Systems and methods for implementing multi-application tabs and tab sets

• US 9,740,374 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2013
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Fisher, Steve, Bezar, Eric David, Gross, Adam, Swinson, Ian, Hu, George, Oikawa, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): TANK, ANDREW L
• Application Number:
  US13/862,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20130232429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,593 Days
• Field of Search: 715229, 715234-242, 715760, 715762-763, 715744-747, 715777, 715779
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

A sharing model enables users to easily and conveniently create and share standard and custom database objects, and applications, among users or groups of users. The sharing model includes systems and methods that allow users to conveniently create and customize tabs and tab sets that define relationships between custom objects and fields, standard objects and fields, and applications. A tab visually represents a user interface into an element of an application or into a database object. Selection of a tab provides a user access to the object or element of the application represented by the tab. A tab set is a group of related tabs that work as a unit to provide application functionality. New tabs and tab sets may be defined and tab set views may be customized so that an end user can easily and conveniently switch between the various objects and application elements represented by the displayed tabs and tab set views.

Claims

1. A method of executing computer-readable code to perform a method comprising:

implementing a window within a web browser, the window comprising;

a content portion; and

a content control portion displaying content control information, the content control portion being separate from browser-supplied generic controls and located adjacent to the content portion,

wherein the content control information is a user customizable user interface that provides access to pages displayable in the content portion, with a set of selected contents, which are selected controls distributed in a single line,

wherein a user of the web browser specifies a portion of the user customizable user interface, the specified portion of the user customizable user interface being associated with a profile of the user,

wherein the user specifies the portion of the content control information provided as the user customizable user interface using dueling listboxes,

wherein a first listbox of the dueling listboxes includes a set of all contents that are available to be specified as the portion of the content control information provided as the user customizable user interface, the set of all contents not including the set of selected contents,

wherein a second listbox of the dueling listboxes includes the set of selected contents, which are the controls selected, by the user, from the set of all contents included in the first listbox to specify the portion of the content control information provided as the user customizable user interface, and

wherein the dueling listboxes are displayed in the content portion that is for displaying page content information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the window receives, from a website, a logo for customizing the selected controls.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the window modifies an operation of an underlying web browser selected from a group including INTERNET EXPLORER, NETSCAPE NAVIGATOR and OPERA.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected controls comprise one or more tabs.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the selected controls include tab set user interface controls;

a tab visually represents a user interface into an element of an application or database object; and

the content control portion provides a control for selecting one or more tab sets, each tab set including a group of related tabs that work as a unit to provide application functionality.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the control for selecting one or more tab sets comprises a drop-down list or a pick list.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the window includes no other navigation controls that appear above the content control portion.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable code which, when executed, implements a window of a web browser, the window comprising:

a content portion; and

a content control portion displaying content control information, the content control portion being separate from browser-supplied generic controls and located adjacent to the content portion,

wherein the content control information is a user customizable user interface that provides access to pages displayable in the content portion, with a set of selected contents, which are selected controls distributed in a single line,

wherein a user of the web browser specifies a portion of the user customizable user interface, the specified portion of the user customizable user interface being associated with a profile of the user,

wherein the user specifies the portion of the content control information provided as the user customizable user interface using dueling listboxes,

wherein a first listbox of the dueling listboxes includes a set of all contents that are available to be specified as the portion of the content control information provided as the user customizable user interface, the set of all contents not including the set of selected contents,

wherein a second listbox of the dueling listboxes includes the set of selected contents, which are the controls selected, by the user, from the set of all contents included in the first listbox to specify the portion of the content control information provided as the user customizable user interface, and

wherein the dueling listboxes are displayed in the content portion that is for displaying page content information.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein a subset of the selected controls includes controls that enable the user to switch between different pages displayable in the content portion that comprise one or more tabs.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein:

at least one of the one or more tabs is configured to display a customizable image; and

the customizable image includes a user-selectable icon.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein at least one of the selected controls is displayed using different display characteristics when in a selected or de-selected state.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein a display size of at least one of the selected controls is configured to change corresponding to a selected or deselected state of the at least one of the selected controls.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8,

wherein a subset of the selected controls includes controls that enable the user to switch between different pages displayable in the content portion and that are configurable to include an icon, and

wherein the icon is determined by a website and corresponds with a brand of the website.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the window includes no other navigation appearing above the content control portion.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the selected controls are distributed from left-to-right along the single line.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein an appearance of at least some controls, of the selected controls, along the single line is user-customizable.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the content control portion provides one or more controls for users to organize at least some of the controls along the single line.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the content control portion provides one or more controls to edit included controls, control combination and order of the at least some of the selected controls along the single line.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the content control portion provides a control for displaying selected sets of controls along the single line.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the content control portion provides for displaying a grouping of controls as being spaced apart from other controls.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the grouping of controls is positioned in an upper-right-hand corner of a screen.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein:

the content control portion provides controls for implementing more than one application; and

the grouping of controls is persisted across more than one application.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein controls in the grouping of controls are provided as a control type having different display characteristics from those of a subset of the selected controls.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the content portion includes separating indicators separating at least two controls.

25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the content control portion is shaded.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the content control portion provides for displaying sets of controls corresponding to more than one application.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 26,

wherein the more than one application is hosted by a common host,

wherein a graphic is optionally provided for more than one application, and

wherein a graphic is displayed in conjunction with a selected application.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27, wherein a host logo is displayed in conjunction with one or more of the applications.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:

the content control portion provides for displaying sets of controls corresponding to more than one application; and

if the user selects an application in one content control portion of the web browser or the window and opens a second web browser or window, the application is also selected for the second web browser or window.