steps of:

providing a computer-based service over a network to a set of users;

enabling each user, in the set of users to interact, with at least one application, from one or more applications that are associated with the computer-based service, through at least one application display from a plurality of application displays;

wherein the plurality of application displays are associated with the computer-based service;

wherein the plurality of application displays include a plurality of views;

wherein the set of users includes a first user and a given user;

creating, by the computer-based service, a first association, based on the computer-based service receiving, from the given user, an expression of interest in interactions of the first user;

monitoring, by the computer-based service, for occurrence of application events from a plurality of application events;

wherein each application event, from the plurality of application events, is an event that is associated with interaction with at least one of the one or more applications, by at least one user from the set of users;

in response, at least in part, to occurrence of a first application event, from the plurality of application events, associated with interaction with an application, of the one or more applications, by the first user, sending, by the computer-based service, a first alert to each user of a plurality of second users, from the set of users, about the first application event, to cause display of at least a portion of the first alert in a respective view, from the plurality of views, of each of the plurality of second users;

wherein the plurality of second users includes the given user;

wherein the step of sending the first alert includes sending the first alert to the given user based, at least in part, on the first association;

wherein the respective view of each of the plurality of second users includes at least one other alert, which is concurrently displayed with the first alert in the respective view, about a different application event from the plurality of application events;

wherein the first alert includes one or more links that provide access to one or more views that are associated with the first application event;

enabling each user, of the plurality of second users, to enter one or more comments in relation to the first alert and to share said one or more comments, among the plurality of second users, in relation to the first alert;

receiving, by the computer-based service, a comment from a particular second user, of the plurality of second users;

wherein the comment was entered in a text entry interface, wherein the text entry interface is related to the first alert;

causing display of the comment, in relation to the first alert, in the respective view of each user from the plurality of second users; and

wherein the particular second user is a different user than the first user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

causing the respective view of each of the plurality of second users to be organized as a bulletin board;

in response to occurrence of new events, of the plurality of application events, causing dynamic update, of the respective view of the particular second user, with new alerts;

in response to new comments, that are received by the computer-based service, from users, of the set of users, that are allowed to comment in relation to the new alerts, causing dynamic update, of the respective view of the particular second user, with the new comments; and

a particular alert, of the new alerts, includes one or more links that provide access to one or more views that are associated with a particular event, of the new events, that corresponds to the particular alert.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

causing a particular view, from the plurality of views, to operate as a bulletin board;

causing display of the comment, in relation to the first alert, in the particular view;

in response to occurrence of new events, of the plurality of application events, causing dynamic update, of the particular view, with new alerts;

in response to new comments, that are received by the computer-based service, from users, of the set of users, that are allowed to interact with the particular view, causing dynamic update, of the particular view, with the new comments; and

a particular alert, of the new alerts, includes one or more links that provide access to one or more views that are associated with a particular event, of the new events, that corresponds to the particular alert.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the one or more links is a URL.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the application is a financial application.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the application is associated with the computer-based service at least in that the computer-based service enables the first user, at least in part, to interact with at least a portion of content of the application.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the following steps of the method are performed in real-time:

receiving, by the computer-based service, a comment from a particular second user, of the plurality of second users; and

causing display of the comment, in relation to the first alert, in the respective view of each user from the plurality of second users.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the first application event corresponds to the first user loading at least a portion of a file to the computer-based service;

and

at least one link from the one or more links provides access to the at least a portion of the file.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the plurality of application displays include a respective application display of the particular second user;

the respective application display includes the respective view of the particular second user;

the respective application display is associated with the computer-based service at least in that the respective application display displays content obtained from the computer-based service; and

said content includes the first alert, the at least one other alert and the comment.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the first application event corresponds to input of a text, by the first user, into a text entry interface that is related to a given view that is shared, at least in part, among the first user and the plurality of second users;

the method further comprises maintaining at least a portion of content of the given view by the computer-based service;

the method further comprises causing said text to be shared among the first user and the plurality of second users; and

