Techniques for changing perceivable stimuli associated with a user interfave for an on-demand database service

• US 8,990,251 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2012
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Durdik, Paul, Josephson, Daryl
• Primary Examiner(s): THAI, HANH B
• Application Number:
  US13/633,756
• Publication Number:
  US 20130031134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 707781-786
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2457 with adaptation to user needs

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments, there are provided techniques for providing perceivable stimuli in an interface of a multi-tenant on-demand database system. These techniques for providing perceivable stimuli facilitate collaborative efforts of groups of users of a multi-tenant on-demand database system while maintaining access constraints amongst users associated with a common tenant.

Claims

1. A method operating at a hosting service architecture having at least a processor and a memory therein, wherein the method comprises:

receiving a request for access to a sub-portion of content stored at the hosting service, the request including requester identification data corresponding a user of the hosting service;

identifying one or more groups having access to the sub-portion of content;

indicating access is denied based upon a determination that the requester identification data lacks correspondence to the one or more groups having access to the sub-portion of content;

determining push information exists for the user associated with the requester identification data;

providing the push information to the user via a user interface, wherein the push information comprises information to which access is not attainable by request of the user and wherein the push information is not requested via a URL or TCP/IP interface by the user; and

wherein the push information includes hysteretic data, the hysteretic data comprising information provided to the user corresponding to the requester identification data based upon interactions with the information before current access to the hosting service architecture is attained by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the push information includes information be conveyed between users of the hosting service architecture while maintaining restrictions on access by request to the information.

3. The method of claim 1:

wherein the hosting service architecture includes a multi-tenant database system;

wherein providing the push information includes providing deterministic data included with the push-information, the deterministic data including information to which access cannot be gained through a request by one or more users, but only pursuant to initiative of a tenant of the multi-tenant database system pushing the deterministic data to the one or more users.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the deterministic data comprises one or more of:

information related to a particular business cycle;

quarterly reports;

annual reports;

information related to the tenant;

change in the status of the tenant;

stock prices;

ownership information;

opening of a new store; and

news item concerning the tenant.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the push information includes providing geographic specific information specific to the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein providing geographic specific information specific to the user comprises at least one of:

providing the geographic specific information to a number of salespersons located in a geographic location; and

providing the geographic specific information to users in a geographic sub-group based on the users having a managerial relationship to a representative of the tenant due to the users'"'"' association with the geographic sub-group.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein providing geographic specific information specific to the user comprises providing first push information to the user based on a first geographic association and providing second push information to a second user based on a second geographic association, wherein a geographic portion of the first and second push information are different.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the push information includes providing market-based information to users affiliated with similar products or services independent of a geographic location for the one or more groups.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the push information includes providing information based on affiliation with a product or service, the information comprising one or more of:

legislation regulating the product or service;

sales trends for the product or service;

product liability information for the product or service;

confidentiality information regarding the product or service; and

warranty information regarding the product or service.

10. The method of claim 1:

wherein providing the push information includes providing information based upon dynamically changing parameters including one or more of;

the user'"'"'s schedule, global positioning coordinates, electronic message routing, user input, and information indicative that the user is at any of a specific geographic location, a conference, a public place, a customer'"'"'s location, or a competitor'"'"'s location; and

wherein the dynamically changing parameters determine whether any particular user will receive the push information.

11. The method of claim 1:

wherein determining the push information exists for the user is based upon whether the user is a member of a collaborative interaction or virtual meeting; and

wherein providing the push information includes providing information about a topic of the collaborative interaction or virtual meeting or members of the collaborative interaction or virtual meeting, or both.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an opt-out from the user from receiving push information.

13. The method of claim 1,

wherein the hysteretic data is identified based on one or more of:

a threshold of other users viewing the information;

other users having a logical relationship to the user having made the request for access;

the user being associated with a common geographic location;

the user being associated with a product or a service;

the user being associated with particular customers or competitors;

the user being associated with a particular contract, agency;

the user being associated with a particular confidentiality agreement; and

wherein the hysteretic data is conveyed between users of the hosting service architecture based upon earlier interactions with the information while maintaining restrictions on access to the information by request.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is prohibited from accessing the information except upon occurrence of certain prior interactions with the information by a second user having access to the information and further in which the second user has a logical relationship with the first user.

15. Non-transitory machine readable storage media having instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by a processor of a hosting service architecture, the instructions cause the hosting service architecture to perform operations including:

receiving a request for access to a sub-portion of content stored at the hosting service, the request including requester identification data corresponding a user of the hosting service;

identifying one or more groups having access to the sub-portion of content;

indicating access is denied based upon a determination that the requester identification data lacks correspondence to the one or more groups having access to the sub-portion of content;

determining push information exists for the user associated with the requester identification data;

providing the push information to the user via a user interface, wherein the push information comprises information to which access is not attainable by request of the user and wherein the push information is not requested via a URL or TCP/IP interface by the user; and

wherein the push information includes hysteretic data, the hysteretic data comprising information provided to the user corresponding to the requester identification data based upon interactions with the information before current access to the hosting service architecture is attained by the user.

16. The non-transitory machine readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the user is prohibited from accessing the information except upon occurrence of certain prior interactions with the information by a second user having access to the information and further in which the second user has a logical relationship with the first user.

17. The non-transitory machine readable storage media of claim 15:

wherein the hosting service architecture includes a multi-tenant database system;

wherein providing the push information includes providing deterministic data included with the push-information, the deterministic data including information to which access cannot be gained through a request by one or more users, but only pursuant to initiative of a tenant of the multi-tenant database system pushing the deterministic data to the one or more users.

18. A hosting service architecture, comprising:

a processor sub-system;

a memory space;

a multi-tenant database system having content stored thereupon on behalf of a plurality of tenants;

an interface to receive a request for access to a sub-portion of content stored at the hosting service, the request including requester identification data corresponding a user of the hosting service;

program code to identify one or more groups having access to the sub-portion of content;

the program code indicating access is denied based upon a determination that the requester identification data lacks correspondence to the one or more groups having access to the sub-portion of content;

the program code to further determine push information exists for the user associated with the requester identification data;

the program code to further provide the push information to the user via a user interface, wherein the push information comprises information to which access is not attainable by request of the user and wherein the push information is not requested via a URL or TCP/IP interface by the user; and

wherein the push information includes hysteretic data, the hysteretic data comprising information provided to the user corresponding to the requester identification data based upon interactions with the information before current access to the hosting service architecture is attained by the user.

19. The hosting service architecture of claim 18, wherein the user is prohibited from accessing the information except upon occurrence of certain prior interactions with the information by a second user having access to the information and further in which the second user has a logical relationship with the first user.

20. The hosting service architecture of claim 18:

wherein providing the push information includes providing deterministic data included with the push-information, the deterministic data including information to which access cannot be gained through a request by one or more users, but only pursuant to initiative of a tenant of the multi-tenant database system pushing the deterministic data to the one or more users.