Method and system for implementing implicit follow and automatic unfollow

• US 9,916,592 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2013
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Knight, Robert, Salzer, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Brockington, III, William S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sadananda, Abhijit B
• Application Number:
  US13/895,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20140164055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,762 Days
• Field of Search: 705 729, 707802-803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/21 Design, administration or maintenance of databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

Disclosed is an approach for implementing implicit follow and automatic unfollow of objects in an enterprise application system. Automated following and unfollowing can be provided for objects in a CRM application, such as objects pertaining to sales opportunities.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method implemented with a processor, comprising:

maintaining an automated follow and un-follow architecture comprising a database application, a relational database table, an implicit follow mechanism, a follow mechanism, an automatic un-follow mechanism, an un-follow mechanism, and an activity stream framework,

the database application maintaining a plurality of database objects, at least some of the plurality of database objects being marked to support implicit following, and at least some of the plurality of database objects being coupled to the activity stream framework and publishing updates to the activity stream framework,

the relational database table being coupled to the follow mechanism and the un-follow mechanism, the relational database table conforming to a schema having a first column identifying users following database objects, a second column identifying followable database objects, and a third column identifying database object types, the relational database table having a plurality of entries corresponding to a plurality of follow relationships between database objects and users, the implicit follow mechanism being coupled to the follow mechanism, the implicit follow mechanism triggering the follow mechanism to issue creation instructions corresponding to relationships between database objects and users,

the follow mechanism being coupled to the implicit follow mechanism and the relational database table, the follow mechanism issuing the creation instructions corresponding to the relationships between the database objects and the users to add entries to the relational database table, issuance of the creation instructions being triggered by the implicit follow mechanism,

the automatic un-follow mechanism being coupled to the un-follow mechanism, the automatic un-follow mechanism triggering the un-follow mechanism to issue disassociation instructions corresponding to deletion of entries in the relational database table, the un-follow mechanism being coupled to the automatic un-follow mechanism and the relational database table, the un-follow mechanism issuing the disassociation instructions corresponding to the deletion of the entries in the relational database table, issuance of the disassociation instructions being triggered by the implicit follow mechanism, and

the activity stream framework receiving and maintaining published updates for objects types that publish activity to the activity stream framework;

identifying the plurality of database objects maintained by the database application;

identifying, among the plurality of database objects a first database object configured to allow implicit following, the first database object being marked to support implicit following, implicit following comprising automatically determining when a user is to be associated with one of the plurality of database objects for following and configuring following of one of the plurality of database objects when it is determined that the user is to be associated with one of the plurality of database objects;

establishing implicit following of the first database object, the implicit following of the first database object being established after a determination that the first database object is enabled for implicit following by;

identifying an existence of a relationship that is between the first database object and the user based upon an automatic determination to associate the user with the first database object by the implicit follow mechanism;

issuing one or more first instructions to update the relational database table by the follow mechanism, issuance of the one or more first instructions being triggered by the implicit follow mechanism, and the one or more first instructions causing a creation of an entry in the relational database table, the entry comprising a row of the relational database table with a first field in the first column populated with a user ID of the user, a second field in the second column populated with an object ID of the database object, and a third field in the third column populated with an object type of the database object identified in the second field, the entry registering the implicit following of the first database object by the user, wherein creation of the entry corresponds to registering a follow relationship between the first database object and the user,

wherein when an automatic determination that the user is to be disassociated with the database object is made by the automatic un-follow mechanism, the un-follow mechanism is triggered by the automatic un-follow mechanism to issue one or more second instructions to update the relational database table by the un-follow mechanism, the one or more second instructions causing a deletion of the entry from the relational database table, wherein deletion of the entry corresponds to an un-follow action of the first database object for the user;

identifying a change to the first database object, the change to the first database object being published to an activity stream of the activity stream framework;

processing the relational database table to identify the implicit following of the first database object by the user;

determining that a set of conditions are met to provide a message regarding the change to the first database object to the user, the set of conditions specifying that the object type corresponding to the first database object publishes activity to the activity stream and that the user has authorization to access the first database object; and

providing, in response to determining that the set of conditions are met, the message regarding the change to the first database object to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the first database object comprises a CRM object, and the first database object is followed by members of a sales team or marketing team.

3. The method of claim 2, in which an operation associated with the first database object performed by a member of the sales team or the marketing team causes some or all members of the sales team or the marketing team to automatically follow the first database object.

