Methods and systems for providing a challenge user interface for an enterprise social network

• US 8,517,840 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2011
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Newman, Joshua, Hersh, Jonathan, Arunachalam, Lahini
• Primary Examiner(s): Laneau, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US13/249,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20120214597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 700/92, 709/204, 709/205, 463 40- 43
• US Class Current: 463/42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications

Abstract

A method for providing a challenge user interface for an enterprise social network including users associated with an entity. The method can include receiving a request to select a specific challenge from a list of challenges a user is a participant and displayed on a user system associated with the user. Information associated with the selected challenge including points associated with an action can be obtained from one or more databases. The specific information can be transmitted to the user system for display. An action associated with the specific challenge can be received. A user profile associated with the user can be obtained from the one or more databases. In response to receiving the action, a total points parameter associated with the profile can be updated in response to receiving the action. The updated total point value can be stored in the one or more databases.

Claims

1. A method for providing a challenge user interface for an enterprise social network including users associated with an entity, the method comprising:

receiving, by a processor system of the enterprise social network, a request to select a specific challenge from a list of challenges a user is a participant, the list being displayed on a user system associated with the user;

obtaining, from one or more databases associated with the enterprise social network, information associated with the selected challenge including points associated with an action;

transmitting, by the processor system, the information to the user system for display;

receiving, by the processor system, an action associated with the specific challenge;

obtaining, from the one or more databases, a user profile associated with the user;

updating, by the processor system, a total points parameter associated with the profile by adding points associated with the action to a total point value associated with the total points parameter in response to receiving the action;

storing, in the one or more databases, the updated total point value.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information included with the specific challenge comprises a name of the challenge parameter, a description parameter, an action parameter, a points per action parameter, a start date parameter, an end data parameter, a number of participants parameter.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein an owner of the challenge determined the points associated with the action.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the information included with the specific challenge includes a points category parameter comprising sales points, philanthropy points, wellness points;

organization points, and developer points.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the information included with the specific challenge further comprises a private parameter which indicates whether the challenge is private challenge or public challenge.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein for a private challenge, an owner of the challenge designated users of the enterprise social network to participate in the challenge.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein for a public challenge, each participant selected to participate in the challenge.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for providing a challenge user interface for an enterprise social network including users associated with an entity, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

receiving, by a processor system of the enterprise social network, a request to select a specific challenge from a list of challenges a user is a participant, the list being displayed on a user system associated with the user;

obtaining, from one or more databases associated with the enterprise social network, information associated with the selected challenge including points associated with an action;

transmitting, by the processor system, the information to the user system for display;

receiving, by the processor system, an action associated with the specific challenge;

obtaining, from the one or more databases, a user profile associated with the user;

updating, by the processor system, a total points parameter associated with the profile by adding points associated with the action to a total point value associated with the total points parameter in response to receiving the action;

storing, in the one or more databases, the updated total point value.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the information included with the specific challenge comprises a name of the challenge parameter, a description parameter, an action parameter, a points per action parameter, a start date parameter, an end data parameter, a number of participants parameter.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 wherein an owner of the challenge determined the points associated with the action.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the information included with the specific challenge includes a points category parameter comprising sales points, philanthropy points, wellness points;

organization points, and developer points.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the information included with the specific challenge further comprises a private parameter which indicates whether the challenge is private challenge or public challenge.

13. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 wherein for a private challenge, an owner of the challenge designated users of the enterprise social network to participate in the challenge.

14. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 12 wherein for a public challenge, each participant selected to participate in the challenge.

15. An apparatus for providing a challenge user interface for an enterprise social network including users associated with an entity, the apparatus comprising:

a processor system; and

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor system to carry out the steps of;

receiving a request to select a specific challenge from a list of challenges a user is a participant, the list being displayed on a user system associated with the user;

obtaining, from one or more databases associated with the enterprise social network, information associated with the selected challenge including points associated with an action;

transmitting the information to the user system for display;

receiving an action associated with the specific challenge;

obtaining, from the one or more databases, a user profile associated with the user;

updating a total points parameter associated with the profile by adding points associated with the action to a total point value associated with the total points parameter in response to receiving the action;

storing, in the one or more databases, the updated total point value.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the information included with the specific challenge comprises a name of the challenge parameter, a description parameter, an action parameter, a points per action parameter, a start date parameter, an end data parameter, a number of participants parameter.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein an owner of the challenge determined the points associated with the action.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the information included with the specific challenge includes a points category parameter comprising sales points, philanthropy points, wellness points;

organization points, and developer points.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the information included with the specific challenge further comprises a private parameter which indicates whether the challenge is private challenge or public challenge.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein for a private challenge, an owner of the challenge designated users of the enterprise social network to participate in the challenge.