a given link from the one or more links provides access to said given view.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

causing the respective view of each of the plurality of second users to be organized as a bulletin board;

wherein the respective view of each of the plurality of second users includes a plurality of portions;

wherein each portion of the plurality of portions corresponds to a distinct alert;

wherein sending the first alert includes causing the respective view of each of the plurality of second users to add a first portion that corresponds to the first alert;

wherein at least one other portion, of the plurality of portions, corresponds to the at least one other alert;

causing the first alert to be displayed in the first portion of the respective view of each of the plurality of second users; and

causing the comment to be displayed related to the first portion.

12. The system of claim 6 wherein the application is provided by the computer-based service.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the first application event corresponds to the first user entering a first transaction involving an item; and

at least one link from the one or more links provides access to the first transaction.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the following steps of the method are performed in real-time:

in response, at least in part, to occurrence of a first application event, from the plurality of application events, associated with interaction with an application, of the one or more applications, by the first user, sending, by the computer-based service, a first alert to each user of a plurality of second users, from the set of users, about the first application event, to cause display of at least a portion of the first alert in a respective view, from the plurality of views, of each of the plurality of second users.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said item is a financial instrument.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the method further comprises:

in response to receiving specification of filtering criteria by a particular user, of the plurality of second users, causing the respective view of the particular user to display only portions, from the plurality of portions, that have values that match the specified filtering criteria.

17. The system of claim 8 wherein the first application event corresponds to the first user loading at least one table from the file.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein:

within the respective view of the particular second user, the at least one other alert is a plurality of other alerts;

a first other alert and a second other alert belong to the plurality of other alerts;

the first other alert is an alert about a second application event, from the plurality of application events, associated with interaction with the application by the first user;

the second other alert is an alert about a third application event, from the plurality of application events, associated with interaction with at least one of the one or more applications by another user from the set of users; and

the first user, the particular second user, and the other user are different users.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the respective view of the particular second user is generated by a locally installed client-based program that is not a web browser;

the locally installed client-based program is a program that is downloaded to a wireless PDA from an application storage that is remote relative to the wireless PDA;

the respective view of the particular second user is displayed by the wireless PDA; and

the application storage is maintained remote from said computer-based service.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the method further comprises:

the computer-based service receiving from a second user a request to share the first portion without receiving explicit instruction, from the second user, regarding who the first portion should be shared with;

wherein the second user is one of the plurality of second users;

in response, at least in part, to the request, causing display of the first portion to a plurality of third users from the set of users; and

wherein the plurality of second users is different from the plurality of third users.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the text entry interface is a text view.

38. The system of claim 1 wherein the first application event occurred in response to the first user accessing a given view, of the one or more views;

and

a given link, of the one or more links, provides access to the given view.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the given view is a news view;

and

wherein content of the news view originates from a data source that is remote relative to the first user, the plurality of second users and the computer-based service.

42. The system of claim 1 wherein a given link, of the one or more links, enables the given user to participate in same type of interaction, with the application, as the interaction, of the first user, that caused the first application event.

43. The system of claim 13 wherein the first transaction is a transaction of purchasing or selling the item.

44. The system of claim 1 wherein the first alert is sent, by the computer-based service, to each user, from the plurality of second users, without receiving explicit instruction provided by the first user, regarding who should be notified specifically about the first application event.

45. The system of claim 1 wherein the first alert is sent, by the computer-based service, to each user, from the plurality of second users, without receiving instruction provided by the first user, regarding who should be notified specifically about the first application event.

