Control for enabling a user to preview display of selected content based on another user's authorization level

• US 20060184578A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Slack Technologies, Inc. (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sample, Neal, Perelman, Ellen Sue, Brody, Paul, DeJesus, Ericson, La Rotonda, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,599,935 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6227 where protection concerns the structure of data, e.g. records, types, queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/52 for supporting social networking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/916 Audio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/961 Associative
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Enabling a first user to preview content as it would be seen by a second user, if the second user had a selected user relationship with the first user. The selected user relationship may comprise a relationship degree, a relationship category, a relationship rating, and/or other form of relationship. In one embodiment, a user interface enables the first user to assign user relationships to portions of content and to other users. The first user selects a user relationship, which is used to access those portions of content that are associated with the first user and assigned the selected user relationship. The corresponding portions of content are used to generate a preview display for the first user, illustrating the portions of content that would be accessible to other users assigned the same user relationship or assigned a closer user relationship. Preview may be generated by a server or a local client.

Claims

1. A method for previewing content, comprising:

receiving a selected user relationship indicating a relationship between a first user and a second user;

accessing content that is associated with the first user and the selected user relationship; and

providing a preview portion of the accessed content for display to the first user, enabling the first user to preview the preview portion of the accessed content as it would be displayed to the second user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to accessing the content, associating the content with a user relationship by at least one of the following:

receiving an assignment of the user relationship to the content from the first user; and

automatically associating the content with the user relationship based on one of the following;

a behavior, a predefined setting, and an agreement.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected user relationship is received from a client user interface operated by the first user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected user relationship comprises at least one of the following:

a degree of relationship between the first user and the second user;

a category of relationship between the first user and the second user; and

a rating of the relationship between the first user and the second user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein accessed content includes at least one of the following;

profile information, a blog entry, a review, a list, a set of images, information about a related user;

information about a group to which the first user belongs, and a message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the preview portion is provided as a markup document for display by a browser.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the content to a client that locally accesses the content and provides the preview portion by filtering the content to enable the first user to preview the preview portion of the accessed content as it would be seen by the second user.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising preparing the preview portion based on a capability of a device through which the preview portion will displayed to the first user.

9. A computer readable medium, comprising executable instructions for performing actions of claim 1.

10. A modulated data signal for communicating data over a network, the modulated data signal comprising instructions that enable a computing device to perform the actions of claim 1.

11. A server for previewing content, comprising:

a communication interface in communication with a client;

a memory for storing instructions; and

a processor in communication with the communication interface and with the memory, wherein the processor performs actions based at least in part on the stored instructions, including;

receiving from the client a preview selection indicating a user relationship;

accessing content that is associated with the client and the user relationship; and

providing to the client a preview of the content as the content would be displayed to a user associated with the user relationship.

12. The server of claim 11, wherein the processor actions further include, prior to accessing the content, associating the content with a user relationship by at least one of the following:

receiving an assignment of the user relationship to the content from the client; and

automatically associating the content with the user relationship based on one of the following;

a behavior, a predefined setting, and an agreement.

13. The server of claim 11, wherein the preview selection indicates at least one of the following:

a degree of relationship between the client and another user;

a category of relationship between the client and the other user; and

a rating of the relationship between the client and the other user.

14. The server of claim 11, wherein accessed content includes at least one of the following;

profile information, a blog entry, a review, a list, a set of images, information about a related user;

information about a group to which the client belongs, and a message.

15. The server of claim 11, wherein the processor actions further include preparing the preview based on a capability of a device through which the preview will displayed through the client.

16. A method for previewing content, comprising:

providing a user interface that enables a first user to select a user relationship that is associated with a set of content accessible to a second user;

enabling the first user to request the set of content based on an identifier of the first user and on the selected user relationship; and

displaying the set of content for viewing by the first user.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising, prior to enabling the first user to request the set of content, enabling the first user to associate a portion of the content with a user relationship.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising using the user relationship to filter content stored by a local client device to obtain the set of content.

19. A client device for previewing content, comprising:

a communication interface in communication with a server;

a memory for storing instructions; and

a processor in communication with the communication interface and with the memory, wherein the processor performs actions based at least in part on the stored instructions, including;

providing a user interface that enables a first user to select a user relationship that is associated with a set of content accessible to a second user;

enabling the first user to request the set of content based on an identifier of the first user and on the selected user relationship; and

displaying the set of content for viewing by the first user.

20. The client device of claim 19, wherein the client device comprises a mobile terminal.