Computer implemented methods and apparatus for providing a distribution list of users in an online social network

• US 9,058,363 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2012
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Dunn, Zachary, Olsen, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, BAI DUC
• Application Number:
  US13/586,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20130091149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24578 using ranking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/335 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services

Abstract

A distribution list of users of an online social network can be used to communicate database record information to the users. In some implementations, one or more users of the online social network are identified as being relevant to the record and who are not following the record. A distribution list is provided and includes the information identifying the one or more relevant users. A network communication can be sent to users identified in the distribution list. The network communication identifies the record or information associated with the record.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing a distribution list of users to receive data regarding business records related to a business of an organization, the business records stored as data objects in a database system associated with an enterprise social network implemented for the organization, the method comprising:

identifying through use of the database system one or more users of the enterprise social network as being relevant to a business record and who are not following the business record, the identification based at least in part on satisfaction of one or more criteria by one or more attributes related to the business or to the organization to generate a distribution list comprising the identified users;

causing through use of the database system a network communication to be sent to one or more users identified in the distribution list, the network communication comprising;

an identification of the business record, information stored in the database system in association with the business record, and a request for input from the one or more identified users regarding the business record;

enabling the one or more identified users to send information using network communications to the database system regarding the business record; and

enabling through use of the database system the one or more identified users to follow the business record in the enterprise social network, the following providing sharing of feed items related to the business record in one or more feeds of the enterprise social network accessible by the one or more identified users, the following being identifiable by one or more data objects in the database system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more relevant users includes one or more of:

retrieving the information from the database system, and receiving user input data including the information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving user input data, the distribution list being generated in response to receiving the user input data.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating information identifying the one or more relevant users in accordance with a relevance measure.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the relevance measure is based on one or more criteria including:

a relationship of the record with a designated entity, the one or more users having access to designated social network data, the one or more users having access to designated customer relationship management (CRM) data, the one or more users being members of a designated organization, the one or more users being members of a designated group, the one or more users following a designated record, the one or more users being associated with a designated person, the one or more users having a designated relationship to a person, the one or more users having a designated title or role in an organizational hierarchy, the one or more users having a designated expertise, the one or more users having a designated badge, the one or more users being associated with a designated keyword, and a geographical location of the one or more users.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining that a number of the users meets or exceeds a designated threshold;

applying weights to the criteria to define respective relevance measures of the users;

generating a ranking of the users in accordance with the respective relevance measures; and

selecting the one or more relevant users in accordance with the ranking.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing, on a storage medium, data indicating that the one or more relevant users are following the record.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the distribution list is provided for display in a user interface on a display device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the one or more relevant users in the distribution list as one or more candidates to receive the data regarding the record.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein causing the network communication to be sent to the one or more users identified in the distribution list comprises:

sending the network communication to a computing device associated with the one or more users identified in the distribution list, the network communication indicating that the one or more users are identified in the distribution list.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the network communication includes one or more of:

an email, a text message, a phone call, a message on an information feed, and a tweet.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the network communication includes a link capable of being displayed in a user interface on a display device and operable to provide one or more of:

receiving a request from the one or more users to follow the record, receiving a message from the one or more users, receiving a further network communication from the one or more users, providing access to a record feed, providing access to a record page, and providing access to an online chat room.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the data regarding the record for display in a user interface on a display device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that data associated with the record has been selected, requested, or accessed, the distribution list being provided in response to the indication.

15. A computer implemented method for providing a distribution list of users to receive data regarding business records related to a business of an organization, the business records stored as data objects in a database system associated with an enterprise social network implemented for the organization, the method comprising:

receiving a request for data associated with a business record;

responsive to the request, retrieving through use of the database system a distribution list associated with the business record from a storage medium, the distribution list including information identifying one or more users of the enterprise social network as being relevant to the business record and who are not following the business record, the identification based at least in part on satisfaction of one or more criteria by one or more attributes related to the business or to the organization;

causing through use of the database system a network communication to be sent to one or more users identified in the distribution list, the network communication comprising;

an identification of the business record, information stored in the database system in association with the business record, and a request for input from the one or more identified users regarding the business record;

enabling the one or more identified users to send information using network communications to the database system regarding the business record; and

enabling through use of the database system the one or more identified users to follow the business record in the enterprise social network, the following providing sharing of feed items related to the business record in one or more feeds of the enterprise social network accessible by the one or more identified users, the following being identifiable by one or more data objects in the database system.

16. One or more computing devices for providing a distribution list of users to receive data regarding business records related to a business of an organization, the business records stored as data objects in a database system associated with an enterprise social network implemented for the organization, the one or more computing devices comprising:

one or more processors operable to execute one or more instructions configured to cause;

identifying through use of the database system one or more users of the enterprise social network as being relevant to a business record and who are not following the business record, the identification based at least in part on satisfaction of one or more criteria by one or more attributes related to the business or to the organization to generate a distribution list comprising the identified users;

causing through use of the database system a network communication to be sent to one or more users identified in the distribution list, the network communication comprising;

an identification of the business record, information stored in the database system in association with the business record, and a request for input from the one or more identified users regarding the business record;

enabling the one or more identified users to send information using network communications to the database system regarding the business record; and

enabling through use of the database system the one or more identified users to follow the business record in the enterprise social network, the following providing sharing of feed items related to the business record in one or more feeds of the enterprise social network accessible by the one or more identified users, the following being identifiable by one or more data objects in the database system.

17. The one or more computing devices of claim 16, wherein identifying the one or more relevant users includes one or more of:

retrieving the information from the database system, and receiving user input data including the information.

18. The one or more computing devices of claim 16, wherein the one or more instructions are configured to further cause:

generating the distribution list in response to receiving user input data.

19. The one or more computing devices of claim 16, wherein the one or more instructions are configured to further cause:

generating information identifying the one or more relevant users in accordance with a relevance measure.

20. The one or more computing devices of claim 16, wherein causing the network communication to be sent to the one or more users identified in the distribution list comprises:

sending the network communication to a user system associated with the one or more users identified in the distribution list, the network communication indicating that the one or more users are identified in the distribution list.

21. A non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a computing device, the instructions configured to cause a method to be performed for providing a distribution list of users to receive data regarding business records related to a business of an organization, the business records stored as data objects in a database system associated with an enterprise social network implemented for the organization, the method comprising:

receiving a request for data associated with a business record;

responsive to the request, retrieving through use of the database system a distribution list associated with the business record from a storage medium, the distribution list including information identifying one or more users of the enterprise social network as being relevant to the business record and who are not following the business record, the identification based at least in part on satisfaction of one or more criteria by one or more attributes related to the business or to the organization;

causing through use of the database system a network communication to be sent to one or more users identified in the distribution list, the network communication comprising;

an identification of the business record, information stored in the database system in association with the business record, and a request for input from the one or more identified users regarding the business record;

enabling the one or more identified users to send information using network communications to the database system regarding the business record; and

enabling through use of the database system the one or more identified users to follow the business record in the enterprise social network, the following providing sharing of feed items related to the business record in one or more feeds of the enterprise social network accessible by the one or more identified users, the following being identifiable by one or more data objects in the database system.

22. The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, the method further comprising:

receiving an indication that data associated with the record has been selected, requested, or accessed, the distribution list being provided in response to the indication.