4. The method of claim 1, in which all updates to the plurality of database objects are collected in a single activity stream.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the automatic determination that the user is to be disassociated with the database object is based on a status change that makes the user unqualified to follow the first database object.

6. The method of claim 5, in which the user is unqualified to follow the first database object when a role of the user within an organization changes-such that the user is no longer authorized to access the first database object.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the automatic determination that the user is to be disassociated with the first database object is based on a status change that makes the user unqualified to follow the first database object;

wherein the user is unqualified to follow the first database object if a role of the user within an organization changes such that the user is no longer authorized to access the first database object;

wherein deletion of the entry comprises deactivation or disabling of the the entry;

wherein the activity stream comprises one or more messages that described changes to one or more database objects followed by the user, and wherein the activity stream must be enabled for changes to the one or more database objects to be visible to the user;

wherein the plurality of database objects correspond to sales opportunities in the database application;

wherein registering the implicit following of the first database object includes first determining that the first database object is marked for implicit following, second determining whether the user has performed an operation associated with the first database object, and third determining that the user is not already following the first database object;

wherein configuration of implicit following for an object type is initiated in response to receiving an input from a first user with administrative rights;

wherein an error notification is generated when implicit following is being configured for an object type that does not publish to the activity stream;

wherein the activity stream framework includes a security handler, wherein the security handler determines whether a respective user is authorized to access respective content before allowing the respective content to be displayed to the respective user;

wherein the database application comprises a customer relationship management application, an enterprise resource planning application, or a supply chain management application, and wherein an administrator can configure the implicit following of database objects for one or more users; and

wherein the first database object comprises a CRM object and the first database object is followed by members of a sales team or marketing team, and wherein an operation associated with the first database object performed by a member of the sales team or the marketing team causes some or all members of the sales team or the marketing team to automatically follow the first database object.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to execute a method comprising:

maintaining an automated follow and un-follow architecture comprising a database application, a relational database table, an implicit follow mechanism, a follow mechanism, an automatic un-follow mechanism, an un-follow mechanism, and an activity stream framework,

the database application maintaining a plurality of database objects, at least some of the plurality of database objects being marked to support implicit following, and at least some of the plurality of database objects being coupled to the activity stream framework and publishing updates to the activity stream framework,

the relational database table being coupled to the follow mechanism and the un-follow mechanism, the relational database table conforming to a schema having a first column identifying users following database objects, a second column identifying followable database objects, and a third column identifying database object types, the relational database table having a plurality of entries corresponding to a plurality of follow relationships between database objects and users, the implicit follow mechanism being coupled to the follow mechanism, the implicit follow mechanism triggering the follow mechanism to issue creation instructions corresponding to relationships between database objects and users,

the follow mechanism being coupled to the implicit follow mechanism and the relational database table, the follow mechanism issuing the creation instructions corresponding to the relationships between the database objects and the users to add entries to the relational database table, issuance of the creation instructions being triggered by the implicit follow mechanism,

the automatic un-follow mechanism being coupled to the un-follow mechanism, the automatic un-follow mechanism triggering the un-follow mechanism to issue disassociation instructions corresponding to deletion of entries in the relational database table, the un-follow mechanism being coupled to the automatic un-follow mechanism and the relational database table, the un-follow mechanism issuing the disassociation instructions corresponding to the deletion of the entries in the relational database table, issuance of the disassociation instructions being triggered by the implicit follow mechanism, and

the activity stream framework receiving and maintaining published updates for objects types that publish activity to the activity stream framework;

identifying the plurality of database objects maintained by the database application;

identifying, among the plurality of database objects a first database object configured to allow implicit following, the first database object being marked to support implicit following, implicit following comprising automatically determining when a user is to be associated with one of the plurality of database objects for following and configuring following of one of the plurality of database objects when it is determined that the user is to be associated with one of the plurality of database objects;

establishing implicit following of the first database object, the implicit following of the first database object being established after a determination that the first database object is enabled for implicit following by;

identifying an existence of a relationship that is between the first database object and the user based upon an automatic determination to associate the user with the first database object by the implicit follow mechanism;

issuing one or more first instructions to update the relational database table by the follow mechanism, issuance of the one or more first instructions being triggered by the implicit follow mechanism, and the one or more first instructions causing a creation of an entry in the relational database table, the entry comprising a row of the relational database table with a first field in the first column populated with a user ID of the user, a second field in the second column populated with an object ID of the database object, and a third field in the third column populated with an object type of the database object identified in the second field, the entry registering the implicit following of the first database object by the user, wherein creation of the entry corresponds to registering a follow relationship between the first database object and the user,

