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

• US 8,713,457 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• 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): LIAO, JASON G
• Application Number:
  US12/957,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20110072387A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 715/762
• 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 computer-implemented method of enabling end users to create custom tab set view definitions that access hosting server system based applications without intervention of a system administrator, comprising:

configuring a user system with a list of a plurality of tabs available for selection by an end user, each tab having a stored tab definition, and each tab defining a link to an application, wherein at least one application is resident on an application hosting server system, such that an end user selecting a tab that is included in a corresponding user interface accesses an element of the application;

receiving a selection of a set of one or more of said plurality of tabs (tab set view);

receiving a label representing a name of the tab set view;

receiving from the end user a tab set profile indication for the tab set view, the indication identifying which of a plurality of user systems are allowed access to the tab set view; and

storing a tab set view definition including the name, the selection of tabs, and the profile indication to a server system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to a request from a first user system that is allowed access to the tab set definition the server system, transmitting a representation of the tab set definition to the first user system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the representation includes a name of the tab set in a list of one or more tab set names.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the end user is allowed access to more than one tab set, and wherein a name of the tab set is displayed in a dropdown list of tab set names for tab sets to which the end user has access.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the tab set definition includes a default display order of tabs in the tab set, the method further comprising:

in response to a request from the end user, reordering the display order of the tabs in the tab set to a user defined display order;

storing the user defined display order to a database object in the server system.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the tab set definition includes a default set of tabs, the method further comprising:

in response to a request from the end user, reconfiguring the tabs in the tab set by;

1) removing one or more default tabs from the tab set;

or

2) adding one or more additional tabs to the tab set;

or

3) removing one or more default tabs from, and adding one or more additional tabs to, the tab set; and

storing the user reconfigured tab set definition to a database object in the server system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the reconfigured tab set definition includes a default display order of tabs in the reconfigured tab set, the method further comprising:

in response to a request from the end user, reordering the display order of the tabs in the reconfigured tab set to an end user-defined display order; and

storing the user defined display order to a database object in the server system.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the stored tab set definition includes a logo graphic, and wherein the logo graphic is displayed when the tab set definition is selected.

9. A computer system configured to enable end users to create a custom tab set view definition that accesses hosting server system based applications without intervention of a system administrator, comprising:

a database system that stores a plurality of database objects and application objects;

at least one user system; and

a server system communicably coupled to the database system, wherein the server system is configured to;

configure the user system, over a network, with a list of a plurality of tabs available for selection by an end user, each tab having a stored tab definition, and each tab defining a link to an application, wherein at least one application is resident on an application hosting server system, such that an end user selecting a tab that is included in a corresponding user interface accesses an element of the application;

receive a selection of a set of one or more of said plurality of tabs (tab set view);

receive a label representing a name of the tab set view;

receive from the end user a tab set profile indication for the tab set view, the indication identifying which of a plurality of user systems are allowed access to the tab set view; and

store a tab set view definition including the name, the selection of tabs, and the profile indication to a server system.

10. The system of claim 9, further configured, in response to a request from a first user system that is allowed access to the tab set definition, to transmit a representation of the tab set definition to the first user system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the representation includes a name of the tab set in a list of one or more tab set names.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the end user is allowed access to more than one tab set, and wherein a name of the tab set is displayed in a dropdown list of tab set names for tab sets to which the end user has access.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the tab set definition includes a default display order of tabs in the tab set, the system further configured to:

in response to a request from the end user, reorder the display order of the tabs in the tab set to a user defined display order; and

store the user defined display order to a database object in the server system.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the tab set definition includes a default set of tabs, the system further configured to:

in response to a request from the end user, reconfigure the tabs in the tab set by;

1) removing one or more default tabs from the tab set;

or

2) adding one or more additional tabs to the tab set;

or

3) removing one or more default tabs from, and adding one or more additional tabs to, the tab set; and

store the user reconfigured tab set definition to a database object in the server system.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the reconfigured tab set definition includes a default display order of tabs in the reconfigured tab set, the system further configured to:

in response to a request from the end user, reorder the display order of the tabs in the reconfigured tab set to an end user-defined display order; and

store the user defined display order to a database object in the server system.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the stored tab set definition includes a logo graphic, and wherein the logo graphic is displayed when the tab set definition is selected.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including code for controlling a processor, the code including instructions enabling end users to create tab set definitions that access hosting server system based applications without intervention of a system administrator, including instructions to:

configure a user system with a list of a plurality of tabs available for selection by an end user, each tab having a stored tab definition, and each tab defining a link to an application, wherein at least one application is resident on an application hosting server system, such that an end user selecting a tab that is included in a corresponding user interface accesses an element of the application;

receive a selection of a set of one or more of said plurality of tabs (tab set view);

receive a label representing a name of the tab set view;

receive from the end user a tab set profile indication for the tab set view, the indication identifying which of a plurality of user systems are allowed access to the tab set view; and

store a tab set view definition including the name, the selection of tabs, and the profile indication to a server system.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further including code instructions to, in response to a request from a first user system that is allowed access to the tab set definition, to transmit a representation of the tab set definition to the first user system.

19. Computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the representation includes a name of the tab set in a list of one or more tab set names.

20. Computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the end user is allowed access to more than one tab set, and wherein a name of the tab set is displayed in a dropdown list of tab set names for tab sets to which the end user has access.

21. Computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the tab set definition includes a default display order of tabs in the tab set, further including code instructions to:

in response to a request from the end user, reorder the display order of the tabs in the tab set to a user defined display order; and

store the user defined display order to a database object in the server system.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the tab set definition includes a default set of tabs, further including code instructions to:

in response to a request from the end user, reconfigure the tabs in the tab set by;

1) removing one or more default tabs from the tab set;

or

2) adding one or more additional tabs to the tab set;

or

3) removing one or more default tabs from, and adding one or more additional tabs to, the tab set; and

store the user reconfigured tab set definition to a database object in the server system.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the reconfigured tab set definition includes a default display order of tabs in the reconfigured tab set, further including code instructions to:

in response to a request from the end user, reorder the display order of the tabs in the reconfigured tab set to an end user-defined display order; and

store the user defined display order to a database object in the server system.