22. A method of sharing information associated with events, comprising:

providing a computer-based service over a network to a set of users;

enabling each user, in the set of users, to interact with at least one application, from one or more applications that are associated with the computer-based service, through at least one application display from a plurality of application displays;

wherein the plurality of application displays are associated with the computer-based service;

wherein the plurality of application displays include a plurality of views;

wherein the set of users includes a first user and a given user;

creating, by the computer-based service, a first association, based on the computer-based service receiving, from the given user, an expression of interest in interactions of the first user;

monitoring, by the computer-based service, for occurrence of application events from a plurality of application events;

wherein each application event, from the plurality of application events, is an event that is associated with interaction with at least one of the one or more applications, by at least one user from the set of users;

in response, at least in part, to occurrence of a first application event, from the plurality of application events, associated with interaction with an application, of the one or more applications, by the first user, sending, by the computer-based service, a first alert to each user of a plurality of second users, from the set of users, about the first application event, to cause display of at least a portion of the first alert in a respective view, from the plurality of views, of each of the plurality of second users;

wherein the plurality of second users includes the given user;

wherein the step of sending the first alert includes sending the first alert to the given user based, at least in part, on the first association;

wherein the respective view of each of the plurality of second users includes at least one other alert, which is concurrently displayed with the first alert in the respective view, about a different application event from the plurality of application events;

wherein the first alert includes one or more links that provide access to one or more views that are associated with the first application event;

enabling each user, of the plurality of second users, to enter one or more comments in relation to the first alert and to share said one or more comments, among the plurality of second users, in relation to the first alert;

receiving, by the computer-based service, a comment from a particular second user, of the plurality of second users;

wherein the comment was entered in a text entry interface, wherein the text entry interface is related to the first alert;

causing display of the comment, in relation to the first alert, in the respective view of each user from the plurality of second users; and

wherein the particular second user is a different user than the first user.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

in response to occurrence of new events, of the plurality of application events, causing dynamic update, of the respective view of the particular second user, with new alerts;

in response to new comments, that are received by the computer-based service, from users, of the set of users, that are allowed to comment in relation to the new alerts, causing dynamic update, of the respective view of the particular second user, with the new comments; and

at least one of the new alerts includes one or more links that provide access to one or more views that are associated with a corresponding new event.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein:

the first application event corresponds to input of a text, by the first user, into a text entry interface that is related to a given view that is shared, at least in part, among the first user and the plurality of second users;

the method further comprises maintaining at least a portion of content of the given view by the computer-based service;

the method further comprises causing said text to be shared among the first user and the plurality of second users; and

a given link from the one or more links provides access to said given view.

37. The method of claim 22 further comprising causing the respective view of each of the plurality of second users to be organized as a bulletin board.

40. The method of claim 22 wherein a given link, of the one or more links, provides access to the application.

46. The method of claim 22 further comprising the computer-based service deriving a subject of the first alert from the first application event.

25. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising steps of:

providing a computer-based service over a network to a set of users;

enabling each user, in the set of users, to interact with at least one application, from one or more applications that are associated with the computer-based service, through at least one application display from a plurality of application displays;

wherein the plurality of application displays are associated with the computer-based service;

wherein the plurality of application displays include a plurality of views;

wherein the set of users includes a first user and a given user;

creating, by the computer-based service, a first association, based on the computer-based service receiving, from the given user, an expression of interest in interactions of the first user;

monitoring, by the computer-based service, for occurrence of application events from a plurality of application events;

wherein each application event, from the plurality of application events, is an event that is associated with interaction with at least one of the one or more applications, by at least one user from the set of users;

in response, at least in part, to occurrence of a first application event, from the plurality of application events, associated with interaction with an application, of the one or more applications, by the first user, sending, by the computer-based service, a first alert to each user of a plurality of second users, from the set of users, about the first application event, to cause display of at least a portion of the first alert in a respective view, from the plurality of views, of each of the plurality of second users;

wherein the plurality of second users includes the given user;

wherein the step of sending the first alert includes sending the first alert to the given user based, at least in part, on the first association;

wherein the respective view of each of the plurality of second users includes at least one other alert, which is concurrently displayed with the first alert in the respective view, about a different application event from the plurality of application events;

wherein the first alert includes one or more links that provide access to one or more views that are associated with the first application event;

enabling each user, of the plurality of second users, to enter one or more comments in relation to the first alert and to share said one or more comments, among the plurality of second users, in relation to the first alert;

receiving, by the computer-based service, a comment from a particular second user, of the plurality of second users;

wherein the comment was entered in a text entry interface, wherein the text entry interface is related to the first alert;

causing display of the comment, in relation to the first alert, in the respective view of each user from the plurality of second users; and

wherein the particular second user is a different user than the first user.

26. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 25 wherein:

the respective view of the particular second user is generated by a locally installed client-based program that is not a web browser;

the locally installed client-based program is a program that is executing on a wireless PDA; and

the respective view of the particular second user is displayed by the wireless PDA.

27. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 25 wherein the first application event corresponds to the first user loading at least a portion of a file to the computer-based service;

and

at least one link from the one or more links provides access to the at least a portion of the file.

28. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 25 wherein:

the first application event corresponds to input of a text, by the first user, into a text entry interface that is related to a given view that is shared, at least in part, among the first user and the plurality of second users;

the method further comprises maintaining at least a portion of content of the given view by the computer-based service;

the method further comprises causing said text to be shared among the first user and the plurality of second users; and

a given link from the one or more links provides access to said given view.

33. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 25 wherein a given view, of the one or more views, is associated with the first application event at least in that the first application event occurred in response to interaction of the first user with the given view;

and

a given link, of the one or more links, provides access to the given view.

34. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 33 wherein the one or more views include the given view and a particular view, and

the particular view is associated with the first application event at least in that particular view provides context of the first application event.

35. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 33 wherein the given link, of the one or more links, provides access to a combination of views, including both the given view and the particular view.

36. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 33 wherein the given link points to the given view.

41. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 25 wherein a given link, of the one or more links, enables the given user to interact with the application.

47. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 28 wherein the method further comprises the computer-based service causing dynamic update of the given view.

29. A system, comprising memory operatively coupled to one or more processors that are configured to execute instructions that cause the system to perform a method comprising steps of:

creating, by a computer-based service, a plurality of associations, each of which associates

(a) occurrence of one or more application events from a plurality of application events, with

(b) one or more users from a plurality of users;

enabling, by the computer-based service, the plurality of users to interact, over a network, with one or more applications;

monitoring, by the computer-based service, for occurrence of said plurality of application events;

wherein each application event, from the plurality of application events, corresponds to interaction with at least one of the one or more applications, by at least one user from the plurality of users;

in response, at least in part, to occurrence of a first application event from the plurality of application events, the computer-based service causing a first alert about the first application event to be displayed in a respective application display of each user of a plurality of second users, from the plurality of users;

wherein the first alert includes one or more links that provide access to one or more views that are associated with the first application event;

enabling, by the computer-based service, each user of the plurality of second users to enter one or more comments in relation to the first alert and to share said one or more comments, among the plurality of second users, in relation to the first alert;

wherein the first application event occurred based, at least in part, on interaction of a first user, from the plurality of users, with a given view from the one or more views;

wherein causing the first alert to be displayed includes causing the first alert to be displayed in the respective application display of at least one user of the plurality of second users, based, at least in part, on a first association of the plurality of associations;

wherein the step of creating includes creating the first association based on the computer-based service receiving, from the at least one user, an expression of interest in interactions of the first user;

receiving, by the computer-based service, a comment from a particular second user, of the plurality of second users;

wherein the first user is a different user than the particular second user;

wherein the comment was entered in a text entry interface, wherein the text entry interface is related to the first alert; and

causing display of the comment, in relation to the first alert, in the respective application display of each user from the plurality of second users.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein receiving the expression of interest comprises receiving a specification of interest in interactions of the first user.