wherein when an automatic determination that the user is to be disassociated with the database object is made by the automatic un-follow mechanism, the un-follow mechanism is triggered by the automatic un-follow mechanism to issue one or more second instructions to update the relational database table by the un-follow mechanism, the one or more second instructions causing a deletion of the entry from the relational database table, wherein deletion of the entry corresponds to an un-follow action of the first database object for the user;

identifying a change to the first database object, the change to the first database object being published to an activity stream of the activity stream framework;

processing the relational database table to identify the implicit following of the first database object by the user;

determining that a set of conditions are met to provide a message regarding the change to the first database object to the user, the set of conditions specifying that the object type corresponding to the first database object publishes activity to the activity stream and that the user has authorization to access the first database object; and

providing, in response to determining that the set of conditions are met, the message regarding the change to the first database object to the user.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, in which the first database object comprises a CRM object, and the first database object is followed by members of a sales team or marketing team.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, in which an operation associated with the first database object performed by a member of the sales team or the marketing team causes some or all members of the sales team or the marketing team to automatically follow the first database object.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 8, in which all updates to the plurality of database objects are collected in a single activity stream.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 8, in which the automatic determination that the user is to be disassociated with the database object is based on a status change that makes the user unqualified to follow the first database object.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, in which the user is unqualified to follow the first database object when a role of the user within an organization changes-such that the user is no longer authorized to access the first database object.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 8,

wherein the automatic determination that the user is to be disassociated with the first database object is based on a status change that makes the user unqualified to follow the first database object;

wherein the user is unqualified to follow the first database object if a role of the user within an organization changes such that the user is no longer authorized to access the first database object;

wherein deletion of the entry comprises deactivation or disabling of the the entry;

wherein the activity stream comprises one or more messages that describe changes to one or more database objects followed by the user, and wherein the activity stream must be enabled for changes to the one or more database objects to be visible to the user;

wherein the plurality of database objects correspond to sales opportunities in the database application;

wherein registering the implicit following of the first database object includes first determining that the first database object is marked for implicit following, second determining whether the user has performed an operation associated with the first database object, and third determining that the user is not already following the first database object;

wherein configuration of implicit following for an object type is initiated in response to receiving an input from a first user with administrative rights;

wherein an error notification is generated when implicit following is being configured for an object type that does not publish to the activity stream;

wherein the activity stream framework includes a security handler, wherein the security handler determines whether a respective user is authorized to access respective content before allowing the respective content to be displayed to the respective user;

wherein the database application comprises a customer relationship management application, an enterprise resource planning application, or a supply chain management application, and wherein an administrator can configure the implicit following of database objects for one or more users; and

wherein the first database object comprises a CRM object and the first database object is followed by members of a sales team or marketing team, and wherein an operation associated with the first database object performed by a member of the sales team or the marketing team causes some or all members of the sales team or the marketing team to automatically follow the first database object.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor to execute program code instructions; and

a memory to hold the program code instructions, in which the program code instructions when executed by the processor cause the processor to execute a method comprising;

maintaining an automated follow and un-follow architecture comprising a database application, a relational database table, an implicit follow mechanism, a follow mechanism, an automatic un-follow mechanism, an un-follow mechanism, and an activity stream framework,

the database application maintaining a plurality of database objects, at least some of the plurality of database objects being marked to support implicit following, and at least some of the plurality of database objects being coupled to the activity stream framework and publishing updates to the activity stream framework,

the relational database table being coupled to the follow mechanism and the un-follow mechanism, the relational database table conforming to a schema having a first column identifying users following database objects, a second column identifying followable database objects, and a third column identifying database object types, the relational database table having a plurality of entries corresponding to a plurality of follow relationships between database objects and users, the implicit follow mechanism being coupled to the follow mechanism, the implicit follow mechanism triggering the follow mechanism to issue creation instructions corresponding to relationships between database objects and users,

the follow mechanism being coupled to the implicit follow mechanism and the relational database table, the follow mechanism issuing the creation instructions corresponding to the relationships between the database objects and the users to add entries to the relational database table, issuance of the creation instructions being triggered by the implicit follow mechanism,

