Computer implemented methods and apparatus for providing selective notifications in an online social network

• US 9,542,711 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Dunn, Zachary J., Olsen, Joseph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Uzma
• Application Number:
  US13/540,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20130091229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

Disclosed are various implementations of different methods, apparatus, systems, and computer-readable storage media for providing selective notifications in an online social network. In some implementations, an information update is capable of being stored in a database and capable of being included in an information feed displayed on a display device. One or more notification options is provided in association with the information update. A selection of the one or more notification options can be received. The selected one or more notification options can define one or more conditions for sending a network communication indicating data received in association with the information update. The one or more notification options is stored on a storage medium.

Claims

1. A system for providing selective notifications in an enterprise social networking system, the system comprising:

a database system implemented using a server system comprising one or more hardware processors, the database system configurable to cause;

processing a first feed item shared in a feed of the enterprise social networking system by a first user of the enterprise social networking system, the first feed item comprising a notification identifying a file uploaded to the enterprise social networking system, the first feed item capable of being stored in a database of the database system and capable of being displayed as part of the feed in a user interface on a display device;

providing, to a computing device of a second user of the enterprise social networking system, notification options in association with the first feed item;

processing a selection of the notification options, the selected notification options defining a plurality of conditions for identifying feed items in an e-mail to be automatically provided to the computing device of the second user of the enterprise social networking system in response to the conditions being met, the conditions comprising at least;

a timeout condition defined by a time interval during which the notification options are active, the notification options being configured to be automatically de-activated after the time interval has elapsed, the time interval being customizable by the second user,

a designated business relationship between users in an organizational hierarchy of the enterprise,

a reference to a file uploaded to the enterprise social networking system, and

a minimum number of indications of personal preference submitted by users of the enterprise social networking system having the designated business relationship with the second user;

storing the notification options in a database of the database system;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the time interval has not elapsed;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the first user and the second user have the designated business relationship in the organizational hierarchy of the enterprise;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the first feed item comprises or identifies the file uploaded to the enterprise social networking system;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the minimum number of indications of personal preference regarding the first feed item have been submitted by users of the enterprise social networking system having the designated business relationship with the second user;

automatically generating, responsive to the determinations, a first e-mail identifying the first feed item; and

automatically providing the first e-mail over a data network to the computing device of the second user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein providing the notification options in association with the first feed item includes:

displaying the notification options in a presentation with the first feed item in a user interface on the computing device of the second user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification options have an on state and an off state.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification options have a temporary on state for a designated time.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the selection of the notification options is indicated by identification of designated information in the first feed item.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification options indicate one or more parameters.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more parameters include one or more of:

a user associated with the first feed item, a group associated with the first feed item, an author of the first feed item, a title of the author of the first feed item, a role of the author of the first feed item, a source of the first feed item, a type of the first feed item, a tag associated with the first feed item, a timestamp of the first feed item, a number of feedback responses to the first feed item, a number of indications of personal preference submitted in response to the first feed item, a number of users submitting feedback responses to the first feed item, a status of the first feed item as private or public, and a type of the network communication.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the selection of the notification options is indicated by input from the second user.

9. The system of claim 1, the database system further configurable to cause:

automatically generating, responsive to the determinations, a network communication identifying the first feed item, the network communication including one or more of;

an e-mail, a text message, a phone call, a message in a feed of the enterprise social networking system, and a tweet; and

automatically providing the network communication over a data network to the computing device of the second user.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the defined plurality of conditions indicate to not send the network communication.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the defined plurality of conditions indicate a type of data in association with the first feed item to include in the network communication.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the type of data includes one or more of:

a post, a comment, a status update, an indication of a personal preference, a file upload, a link, a private message, a direct response to the first feed item, and an indirect response to the first feed item.

13. A method for providing selective notifications in an enterprise social networking system implemented using a database system, the method comprising:

receiving a first feed item shared in a feed of the enterprise social networking system by a first user of the enterprise social networking system, the first feed item comprising a notification identifying a file uploaded to the enterprise social networking system, the first feed item capable of being stored in a database of the database system and of being displayed as part of the feed in a user interface on a display device;

retrieving a designated notification options from a database of the database system, the designated notification options defining a plurality of conditions for identifying feed items in an e-mail to be automatically provided to a computing device of a second user of the enterprise social networking system in response to the conditions being met, the conditions comprising at least;

a timeout condition defined by a time interval during which the notification options are active, the notification options being configured to be automatically de-activated after the time interval has elapsed, the time interval being customizable by the second user,

a designated business relationship between users in an organizational hierarchy of the enterprise,

a reference to a file uploaded to the enterprise social networking system, and

a minimum number of indications of personal preference submitted by users of the enterprise social networking system having the designated business relationship with the second user;

storing the notification options in a database of the database system;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the time interval has not elapsed;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the first user and the second user have the designated business relationship in the organizational hierarchy of the enterprise;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the first feed item comprises or identifies the file uploaded to the enterprise social networking system;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the minimum number of indications of personal preference regarding the first feed item have been submitted by users of the enterprise social networking system having the designated relationship with the second user;