31. A system, comprising memory operatively coupled to one or more processors that are configured to execute instructions that cause the system to perform a method comprising steps of:

providing a computer-based service over a network to a set of users;

enabling each user, in the set of users to interact, with at least one application, from one or more applications that are associated with the computer-based service, through at least one application display from a plurality of application displays;

wherein the plurality of application displays are associated with the computer-based service;

wherein the plurality of application displays include a plurality of views;

monitoring, by the computer-based service, for occurrence of application events from a plurality of application events;

wherein each application event, from the plurality of application events, is an event that is associated with interaction with at least one of the one or more applications, by at least one user from the set of users;

in response, at least in part, to occurrence of a first application event, from the plurality of application events, associated with interaction with an application, of the one or more applications, by a first user of the set of users, sending a first alert to each user of a plurality of second users, from the set of users, about the first application event, to cause display of at least a portion of the first alert in a respective view, from the plurality of views, of each of the plurality of second users;

wherein the respective view of each of the plurality of second users includes at least one other alert, which is concurrently displayed with the first alert in the respective view, about a different application event from the plurality of application events;

wherein the first alert includes one or more links that provide access to one or more views that are associated with the first application event;

enabling each user, of the plurality of second users, to enter one or more comments in relation to the first alert and to share said one or more comments, among the plurality of second users, in relation to the first alert;

receiving, by the computer-based service, a comment from a particular second user, of the plurality of second users;

wherein the comment was entered in a text entry interface, wherein the text entry interface is related to the first alert;

causing display of the comment, in relation to the first alert, in the respective view of each user from the plurality of second users;

wherein the particular second user is a different user than the first user;

causing the respective view of each of the plurality of second users to be organized as a bulletin board;

in response to occurrence of new events, of the plurality of application events, causing dynamic update, of the respective view of the particular second user, with new alerts;

in response to new comments, that are received by the computer-based service, from users, of the set of users, that are allowed to comment in relation to the new alerts, causing dynamic update, of the respective view of the particular second user, with the new comments; and

a particular alert, of the new alerts, includes one or more links that provide access to one or more views that are associated with a particular event, of the new events, that corresponds to the particular alert.

32. A system, comprising memory operatively coupled to one or more processors that are configured to execute instructions that cause the system to perform a method comprising steps of:

providing a computer-based service over a network to a set of users;

enabling each user, in the set of users to interact, with at least one application, from one or more applications that are associated with the computer-based service, through at least one application display from a plurality of application displays;

wherein the plurality of application displays are associated with the computer-based service;

wherein the plurality of application displays include a plurality of views;

monitoring, by the computer-based service, for occurrence of application events from a plurality of application events;

wherein each application event, from the plurality of application events, is an event that is associated with interaction with at least one of the one or more applications, by at least one user from the set of users;

in response, at least in part, to occurrence of a first application event, from the plurality of application events, associated with interaction with an application, of the one or more applications, by a first user of the set of users, sending a first alert to each user of a plurality of second users, from the set of users, about the first application event, to cause display of at least a portion of the first alert in a respective view, from the plurality of views, of each of the plurality of second users;

wherein the respective view of each of the plurality of second users includes at least one other alert, which is concurrently displayed with the first alert in the respective view, about a different application event from the plurality of application events;

wherein the first alert includes one or more links that provide access to one or more views that are associated with the first application event;

enabling each user, of the plurality of second users, to enter one or more comments in relation to the first alert and to share said one or more comments, among the plurality of second users, in relation to the first alert;

receiving, by the computer-based service, a comment from a particular second user, of the plurality of second users;

wherein the comment was entered in a text entry interface, wherein the text entry interface is related to the first alert;

causing display of the comment, in relation to the first alert, in the respective view of each user from the plurality of second users;

wherein the particular second user is a different user than the first user;

causing a particular view, from the plurality of views, to operate as a bulletin board;

causing display of the comment, in relation to the first alert, in the particular view;

in response to occurrence of new events, of the plurality of application events, causing dynamic update, of the particular view, with new alerts;

in response to new comments, that are received by the computer-based service, from users, of the set of users, that are allowed to interact with the particular view, causing dynamic update, of the particular view, with the new comments; and

a particular alert, of the new alerts, includes one or more links that provide access to one or more views that are associated with a particular event, of the new events, that corresponds to the particular alert.