the automatic un-follow mechanism being coupled to the un-follow mechanism, the automatic un-follow mechanism triggering the un-follow mechanism to issue disassociation instructions corresponding to deletion of entries in the relational database table, the un-follow mechanism being coupled to the automatic un-follow mechanism and the relational database table, the un-follow mechanism issuing the disassociation instructions corresponding to the deletion of the entries in the relational database table, issuance of the disassociation instructions being triggered by the implicit follow mechanism, and

the activity stream framework receiving and maintaining published updates for objects types that publish activity to the activity stream framework;

identifying the plurality of database objects maintained by the database application;

identifying, among the plurality of database objects a first database object configured to allow implicit following, the first database object being marked to support implicit following, implicit following comprising automatically determining when a user is to be associated with one of the plurality of database objects for following and configuring following of one of the plurality of database objects when it is determined that the user is to be associated with one of the plurality of database objects;

establishing implicit following of the first database object, the implicit following of the first database object being established after a determination that the first database object is enabled for implicit following by;

identifying an existence of a relationship that is between the first database object and the user based upon an automatic determination to associate the user with the first database object by the implicit follow mechanism;

issuing one or more first instructions to update the relational database table by the follow mechanism, issuance of the one or more first instructions being triggered by the implicit follow mechanism, and the one or more first instructions causing a creation of an entry in the relational database table, the entry comprising a row of the relational database table with a first field in the first column populated with a user ID of the user, a second field in the second column populated with an object ID of the database object, and a third field in the third column populated with an object type of the database object identified in the second field, the entry registering the implicit following of the first database object by the user, wherein creation of the entry corresponds to registering a follow relationship between the first database object and the user,

wherein when an automatic determination that the user is to be disassociated with the database object is made by the automatic un-follow mechanism, the un-follow mechanism is triggered by the automatic un-follow mechanism to issue one or more second instructions to update the relational database table by the un-follow mechanism, the one or more second instructions causing a deletion of the entry from the relational database table, wherein deletion of the entry corresponds to an un-follow action of the first database object for the user;

identifying a change to the first database object, the change to the first database object being published to an activity stream of the activity stream framework;

processing the relational database table to identify the implicit following of the first database object by the user;

determining that a set of conditions are met to provide a message regarding the change to the first database object to the user, the set of conditions specifying that the object type corresponding to the first database object publishes activity to the activity stream and that the user has authorization to access the first database object; and

providing, in response to determining that the set of conditions are met, the message regarding the change to the first database object to the user.

16. The system of claim 15, in which the first database object comprises a CRM object, and the first database object is followed by members of a sales team or marketing team.

17. The system of claim 16, in which an operation associated with the first database object performed by a member of the sales team or the marketing team causes some or all members of the sales team or the marketing team to automatically follow the first database object.

18. The system of claim 15, in which all updates to the plurality of database objects are collected in a single activity stream.

19. The system of claim 15, in which the automatic determination that the user is to be disassociated with the database object is based on a status change that makes the user unqualified to follow the first database object.

20. The system of claim 19, in which the user is unqualified to follow the first database object when a role of the user within an organization changes-such that the user is no longer authorized to access the first database object.

21. The system of claim 15,

wherein the automatic determination that the user is to be disassociated with the first database object is based on a status change that makes the user unqualified to follow the first database object;

wherein the user is unqualified to follow the first database object if a role of the user within an organization changes such that the user is no longer authorized to access the first database object;

wherein deletion of the entry comprises deactivation or disabling of the the entry;

wherein the activity stream comprises one or more messages that described changes to one or more database objects followed by the user, and wherein the activity stream must be enabled for changes to the one or more database objects to be visible to the user;

wherein the plurality of database objects correspond to sales opportunities in the database application;

wherein registering the implicit following of the first database object includes first determining that the first database object is marked for implicit following, second determining whether the user has performed an operation associated with the first database object, and third determining that the user is not already following the first database object;

wherein configuration of implicit following for an object type is initiated in response to receiving an input from a first user with administrative rights;

wherein an error notification is generated when implicit following is being configured for an object type that does not publish to the activity stream;

wherein the activity stream framework includes a security handler, wherein the security handler determines whether a respective user is authorized to access respective content before allowing the respective content to be displayed to the respective user;

wherein the database application comprises a customer relationship management application, an enterprise resource planning application, or a supply chain management application, and wherein an administrator can configure the implicit following of database objects for one or more users; and

wherein the first database object comprises a CRM object and the first database object is followed by members of a sales team or marketing team, and wherein an operation associated with the first database object performed by a member of the sales team or the marketing team causes some or all members of the sales team or the marketing team to automatically follow the first database object.