Collaborative workflow through messaging conversations

• US 8,560,613 B1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Rochelle, Jonathan, Lemonik, Micah, Khosrowshahi, Farzad, Danaher, John Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, JONATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/615,852
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 709/205, 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments

Abstract

A networked application and email application were described herein that provide for an intuitive system by which users can participate in collaborative workflow relating to a network document. In one implementation, a system includes a messaging server component to provide messaging services and an application server component to provide a networked application. The application server component interacts with the messaging server component in response to a user command to initiate collaboration on the network document. The interaction with the messaging server component includes providing a link that refers to a version of the network document as created or edited by the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a modification of a document from a first user of a plurality of users with access to the document via a network application; and

automatically generating, by the processor and based on receiving the modification of the document, a message to at least a second user of the plurality of users,

the message including both a first link to a first version of the document and a second link to a second version of the document, and

the second version of the document including the modification of the document from the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the first link or the second link; and

transmitting a portion of the network application to one or more clients based on receiving the selection,

transmitting the portion of the network application allowing the network application to be executed at the one or more clients.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information identifying one or more permissions associated with the plurality of users; and

providing access to the document to the plurality of users,

where providing the access to the document to the plurality of users includes;

preventing a first group of users, of the plurality of users, from modifying the document based on the one or more permissions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information identifying a first group of users, of the plurality of users, and information identifying a second group of users, of the plurality of users;

setting a first set of privileges, associated with modifying the document, for the first group of users based on receiving the information identifying the first group of users via a first field of a user interface; and

setting a second set of privileges, associated with modifying the document, for the second group of users based on receiving the information identifying the second group of users via a second field of the user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a current version of the document,

where the first link to the first version of the document includes a uniform resource locator (URL) that includes a string that identifies the current version of the document.

6. The method of claim 1, where the first link to the first version of the document includes a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with a device that implements the network application.

7. The method of claim 1, where the network application includes a spreadsheet application.

8. A device comprising:

one or more processors to;

receive a modification of a document from a first user of a plurality of users with access to the document via a network application, and

automatically generate, based on receiving the modification of the document, a message to at least a second user of the plurality of users,

the message including both a first link to a first version of the document and a second link to a second version of the document, and

the second version of the document including the modification of the document from the first user.

9. The device of claim 8, where the one or more processors are further to:

receive a selection of one of the first link or the second link, and

transmit a portion of the network application to one or more clients based on receiving the selection,

transmitting the portion of the network application allowing the network application to be executed at the one or more clients.

10. The device of claim 8, where the one or more processors are further to:

receive information identifying one or more permissions associated with the plurality of users, and

provide access to the document to the plurality of users,

where, when providing the access to the document to the plurality of users, the one or more processors are to;

prevent a first group of users, of the plurality of users, from modifying the document based on the one or more permissions.

11. The device of claim 8, where the one or more processors are further to:

receive information identifying a first group of users, of the plurality of users, and information identifying a second group of users, of the plurality of users,

set a first set of privileges, associated with modifying the document, for the first group of users based on receiving the information identifying the first group of users via a first field of a user interface, and

set a second set of privileges, associated with modifying the document, for the second group of users based on receiving the information identifying the second group of users via a second field of the user interface.

12. The device of claim 8, where the one or more processors are further to:

identify a current version of the document,

where the first link to the first version of the document includes a uniform resource locator (URL) that includes a string that identifies the current version of the document.

13. The device of claim 8, where the first link to the first version of the document includes a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with a device that implements the network application.

14. The device of claim 8, where the network application includes a spreadsheet application.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to;

receive a modification of a document from a first user of a plurality of users with access to the document via a network application, and

automatically generate, based on receiving the modification of the document, a message to at least a second user of the plurality of users,

the message including both a first link to a first version of the document and a second link to a second version of the document, and

the second version of the document including the modification of the document from the first user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to;

receive a selection of one of the first link or the second link, and

transmit a portion of the network application to one or more clients based on receiving the selection,

transmitting the portion of the network application allowing the network application to be executed at the one or more clients.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to;

receive information identifying one or more permissions associated with the plurality of users, and

provide access to the document to the plurality of users,

where, the one or more instructions to provide the access to the document to the plurality of users include;

one or more instructions to prevent a first group of users, of the plurality of users, from modifying the document based on the one or more permissions.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to;

receive information identifying a first group of users, of the plurality of users, and information identifying a second group of users, of the plurality of users,

set a first set of privileges, associated with modifying the document, for the first group of users based on receiving the information identifying the first group of users via a first field of a user interface, and

set a second set of privileges, associated with modifying the document, for the second group of users based on receiving the information identifying the second group of users via a second field of the user interface.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to;

identify a current version of the document,

where the first link to the first version of the document includes a uniform resource locator (URL) that includes a string that identifies the current version of the document.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the first link to the first version of the document includes a uniform resource locator (URL) associated with a device that implements the network application.