automatically generating, responsive to the determinations, a first e-mail identifying the first feed item; and

automatically providing the first e-mail over a data network to the computing device of the second user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the notification options indicate one or more of:

a user associated with the first feed item, a group associated with the first feed item, an author of the first feed item, a title of the author of the first feed item, a role of the author of the first feed item, a source of the first feed item, a type of the first feed item, a tag associated with first feed item, a timestamp of the first feed item, a number of feedback responses to the first feed item, a number of indications of personal preference submitted in response to the first feed item, a number of users submitting feedback responses to the first feed item, a status of the first feed item as private or public, and a type of the network communication.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the notification options are associated with a profile of the second user.

16. A system comprising:

one or more hardware processors configurable to cause;

processing a first feed item shared in a feed of an enterprise social networking system implemented in association with an enterprise using a database system, the first feed item being shared by a first user of the enterprise social networking system, the first feed item comprising a notification identifying a file uploaded to the enterprise social networking system, the first feed item capable of being stored in a database of the database system and of being displayed as part of the feed in a user interface on a display device, the processing comprising;

retrieving a designated notification options from a database of the database system, the designated notification options defining a plurality of conditions for identifying feed items in an e-mail to be automatically provided to a computing device of a second user of the enterprise social networking system in response to the conditions being met, the conditions comprising at least;

a timeout condition defined by a time interval during which the notification options are active, the notification options being configured to be automatically de-activated after the time interval has elapsed, the time interval being customizable by the second user,

a designated business relationship between users in an organizational hierarchy of the enterprise,

a reference to a file uploaded to the enterprise social networking system, and

a minimum number of indications of personal preference submitted by users of the enterprise social networking system having the designated business relationship with the second user;

storing the notification options in a database of the database system;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the time interval has not elapsed;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the first user and the second user have the designated business relationship in the organizational hierarchy of the enterprise;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the first feed item comprises or identifies the file uploaded to the enterprise social networking system;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the minimum number of indications of personal preference regarding the first feed item have been submitted by users of the enterprise social networking system having the designated relationship with the second user;

automatically generating, responsive to the determinations, a first e-mail identifying the first feed item; and

automatically providing the first e-mail over a data network to the computing device of the second user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the notification options indicate one or more of:

a user associated with the first feed item, a group associated with the first feed item, an author of the first feed item, a title of the author of the first feed item, a role of the author of the first feed item, a source of the first feed item, a type of the first feed item, a tag associated with first feed item, a timestamp of the first feed item, a number of feedback responses to the first feed item, a number of indications of personal preference submitted in response to the first feed item, a number of users submitting feedback responses to the first feed item, a status of the first feed item as private or public, and a type of the network communication.

18. A computer program product comprising computer-readable program code capable of being executed by one or more processors when retrieved from a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the program code comprising instructions configurable to cause:

processing a first feed item shared in a feed of an enterprise social networking system implemented in association with an enterprise using a database system, the first feed item being shared by a first user of the enterprise social networking system, the first feed item comprising a notification identifying a file uploaded to the enterprise social networking system, the first feed item capable of being stored in a database of the database system and capable of being displayed as part of the feed in a user interface on a display device;

providing, to a computing device of a second user of the enterprise social networking system, notification options in association with the first feed item

processing a selection of notification options, the selected notification options defining a plurality of conditions for identifying feed items in an e-mail to be automatically provided to the computing device of the second user of the enterprise social networking system in response to the conditions being met, the conditions comprising at least;

a timeout condition defined by a time interval during which the notification options are active, the notification options being configured to be automatically de-activated after the time interval has elapsed, the time interval being customizable by the second user,

a designated business relationship between users in an organizational hierarchy of the enterprise,

a reference to a file uploaded to the enterprise social networking system, and

a minimum number of indications of personal preference submitted by users of the enterprise social networking system having the designated business relationship with the second user;

storing the notification options in a database of the database system;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the time interval has not elapsed;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the first user and the second user have the designated business relationship in the organizational hierarchy of the enterprise;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the first feed item comprises or identifies the file uploaded to the enterprise social networking system;

determining, based on the stored notification options, that the minimum number of indications of personal preference regarding the first feed item have been submitted by users of the enterprise social networking system having the designated business relationship with the second user;

automatically generating, responsive to the determinations, a first e-mail identifying the first feed item; and

automatically providing the first e-mail over a data network to the computing device of the second user.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the notification options indicate one or more of:

a user associated with the first feed item, a group associated with the first feed item, an author of the first feed item, a title of the author of the first feed item, a role of the author of the first feed item, a source of the first feed item, a type of the first feed item, a tag associated with first feed item, a timestamp of the first feed item, a number of feedback responses to the first feed item, a number of indications of personal preference submitted in response to the first feed item, a number of users submitting feedback responses to the first feed item, a status of the first feed item as private or public, and a type of the network communication.